U.S. Embassy in Cyprus

Personal Appearance Waiver

No Visa Interview is Required for Certain Cypriot Applicants

Certain applicants may not need to come to the U.S. Embassy to apply for their U.S. visas in person. If you do not meet the criteria below, please schedule an appointment to apply for your visa in person.

Please note that even if you meet these criteria, the consular officer has the discretion to invite you to apply in person.

If you believe you qualify, you may apply by submitting the documents listed below to the Embassy, through the ACS courier at the location you selected.  If we can accept your application and issue your visa, you will be notified by email and will be able to pick-up your passport at the same ACS courier office within five working days. You can begin your application process through the link: https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-CY/niv

If you do not meet the criteria, or if the consular officer otherwise determines that you must apply in person, you will again, be notified by email and asked to schedule an appointment for an interview.

For First Time Applicants

First-time non-immigrant visa applicants who meet the criteria below may apply for a U.S. non-immigrant visa through Personal Appearance Waiver and may not need to come into the Embassy for an interview :

1. Applicants younger than 14 years old, whose parents have valid U.S. visas, may not need to apply in person. To apply without appearing in person, submit all the documents below to the ACS courier location that you selected, together with the applicant’s contact telephone numbers:

– a printout of the online Visa Application Form (Form DS-160) barcode confirmation page (i.e. DS-160 confirmation page);

– a copy of the visa fee receipt in applicant’s name;

– One color photo, frontal view with white background, 5 cm x 5 cm. Must not be wearing glasses of any kind;

– the current and previous passports;

– the original birth certificate;

– a copy of the biographical page of both parents’ passports; and

– a copy of both parents’ U.S. visas.

2.  Applicants 79 years old and over may not need to apply in person.

To apply without appearing in person, submit all the documents below, to the ACS courier office you selected with the applicant’s contact details:

– a printout of the online Visa Application Form (Form DS-160) barcode confirmation page (i.e. DS-160 confirmation page);

– a copy of the visa fee receipt in the applicant’s name;

– One color photo, frontal view with white background, 5 cm x 5 cm. Must not be wearing glasses of any kind; and

– the current and previous passports.

Personal Appearance Waiver – Visa Renewals

If you meet the criteria below you may not need to come into the Embassy to renew your U.S. visa:

– You last applied for a U.S. visa after December 1, 2007, AND

– You were 14 years old or over at the time you obtained your last visa, AND

– You are renewing the same type of visa, AND

– Your current visa did not expire more than 48 months ago, AND

– You are a Cypriot citizen or resident, AND

– Your previous U.S. visa was issued in a passport of the same nationality as you are applying with now, AND

– You have always complied with the immigration laws and regulations of the United States.

If you meet these criteria, and want to renew your visa without entering the Embassy for an interview, submit the documents below to the ACS courier location you selected with applicant’s contact information:

– online Visa Application Form (Form DS-160) barcode confirmation page;

– a copy of visa fee receipt in applicant’s name;

– One color photo, frontal view with white background, 5 cm x 5 cm. Must not be wearing glasses of any kind;

– current and previous passports.

– additional documents required for the visas listed below are:

Student visas (F and M) – Original Form I-20

Exchange visas (J) – Original DS-2019

Journalist visas (I) – Letter from employer stating the purpose of the trip

In any case, a consular officer may determine that an applicant must report for an interview, even if all the requirements above are met. In this case the applicant will be contacted and given necessary instructions.

If all requirements are met, and there are no extenuating circumstances, you will receive your original documents, passport(s), and new visa via the ACS courier within one week. 

If for any reason the above requirements are NOT met, the consular officer will contact you and request you appear for an interview in person.