What is a Visa?
A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler’s passport, a travel document issued by the traveler’s country of citizenship or nationality.
Certain international travelers may be eligible to travel to the United States without a visa if they meet the requirements for visa-free travel under the Visa Waiver Program. The Visa section of this website is all about U.S. visas for foreign citizens to travel to the United States. If you cannot find what you are looking for here, please visit Travel.State.gov for additional information.
Note: U.S. citizens do not need a U.S. visa for travel to the United States. When planning travel abroad a U.S. citizen may need a visa issued by the embassy or consulate of the country they wish to visit.
Do You Already Know What Type of Visa You Need?
For nonimmigrant visas, you can go directly to the online application form DS-160; then proceed to the Official U.S. Department of State Visa Appointment Service to pay the (MRV) fee and schedule your interview. For immigrant visas, which are issued to foreign nationals who intend to live and work permanently in the United States, go directly to the USCIS site for the relevant forms. If you are unsure what type of visa you need, please use the Visa Wizard below.
