US Visa Appointments

Anyone who is not a citizen of Bermuda, Canada, the Marshall Islands, Palau or Micronesia needs a visa to enter the United States. Citizens of certain countries do not have to get a visa but must still register online before traveling to the US (or complete a form and pay a fee when crossing the border on land). Even citizens of Bermuda and Canada need visas to enter the US in certain cases.

Anyone who is not an American citizen or Permanent Resident is eligible to apply for a visa. However, your visa application may not be granted for a number of reasons.

• Insufficient ties to your country of origin: US immigration law assumes you are trying to immigrate to the US unless you can prove otherwise. If you cannot demonstrate that you have sufficient ties to your home country or the country where
• you are residing (residence, employment, family, bank accounts, etc), your application will be denied
Criminal activity: If you have a criminal record, you may not be able to get a visa. Please see grounds for criminal inadmissibility.
• Medical Conditions: You may not be able to get a visa if you have certain medical conditions the US has deemed dangerous to public health. Please see medical inadmissibility.
• Immigration violations: If you have previously attempted to enter the US and been denied, or you have been removed, or you have been banned from entering, you are likely unable to apply for a visa. Please see inadmissibility because of immigration violations.
• Political affiliation: If you have been a member of or associated with a totalitarian political party or a terrorist organization, you will likely be denied a visa. Please see our section on inadmissibility on political grounds.
• Under any of these circumstances, you will need an Entry Waiver to enter the US. Contact us for more information.

In Canada, you cannot apply in person; you must submit your visa application online. You can also apply with a representative, such as Immigroup. You must complete the D-160 application form to the best of your knowledge. If you make a mistake on the form, you will likely not be granted an interview and will have to apply again. After you have completed the form and paid the fee of USD$160 (for a standard tourist visa) you will need to pick your visa appointment at the US diplomatic mission nearest you. The appointment will usually be about 4-6 weeks after you apply.
You must attend the interview at the appointed time and you must follow the rules for entering the US diplomatic mission and attending the interview. You must bring your online DS-160 confirmation document (that displays a 10-digit bar-code) to prove you have completed the form and paid the fee. If you do not follow these rules, you will have one year to re-book your interview, which you must do by directly contacting the diplomatic mission.

If you are approved for a visa the average delivery time to receive your passport is 4-10 business days, by courier.

All non-immigrant visa applications must be filled out online using the DS-160 online form. If you need help filling out the form you can use our services.

To fill out a DS-160 application form, you need to provide:

• the reason you're applying
• your personal information
• information on your status in your country of residence
• your passport information
• your intended travel information to the US
• your previous trips to the US
• your previous US visa info
• your US contact’s information
• your family information
• your spousal information (where applicable)
• your current work or education information
• your employment history for the last 5 years
• your health conditions
• information on your previous criminal offences, inadmissibility, and violations of customs or immigration laws
• information on potential security risks
• Additional miscellaneous information

To complete the form with our help, click here.

You have two options. The first is to upload a passport-type digital photograph of you when the online DS-160 non-immigrant visa application is completed. If you have difficulty uploading a picture the second option is to take 2-passport sized photos on the day of the interview. Please note the photos used need to have been taken within the last 6 months and meet the photo requirements. Please check out the US government's photo tool to make sure your photos are acceptable.

You must complete the DS-160 online or have a representative do it for you. In order to do this, you should have your passport handy and the information required to complete the form (see above). You must bring the following with you to the diplomatic mission where your appointment is scheduled:

• Your DS-160 bar-code receipt page as proof you have completed the online visa application form
• Your passport
• Your appointment confirmation letter
• Proof of payment of government fee
• Any accompanying dependents (who must have their own DS-160 receipts) must also bring their passports
• You must provide proof of your ties to Canada
  • Utility bills
  • Bank statements
  • Proof of status in Canada (PR Card, Work / Study permit, proof of employment, education, etc)

If you would like to use Immigroup, you can call us and we will submit if for you, you can use our online form, you can print off the form and mail it to us, or, if you live in Toronto, you can come to our office and have it done for you.

If you would like to submit your application directly to the US government you can apply here.

