Non-Immigrant Visas (NIV)
A L’ATTENTION DE NOS VISITEURS FRANCOPHONES: La traduction de notre site en langue française est actuellement en cours de réalisation. En attendant son lancement, vous pouvez obtenir des informations relatives au dépôt de demandes de visas non-immigrants en cliquant sur le lien « Demandes de Visas Non-Immigrants – Instructions » se trouvant sur la barre de navigation de gauche de ce site.
WHAT IS A NIV?
Non-immigrant visas are for international travelers temporarily visiting the United States for a wide variety of reasons, including tourism, business, medical treatment, cultural exchange, and certain types of temporary work. These visas allow you to travel to a United States port-of-entry and request permission from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer, to enter the United States.
Warning: A visa does not guarantee entry into the United States!
WHAT TYPE OF VISA DO I NEED?
The type of visa needed depends on the purpose of the intended travel. If, after his/her visa interview, an applicant qualifies, the Consular Officer will decide what kind of visa best fits the request.
Please click on the appropriate link on the left navigation bar for more information on the most common visa types and related requirements. You can also visit the State Department’s website at Visa Types for Temporary Visitors for information on application and documentation requirements by visa classification.
HOW DO I APPLY FOR A NIV?
- Read the “NIV Application instructions” and "Common DS-160 Errors" links on the left navigation bar, and prepare your application accordingly.
- Click on the following link, and, using the barcode number on your printed DS-160 visa application form confirmation page(alphanumeric characters), schedule an appointment online.
Note: - The Embassy is closed for Djiboutian and American holidays.
- Students are required to make a non-immigrant visa appointment in an available appointment slot. Regardless of the appointment time, however, they will be interviewed between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. because their appointments take longer than the allotted time.
HOW FAST CAN I GET AN INTERVIEW?
Please see Visa Wait Times link for complete information.
HOW FAST CAN I GET MY VISA PROCESSED?
Information on visa processing time: For the typical amount of time it takes to process a visa and return it to the applicant following an interview, and a determination by the consular officer that the visa will be issued, please go to the U.S. Department of State's Consular Affairs public website.
When to apply for a visa: we strongly encourage you to apply at least one or two months in advance of your anticipated travel.
Processing time disclaimer - Many additional factors, such as the need for special clearances, incomplete applications, and fraud investigations may influence the processing of individual visa cases. Note that the listed processing times are averages, and that the timing will vary based on the individual circumstances of each case.
Information on timeframes for cases requiring administrative processing: You can find this information on the U.S. Department of State's Consular Affairs public website.
I HAVE AN EMERGENCY: CAN I GET AN EXPEDITED APPOINTMENT?
Applicants facing emergencies can request an expedited appointment, using our official email address consulardjibouti@state.gov or by calling the Consular section at (+253) 21-453-000 between 12:30 p.m. and 04:00 p.m. The following is a non-exhaustive list of such emergencies:
- Emergency medical treatment, as well as any persons traveling in support (such as parent caring for a child)
- Family emergency, such as death, severe or terminal illness
- Student and exchange visitor having a nearing reporting date for school and/or program
- Emergent business travel
- Other emergency (such as Appearance in a U.S. court)
CAN I TRAVEL WITHOUT A VISA?
Many citizens from Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries can travel to the U.S. without a visa, if they meet certain requirements. Please read the information below: