How to apply for a US visa from Canada – Apply for visa | U.S.
CANADA
A citizen of a foreign national who wishes to visit the United States must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is then placed in the traveler’s passport, which is a travel document issued by the traveler’s home country.
What is a Visa for the United States of America?
If certain international travelers complete the requirements for visa-free travel, they may be able to visit the United States without needing a visa. This website’s Visa section is all about U.S. visas for foreign citizens who wish to visit the United States.
(Note: While U.S. citizens do not require a visa to travel within the United States, they may require a visa from the embassy of the nation they desire to visit when planning a trip overseas.) In this case, read about visa requirements per nation before planning a trip abroad.
How Can I Enter the United States With a Visa?
With a U.S. visa, you can travel to a port of entry, airport, or land border crossing and request authorization to enter the United States from a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspector. While a visa does not guarantee entry to the US, it does show that a consular officer at a US Embassy or Consulate abroad has concluded that you are eligible to seek entry for that specific purpose.
DHS/CBP inspectors, the nation’s border guardians, are in charge of admitting travelers to the United States for a specific status and time duration. DHS is also in charge of your immigration status while you are in the country.
What Kinds of Visas Are Available?
The type of visa you need is determined by US immigration law and is related to your trip purpose. There are two types of visas available in the United States: tourist and business visas.
- Nonimmigrant visas are used for short-term visits to the United States.
- Immigrant visas – For travel to the United States with the intention of settling permanently.
Any third-country national (TCN)* in the United States, as well as visitors in Canada or Mexico, who wish to apply for a nonimmigrant visa at the United States Embassy or Consulates in Canada or Mexico, must schedule an interview. Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, Toronto, Vancouver, Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Mexico City, Monterrey, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo, and Tijuana are all home to American consulates.
Applicants who intend to apply for a US visa in Canada should go to http://canada.usvisa-info.com/ for instructions on how to begin their application at a consular section in Canada. Prior to booking an appointment, applicants must pay their visa application processing cost. For further information, please visit the website.
Applicants who intend to apply for their visa in Mexico should go to http://mexico.usvisa-info.com to learn how to begin their visa application at a consular section in Mexico. Prior to booking an appointment, applicants must pay their visa application processing cost. For further information, please visit the website.
Who is not eligible to apply for a visa at a U.S. border embassy or consulate?
Individuals who have been out of status in the United States as a result of violating the terms of their visa or exceeding the validity period indicated on their admission stamp or paper Form I-94 are unable to apply at a US Embassy or Consulate at the border.
To put it another way, if you stayed in the United States for longer than the term granted by the immigration officer when you entered the country on any visa category, you must apply in the country of your nationality or legal permanent residence.
If you have any doubts regarding your immigration status, contact the local United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) office.
Third-country national applicants who are not residents of their consular districts are commonly denied “E” visa applications by US embassies and consulates.
Ports of Entry into the United States
Officials from the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have the authority to grant or prohibit entry into the United States. Prospective travelers should consult the CBP website in advance of travel to learn about admissions and entrance procedures, as well as prohibitions on bringing food, agricultural products, and other restricted/prohibited commodities.
Important Information for Re-Entry into the United States
Review the Automatic Revalidation webpage if you are traveling to the United States on a nonimmigrant visa and want to visit Canada or Mexico for a short period of time. Even if they have a valid admission stamp or paper Form I-94, anyone who has sought for and been denied a visa at a US Embassy or Consulate is barred from re-admission or re-entry to the United States in the same visa category.
If their visa has expired, travelers from countries on the State Department’s list of State Sponsors of Terrorism are not permitted to re-enter the United States using only an entrance stamp or a paper Form I-94. Rather than re-entering the United States purely on the basis of their entrance stamp or paper Form I-94, citizens from State Sponsors of Terrorism must be interrogated and acquire a new visa.
Added Information
Nonimmigrants who are currently in the United States and have an expired visa but are still in legal status are urged to apply for a new visa at non-border US embassies and consulates in conjunction with business or leisure travel abroad. Those who plan to visit Canada, Mexico, or adjacent islands (in the case of students and exchange guests), may re-enter the United States with expired U.S. visas within thirty days if they have a valid admission stamp or paper Form I-94 unless they are exempt from automatic revalidation.
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