The processing fee for a non-immigrant US Visa appointment and the visa itself is USD$160 (for a regular tourist visa).
The fee is non-refundable. If you apply for a non-immigrant-petition-based US Visa appointment the fee is USD$190.
If you are using a representative such as Immigroup, the fee will be higher. See our fees.

• If you are applying through Immigroup, you may make payment using one of the following methods:
  • Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX)
  • Cash (in person only)
  • Certified Cheque or Money Order payable to Immigroup Inc
  • Email money transfer from bank account
  • Direct wire transfer from bank account
  • Bank transfer via Scotiabank
• If you're applying online directly through the government, you can pay by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) or cash payment at a Scotiabank.

It takes around 4-6 weeks to get an interview. After the interview, provided you have been approved, it will take on average 4-10 business days to receive your visa by courier.

After 9/11 the US government introduced various policies in an attempt to strengthen its borders and protect America from further terrorist attacks. The introduction of US visa appointments was one of those policies. US visa interviews allow the interviewing officer to extract more information from non-immigrant applicants to decide if they are eligible for a US visa.

You will be asked questions regarding your purposes for visiting the US. Examples of questions you may be asked at the interview include:

• Why do you want to travel to the US?
• Have you been before?
• How long will you spend in the US?
• Do you have relatives in the States?
• Who will pay for the trip?
• Are you planning on visiting any other countries?
• What do you for a living?
• Where are you going to be staying?

These are just a few of the questions that may be asked. Depending on your type of visa, many other questions may be asked of you. You should answer all questions truthfully and you should make sure that your answers to these questions correspond to the answers you submitted on your DS-160 application form.
If you are denied a visa at this interview, you should be informed of the reasons in writing.

There is no toll free number for US visa appointments. You can make an appointment by telephone, but the telephone service is operated by the Visa Information Services Centre, a private Toronto-based contractor that handles the Consulate Generals' appointment system. As this is a private business you must call a user-pays phone service that costs $1.89 a minute. You will be charged as soon as your phone is connected to the call centre.

No, a child must have their own visa. They are required to submit an online DS-160 application and attend an interview. You will be allowed to attend the interview date together.

Tourist visas are usually granted for a minimum of three months. Certain types of visas can be granted for up to 10 years. Please see our list of average visa lengths by country.

Yes. You must submit an online DS-160 application for each family member who require the US Visa. Immediate family members who require a visa can schedule an interview date together

You can apply for a visa to the United States at anytime. However, for Canadian permanent and temporary residents, who must demonstrate sufficient ties to Canada to obtain a visa, we highly recommend that you live in Canada for at least 3-6 months before you attempt to travel to the US. Live-in caregivers need to be in Canada for a minimum 1 year before applying for a US Visa, and it is recommended they have been with their current employer for a minimum 6 months.

You cannot bring agricultural products into the United States. If you attempt to do so, they may be thrown out, or you may have to pay a fine, or you could even be refused entry.

If you are on a regular visa, you cannot bring more than a maximum amount of goods into the country that you intend to give away or sell.

We recommend that you use Firefox or Internet Explorer browsers to access the DS-160.

You need to complete the mandatory questions in the spaces provided. Some of the questions are marked ‘optional’ and you may answer a question with ‘does not apply’ or ‘to be confirmed’, however, all other questions must be answered. You will not be able to submit an application without answering any mandatory questions.

If you have an error message then you have likely not answered all the mandatory questions. If you do not answer questions that apply to your purpose of travel, the system will not accept your application. The system will show you a red mark on the questions that you have not answered.

The information is automatically saved when each page is completed, so the details will not be lost. It is important to make a note of the application ID number (located on the top right hand corner of the page). If you need to retrieve the application enter this ID number and answer the security question. You will then be taken to the last page you completed.

No, you do not have to do so. For your interview, it is important you bring your confirmation page with your application ID number (a 10-digit bar-code). Without this you will be denied entry into the Embassy/ Consulate when you go for the interview.

Yes. If you are applying for a K1, K2, K3, or K4 visa you should complete the DS-156, not the DS-160.

The DS-157 and DS-158 are old paper versions of the US non-immigrant visa application. As of April 2010 applicants applying for a US visa from Canada do not need to fill out these forms. Instead you must fill out the online DS-160 application form. If you need help filing out the form you can use our services.

