HOW TO APPLY FOR A NON-IMMIGRANT VISA

Be Informed

Advance planning will ensure that the visa application process is smooth for you.  Apply for your visa well in advance of your travel! Learn more about different types of non-immigrant visas by clicking here.

Complete the Application Form

Fill out the Electronic Visa Application Form (EVAF) DS-156 online.  Answer all the questions.  Be sure to print out all three pages when you complete the form.  Bring the three-page form with you when you go to the bank.  Separate forms are required for each applicant including children.  In addition, male applicants between the ages of 16-45 need to fill out a form DS-157.

Schedule an Appointment at the Embassy

Use the online appointment system to schedule your interview  Please note that the online appointment system requires that you complete the EVAF.  Interviews are generally available on Mondays and Wednesdays between 8:00am - 12:00pm, except on U.S. and Ethiopian holidays.

Applicants for Student Visas (F-1), Exchange Visitor Visas (J-1), and Practical Training Visas (M-1) do not require appointments.  Applicants for any petition-based temporary work visas (E, H, L, O, P and Q categories) also do not require appointments. They are welcome to apply any Monday or Wednesday morning at 8:00 a.m.  Note that in order to interview on Monday, the applicant must pay the fee and drop off the application forms at the Bank of Abyssinia no later than 4:30 p.m. on the previous Thursday.  To interview on a Wednesday, the applicant must pay and drop off the application by 4:30 p.m. the previous Monday. Applicants in all of the above categories should make a copy of their I-20 or I-797 petition approval and submit it at the bank for data entry.  They should bring their original I-20 or I-797 approval to the interview for officer review.
 

Pay the Non-Refundable Application Fee at the Bank of Abyssinia and Drop off the Application Form(s)

There is a non-refundable application fee of $131 USD (or Birr equivalent).  This fee should be paid at one of the following three branches of the Bank of Abyssinia in Addis Ababa - Raguel, Arada and Ourael.  Bring the following items to the bank with you:

•  the three-page EVAF form with photo attached
•  the completed DS-157 (for males 16-45) and/or DS-158 (for student and exchange visitor applicants) if applicable.
•  students bring I-20 and SEVIS forms; exchange visitors bring DS-2019.
•  your passport, valid for at least six months.
•  the Appointment Confirmation Sheet that you printed out.
•  application fee of $131 or equivalent in Ethiopian Birr (non-refundable).

Be Prepared for the Interview

Bring your application and supporting documents to the Embassy on the day of your appointment.  Your application will be taken and you will be allowed to enter the interview waiting room.  All applicants between the ages of 14-79 are required to give ten fingerprints at the time of interview.  You will be interviewed by a consular officer who will evaluate your application and determine if you qualify for a visa. If you qualify for a visa, the officer will tell you when you can expect to pick up your passport and visa (generally within two business days). 

If a visa application is refused, there is no appeal.  However, if your circumstances change significantly or you believe there is additional substantive evidence that can be presented, you may reapply.  The non-refundable application fee is required each time you apply for a visa.  Unfortunately, some applicants will not qualify for a nonimmigrant visa, regardless of how many times they reapply, until their personal, professional, and financial circumstances change considerably.

Children under the age of 18 can be accompanied by one parent or a legal guardian. Applicants who are elderly and persons with disabilities can also be accompanied by one person.  No other assistants will be allowed into the U.S. Embassy.

All applicants must:

  1.   Appear in person.
  2.   Complete the electronic visa application form (EVAF) DS-156 with all questions answered.  Separate forms are required for each applicant including children.  In addition, male applicants between the ages of 16-45 need to fill out Form DS-157 Supplemental Non-Immigrant Visa Application. 
  3.   Bring your passport with at least six (6) months validity remaining.
  4.   Bring a recent photograph (taken within the past six months).  The photograph must be clear with a full front view of your face and taken against a light (white or off-white) background.  Pictures with uniforms are not accepted.  See photo requirements.
  5.   Bring any evidence that you believe demonstrates significant social, family and economic ties to Ethiopia.  Such evidence may include, but is not limited to:
       • letters of employment
       • bank account statements
       • evidence of house or automobile ownership
       • marriage certificates
       • birth certificates of children
       • proof of business registration and operation if self-employed
       • for cases involving medical treatment, in addition to meeting the same requirements for a tourist visa, applicants must show letters of diagnosis from a local physician, letters from U.S. physicians with an estimate of expected costs and proof of ability to pay these costs.

Students and Exchange Visitors

In addition to the standard documentation required for a non-immigrant visa as listed above, applicants for Student Visas must also submit the following:

 1.  A valid original SEVIS I-20 form issued by an educational institution in the U.S. 
 2.  Form DS-158 Contact Information and Work History for Non-Immigrant Visa Applicant. 
 3.  Proof of payment of the $100 USD SEVIS fee.  This fee cannot be paid at the Embassy.

Students are encouraged to bring also the following evidence of their qualifications for study:

      • Proof that sufficient funds are, or will be, available to pay for expenses during the entire period of anticipated study.
      • Documentation of prior studies, ESLCE results, TOEFL, SAT, GRE, school transcripts, etc.