American Visa For South African Passport Holders

Due to a highly active immigration system, US employers are able to find the work force they need in properly qualified candidates. However, it is not so easy for most of the candidates who are not citizens because they don’t have easy access to USA visa. This is where South African passport holders can make use of their citizenship and apply for an American visa to land the dream job there.

The US is one of the most sought-after destinations for South African citizens, owing to its friendly immigration policies and high standard of living. People from all walks of life want to move there, be it students, professionals, or even those looking to start a business. However, moving to America is not easy. There are several steps that need to be followed in order to secure a visa and start living in the country. If you’re a South African thinking about applying for an American visa, here’s how you can go about doing it.

Every year, thousands of South Africans travel to the United States on a K1 (fiancee) Visa or B1/B2 (business or tourism) visas. Unfortunately, the visa criteria is set by the US Embassy and USCIS, which makes that an applicant must be able to prove financial ability at the time of visa application.

MPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING VISAS

Non-Immigrant Visa Operating Status: The U.S. Consulates General in South Africa are accepting and processing non-immigrant visa applications from individuals physically present in South Africa, including third country nationals.  To protect the health and safety of our applicants and staff we have limited appointments available.  Applicants should expect a longer-than-normal wait time for scheduling an appointment and visa processing, and plan accordingly.

Please follow the instructions at https://ais.usvisa-info.com to schedule an appointment or to submit your visa application via courier.  Approximate wait times for appointments can be found by visiting https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/wait-times.html . For questions regarding scheduling an appointment online, requesting an expedited appointment, or renewing your U.S. visa via courier, please call +27 87 550 2160.  Customer service center agents are available Monday to Friday, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm local time.

Non-Immigrant Interview Waivers:  Applicants renewing a B, C, D, F, H, I, J, M, O, P, Q or R visa in the same visa class whose previous visa expired within the last 48 months may be eligible for an interview waiver. Eligibility is determined based on the answers provided by the applicant to questions during the online appointment scheduling process. Criteria include:

• Your most recent visa was issued in South Africa in a South African passport and is still valid or expired no more than 48 months ago;
• You provided 10 fingerprints at your last visa interview;
• Your previously issued U.S. visa was a full-validity visa;
• Your last visa has not been lost, stolen, or revoked;
• Your visa was not annotated with “Clearance Received;” and
• You have the same SEVIS number (for student visas).

Applicants may also qualify to apply for their U.S. visas without appearing for an interview if the applicants are under the age of 14 (with at least one parent holding a valid visa in the same category), are over the age of 80.

Additional interview waiver possibilities exist through the end of 2022 for first time H2A and other visa categories.  Visit https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/important-announcement-on-waivers-of-the-interview-requirement-for-certain-nonimmigrant-visas.html to see if you qualify.

If you believe you are eligible to apply for or renew your visa under the interview waiver program, we strongly encourage you to call +27 87 550 2160.  Customer service center agents are available Monday to Friday, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm local time to assist you in making your first time application, or changing your existing appointment to an interview waiver.

COVID Vaccination Requirement:  Effective November 8, 2021, President Biden introduced a global vaccination requirement that all adult foreign nationals (age 18 and older) traveling to the United States be required to demonstrate proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 to their airline prior to boarding a flight.  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website explains that, for purposes of entry into the United States, the accepted vaccines will include FDA approved or authorized and WHO Emergency Use Listing vaccines.  Please see https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html for more information.  Please also visit FAQs on COVID-19 Vaccinations and Testing for International Travel .