For permanent and temporary residents of Canada, the most common reason most people are denied a visa is because of a failure to prove sufficient ties to Canada. You should be provided with a denial in writing.

• If the letter contains the code “221(g)” this normally means that you have not proven sufficient ties to Canada.
  • The letter will normally contain a list of things you can use to prove ties to Canada and how to submit those to the Embassy or Consulate. If this is the case, you shouldn’t have to pay an additional fee. You must submit the documents within one year or you will have to begin the process again.
  • Sometimes a letter with this code means that additional processing is required. Different instructions will appear. There is no year-limit to follow up until you are contacted. You will be contacted when you are:
    Granted a visa
    Asked to prove sufficient ties to Canada
    Refused a visa with a letter marked with code “214(b)” (see below)
• If the letter contains the code “214(b)”, you have been deemed inadmissible to enter the United States. You will have to complete a US Entry Waiver, gather documents to support the waiving of your grounds of inadmissibility, and reapply for a US Visa where you will present your case at the visa interview. You will have to pay the fee again and book a new appointment.

You will have to prove to the US government that you didn’t overstay your last visa. You can do this through DHS TRIP or you can gather the relevant documents and submit them to the CBP office in London, Kentucky:
DHS - CBP SBU
1084 South Laurel Road
London, KY 40744
USA
You should include the following in your submission:

• Your I-94 Arrival-Departure Record if you still have it
• Boarding passes (originals, not copies) proving you flew out of a different country than the US
• Copies of the pages of your passport including your ID page and all stamps in your passport
• Copies of additional proof including
• If applicable, pay slips or vouchers from your employer, with dates, to show you worked in another country after you left the United States and when
• Bank records, with dates, to show financial transactions made after your departure
• If applicable, school records showing attendance at a school located outside the US and after your departure
• Credit card receipts, with dates, to show financial transactions made after your departure
• An explanation letter in English
• You should keep a copy of this package for your records and bring it with you when you apply for your next visa and also when travel to the US, in order to avoid any confusion.

A visa is not official permission to enter the US, but rather an indication to US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) that your application and background were reviewed prior to traveling to the US. Your entry is still at the discretion of US CBP. You may still be able to enter the US on this visa depending on why you were denied entry.

If your visa was cancelled, you cannot enter and will have to reapply.

If you were asked to sign something and given a copy, this form should explain why you were denied entry.

• If you were denied entry because of insufficient ties to your home country, you will have to bring proof when you attempt to next enter the US.
• If you were deemed inadmissible, your visa should have been cancelled and you will have to apply for a US Entry Waiver to attempt to enter the US.

If you were only verbally told why you could not enter and it sounds like you were deemed inadmissible, you may have to appeal using DHS TRIP, or by filing a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act request) to determine the reason you were inadmissible.

Your visa may have been canceled because you violated the conditions of your stay, because CBP believe you violated the conditions of your stay (see above), or because you were subsequently deemed inadmissible by US CBP after you were issued a visa.

If you were convicted of

• a crime of moral turpitude
• two or more crimes with sentences totalling 5 years or more
• crimes relation to prostitution or human trafficking
• drug offences greater than possession of 30 grams of marijuana or less

Then you are inadmissible to the United States. You can apply to have your inadmissibility waived through a US Entry Waiver. In this application you will have to demonstrate reasons why you should be allowed to enter the US.

Infection with diseases such as tuberculosis, infectious leprosy, and certain STDs such as chancroid, gonorrrhea, donovanosis, Durand-Nicolas-Favre disease and syphilis are all considered grounds for barring entry. Other communicable diseases may be included from time to time by the US Department of Health (you should always check before you travel). You may also be denied entry for refusing vaccinations or for physical or mental disorders which have resulted in harmful behaviour.
All other medical conditions should not affect your chances of getting a visa.

There are a number of different kinds of immigration violations. These are considered very serious and may require a US Entry Waiver to obtain a visa in the future. In some cases even this is not possible.

