American visa on your own: step-by-step instructions

Video Guide for Obtaining a U.S. Visa

So, you are planning to visit the United States of America, then the first thing you need is not articles about the luxurious casinos of Las Vegas or thrilling rides on American roller coasters, but information about the experience of obtaining a U.S. visa considering current requirements. This is exactly what will be discussed further. To apply for entry permission, you need to determine its type and go through the standard procedure. Obtaining an American visa can be for various purposes – from tourism to working in a church. You have the option to handle this yourself or consult specialists. In any case, your presence will be required, at least for the interview at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv. So, let’s move on to the main point – obtaining an American visa independently: a step-by-step guide.

Main Steps for Obtaining a U.S. Visa

There is a lot of information on how to apply for a U.S. visa independently, but very little is reliable. Many of the articles are long outdated. In this guide, we have tried to gather all the current nuances about the rules of entry into America from Ukraine for you.

Generally, to obtain an American visa independently, it is enough to go through several stages:

• determining the main purposes of the visit;
• payment of the consular fee;
• applying for a U.S. visa at the consular section and filling out a special application form;
• collecting the required documents and photos;
• scheduling and successfully attending an interview at the U.S. Embassy.

Overall, nothing complicated – the main thing is to be extremely focused and attentive. The most common and easiest to obtain is the U.S. tourist visa (B-2). If you are more interested in employment, it is better to consult specialists right away. Long-term visas, especially those that can lead to immigration to America, are quite difficult to obtain without professional support. They require more documents, and the interview is much harder to pass. But, in general, whatever entry permission you need – the procedure is the same.

Features of Preparing a U.S. Visa

Let’s take a closer look at each stage of visa preparation. Information on our website or a consultation with our visa specialists will help you determine the type of entry permission you need. There should also be no problems with paying the consular fee – this can be done at any bank branch. Difficulties begin with filling out the application form and collecting documents, but let’s go in order.

You can apply for a U.S. visa independently without problems if you have a lot of free time. Even filling out the special application form (DS-160) will take a lot of effort. It should be prepared in English directly on the website and the first page printed – this will be one of the main documents for submission to the embassy. If you do not speak English, use an online translator or our company’s services. It should be noted right away that there are many questions, but do not worry – if you cannot do everything at once, you can save the temporary result and continue later. Remember that the information in the visa application must be truthful – any deception will inevitably lead to a denial of the visit.

Regarding documents, the list depends on what type of U.S. visa you need. First of all, you will need:

• confirmation of consular fee payment;
• a valid passport with a sufficient number of (1-2) blank pages;
• completed visa application form;
• photographs that meet the requirements of the American embassy.

These documents are submitted first, but it is also advisable to prepare additional ones:

• internal passport;
• income statement;
• tax identification number certificate;
• confirmation of financial guarantees (statement from an active bank account) or documents about sponsors of the planned trip;
• information about existing property;
• certificate of marital status and presence of children;
• hotel reservation;
• round-trip flight reservation;
• medical insurance for the duration of the visit;
• invitation to America from a legal entity (business or work visa);
• invitation to the United States from a private individual (visitor visa);
• certificate from an educational institution (for students);
• copy of the pension certificate (for retirees);
• copy of the birth certificate and parental consent for travel (for children).

Documents from the second list do not need to be immediately handed over to the visa officer, only if requested. It is advisable to take them with you for confidence. Regarding hotel and flight reservations, they are not mandatory, and they are rarely required at the American embassy in Kyiv, but booking in advance can help you save a significant amount of money.

The last item in the preliminary preparation list is the collection of biometric data, without which, since 06/23/2015, obtaining a tourist visa to the U.S. independently and even with the help of specialists is impossible. Your data will be stored for about 5 years. Only individuals who cannot provide fingerprints, children under 12 years old, as well as heads of states, members of national governments, and their immediate family members can refuse.

Interview at the U.S. Embassy

Whether to obtain a visa to America independently or with the help of our specialists is up to you, but in any case, you will have to prepare for the interview. This is the final and main stage of obtaining entry permission. The result depends on it. Of course, experienced consultants can prepare you for all possible questions in the shortest time, but, in principle, you can handle it yourself if you have enough free time. Start by studying general information about the country, rules of stay, laws, and popular resorts, as well as attractions. Then, develop a tentative itinerary and plan for the entire visit period. It should not be too large, so that embassy staff do not doubt its reality. This will help you answer the main questions about the purpose of the trip. Do not mention proficiency in English. If asked, you should say you have an intermediate level or none at all – this will increase your chances of convincing the visa officer that you are not a potential immigrant. Also, mentioning friends in the U.S. is a bad idea; only mention relatives if you have any. In general, your task at the interview is to convince the visa center employee that you are not another illegal visitor, but a simple tourist or businessman, and that you will definitely return to Ukraine after the expiration of the stay permit. Therefore, it is best to have as few ties to America as possible.

Next, obtaining a U.S. visa independently – a step-by-step guide to the interview:

1. You need to schedule an interview by phone or in person by going there.
2. Arrive at the embassy 20 minutes before the scheduled time and wait to be called.
3. Submit documents confirming identity, the consular fee payment receipt, the special application form, and the invitation letter for the meeting.
4. Answer the questions honestly and in detail.
5. Wait for the interview results.

It is worth noting the general procedure for conducting a personal meeting. In general, to obtain a U.S. visa, you need to answer 5-7 questions. The main ones include:

• Why do you want to visit the United States specifically, and what do you plan to do during the visit (mention some attractions).
• Your proficiency in foreign languages.
• What do you do in Ukraine and what is your marital status (it is better to talk about a good income and stable relationships).
• Would you like to live abroad (the correct answer is no, I love my country).

Answer the questions clearly and truthfully. If the interviewer detects deception or doubts, you will inevitably be denied. This, in turn, will close the country’s borders for you for a long period and permanently ruin your visa history.

If everything goes well, you will be issued a visa to America immediately. In case of denial, only after a certain period can you file an appeal. So, it is better to prepare well in advance to prevent failure. Those who are not confident in their abilities should use the services of our managers. You can still obtain an American visa independently, but a consultation will not be superfluous. After all, not all nuances are available on the internet. Moreover, the questions and the procedure for obtaining entry permission depend on the individual characteristics of each case.

Reasons for U.S. Visa Denial

Obtaining a tourist visa to the U.S., like any other, independently is possible only with good preparation not only of documents but also of yourself for the personal interview at the embassy. Otherwise, you risk not achieving the desired results and putting the entire trip in question. The main reasons for denial when attempting to obtain a visa include:

• submission of false personal information in documents;
• falsification of submitted documents;
• lack of necessary financial guarantees (personal or sponsorship);
• applying for a visa without a clearly defined purpose of visit;
• lack of information about medical insurance;
• previous denials or a completely blank passport.

If you have doubts about the success of achieving your goals or lack time to consider all the nuances, seek help from our consultants. They will create a clear action plan and help you prepare 100%. So you can easily forget about nerves and worries.

Timeframes and Cost of Obtaining a U.S. Visa

Applying for a visa to America independently for Ukrainian citizens can take quite a lot of time. Preparing the necessary documents and submitting them to the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv will take from 3 to 7 days. Reviewing the request and document package may take from 10 days to 90 days, depending on the type of stay permit and the individual case characteristics. Therefore, it is better to start preparing 3 months before the expected departure date. However, there is a possibility to obtain an American visa more quickly, but there must be grounds for this. For example, the need for urgent treatment, funerals, weddings, and so on. The cost of the visa stamp consists of the consular fee and medical insurance. Visa support manager services in Kyiv are paid separately, if necessary.