Emergency Appointments
Medical Treatment or Illness/Death of a Family Member
Applicants who need to travel to the United States urgently for emergency medical treatment or the sudden illness or death of a family member may be eligible for an expedited interview appointment. In such cases, applicants should submit their request for an expedited appointment along with a letter from a physician explaining the medical circumstances through their local American Express or SpeedEx office. The Embassy reserves the right to determine what constitutes an emergency. If the expedited appointment request is approved, American Express will collect the $160 application fee and schedule the appointment. In most cases, applicants with approved requests submitted before 11 AM will receive an interview appointment on the same day. Applicants who submit their requests after 11AM will be scheduled for the following business day. Any case that is determined not to be an emergency will be scheduled for a later date according to the Embassy's nonimmigrant visa appointment schedule.
Click here for additional information on required documentation for persons seeking medical treatment in the United States.
Emergency Business Travel
The Embassy may also accept emergency applications from applicants who are traveling to the United States on last-minute, urgent business travel that cannot be rescheduled. These appointments are available only for the person conducting business and do not apply to spouses, children, dependents, or friends accompanying for tourism.
Applicants must go to an American Express or SpeedEx office, submit their applications, and pay the $160 application fee. Once the application is accepted, American Express will schedule an appointment within 3-4 working days.
Student and Exchange Visitors
In most cases, applicants for student or exchange programs (F, J, and M visas) will receive an appointment on the third business day following the submission of their application to American Express. For more information on student visas please click here.