• Entry refused
  • If you were refused entry by CBP, they will sometimes indicate how long you have been banned in your passport or on you visa. Whether or not you need a waiver depends on why you were refused entry.
• Entry Without Inspection (EWI): someone who has entered the United States without being properly admitted at a port of entry, regardless of whether they have been in the US before.
  • If your unlawful presence in the United States was more than 180 days but less than a year, and you left the United States voluntarily, then you are inadmissible for three years. If you left the US voluntarily after unlawful presence of more than a year, then you are inadmissible for ten years (3 year / 10 year bar). In both cases, you are eligible for a waiver after the bar is up provided you have not committed other immigration violations. Returning to the US through EWI after leaving the US voluntarily, for example, may result in the waiver being denied. Attempting to re-enter the US after being deported also makes one ineligible for an entry waiver. Anyone who falsely claims US citizenship for the purpose of obtaining benefits of US citizenship is ineligible for a US Entry Waiver.
• Overstaying a visa (see above)
• Attempting to re-enter after having been deported or given expedited removal
  • You are not allowed to re-enter the United States

No. The fee you paid is non-refundable.

You may reapply in the future. If you reapply, with the exception of any 221(g) refusals, you must submit a new visa application and pay the visa application fee again. If you were refused under section 214(b), you should be able to present evidence of significant changes in circumstances since your last application.

If your visa application was approved, you should contact the diplomatic mission where you went for your interview.

You should withdraw your application. If you have already paid the fee, you will lose this money and will have to pay again. You should make sure when you apply next time that you are truthful.

Your issues with entering the US are likely tied to your current passport. As a Canadian citizen, you will not require a visa – though being a Canadian citizen alone does not automatically make you admissible – and should be able to travel to the US without incident, provided you are admissible and that you are not on a no-fly list.

We are committed to helping everyone with their immigration needs. This is why www.immigroup.com offers free tools and information to answer all types of immigration questions. We have also accumulated a database of free government and non-for-profit agency information which can be searched here and start searching. Immigroup does charge a fee for all services, but we are always looking for feedback on how we can further help our community. Our email address is info@immigroup.com.

You can easily search our database of FAQs. However, if you still can’t find the answer to your question, email us (link) your question and you will receive a response within 2 business days. Depending on the complexity of your question, you may be advised to schedule a consultation with one of our immigration practitioners to ensure that you receive the best advice. The cost for a consultation is $84.75 (tax included) which is up to 30 minutes; however, if you retain Immigroup for a full service after the consultation, this fee well be deducted from the cost of the service. . . Consultations are available in person at our Toronto office or by phone. (Other options are available for hearing-impaired persons). Call us at 1-866-760-2623 or email at info@immigroup.com to schedule your consultation. Click here for more information.

Only general information is available when you call our office. If you are still unsure how you should proceed, contact us to schedule a consultation to discuss the details of your specific case. Click here for more info.

If you don’t hear back from us after 2 business days, please call our office or contact us by email at info@immigroup.com. We can give you a status update over the phone or via email. Once your interview is booked, all you need to do is go to the Embassy or Consulate with your documentation.

Yes we give you a 25% discount.

Yes, any additional family member US visa applications filed at the same time will each cost only $56.50 plus government fees.

We do our best to keep things affordable, but if you have not used us before you are not eligible for the discount. You can still ask and see if something can be worked out.

Yes, and the final payment will need to be made before filing the application. Please speak to an agent and work out the deposit amount.

We take full payment before we send out your application.

At the moment we don’t work weekends but that may change in the future. For evening appointments please call and find out if someone at our Toronto office can help you. Work with our staff and in most cases we can arrange someone to wait for you (usually no later than 6pm).

We do our best to update or fix anything out of date. But just because it’s in black and white - no matter where you read it - you should always double check the information. You can find a feedback box on most pages of this website; we work hard to making sure this site stays current and factual.

We would really love to hear from you about what happened. By sending us your experience you are helping others in the future. We post all information that will be valued by future visitors.

On the bottom of this webpage you will find a box. Simply send us the question and if we feel it a good question we will send you the answer. Also we will post your question with the answer so future visitors can get the support.

A US visa is proof that your trip to the US has been pre-approved. It is not permission to enter the United States. US CBP agents at the port of entry have final say over whether or not you are allowed to enter the US. All foreigners, except US permanent residents, Bermudans, Canadians and Mexicans need a US visa. Citizens of certain countries need to register online to get pre-approved without the visa interview (if a you are a citizen of one of these countries and you are not flying to the US, you can also complete a paper version on arrival). Some Bermudans, Canadians, Micronesians, Palauans and citizens of the Marshall Islands and Cayman Islands traveling to the US may also require a visa.

If you are a citizen of one of the following countries, you do not need a visa, provided you are admissible to the US.

Andorra	Hungary	New Zealand
Australia	Iceland	Norway
Austria	Japan	Portugal
Belgium	Latvia	San Marino
Brunei	Liechtenstein	Singapore
Czech Republic	Lithuania	Slovakia
Denmark	Luxembourg	Slovenia
Estonia	Malta	South Korea
Finland	Monaco	Spain
France	The Netherlands	Sweden
Germany		Switzerland
Greece		United Kingdom

If you are not a citizen of one of the above countries, and you are not a Bermudan, Canadian, a Micronesian, a Palauan, or a citizen of the Marshall Islands or the Cayman Islands, you need a visa to travel to the US for any purpose.

There are two types of visas, immigrant and non-immigrant (visitor). Here are the different kinds of non-immigrant (visitor) visas available:

A-1	Foreign dignitary, and immediate family	A-2	Other foreign government official or employee, and immediate family	A-3	Attendant, servant, or personal employee of a foreign dignitary or other government official, and immediate family
B-1	Business	B-2	Tourism
C-1	Transit	C-2	Transit to the UN Headquarters	C-3	Foreign dignitary, employee of a foreign dignitary or immediate family transit
CP	Continued Presence (for law enforcement)
D	Crewmember (sea or air)
E-1	Treaty trader, spouse and children	E-2	reaty trader, spouse and childreTnTreaty investor, spouse and children	E-3	Treaty traders and investors: Australian Free Trade Agreement
F-1	Student	F-2	Student’s Spouse or child	F-3	Border commuting student
G-1	Foreign dignitary leading mission to an international organization	G-2	Other members of the foreign mission to an international organization	G-3	Foreign dignitary leading mission, or members of that mission, to an international organization, where the country is not a member (or not recognized as a country)
G-4	International organization officer or employee, and immediate family	G-5	Attendant, servant, or personal employee of G-visa holders, and immediate family
GB	Business visa for Guam	GT	Tourist visa for Guam
H-1B	Temporary worker visa	H-1C	Nurse visa	H-2A	Temporary worker performing agricultural services
H-3	Industrial Temporary workers and trainees	H-4	H-visa holder’s spouses and children
I	Media, spouses and children
J-1	Educational exchange	J-2	Exchange visitor’s spouse or child
K-1	Fiancée of U.S. citizen	K-2	Child of fiancée of U.S. citizen	K-3	Spouse of U.S. citizen awaiting availability of immigrant visa
K-4	Child of spouse of US citizen awaiting availability of immigrant visa
L-1	Intra-company transferee	L-2	Intra-company transferee’s spouse or child
M-1	Vocational student or other non-academic student	M-2	Vocational student’s spouse or child	M-3	Border commuting student (vocational or non-academic)
N-8	Parent visiting SK-3 special immigrant	N-9	Child of Parent visiting SK-3 special immigrant or of SK-1, SK-2 or SK-4 special immigrant
NATO-1	Principal permanent representative of member state to NATO (including any of its subsidiary bodies) resident in the U.S. and resident members of official staff; Secretary General, Assistant Secretaries General, and Executive Secretary of NATO; other permanent NATO officials of similar rank, and members of immediate family	NATO-2	Other representatives of member states to NATO (including any of its subsidiary bodies) including representatives, advisers, and technical experts of delegations, and members of immediate family; dependents of members of a force entering in accordance with the provisions of the NATO Status-of-Forces Agreement or in accordance with provisions of the "Protocol on the Status of International Military Headquarters"; members of such a force if issued visas	NATO-3	Official clerical staff accompanying a representative of member state to NATO (including any of its subsidiary bodies), and members of immediate family
NATO-4	Officials of NATO (other than those classifiable as NATO-1), and members of immediate family	NATO-5	Experts, other than officials classifiable as NATO-4, employed in missions on behalf of NATO, and their dependents	NATO-6	Members of a civilian component accompanying a force entering in accordance with the provisions of the NATO Status-of-Forces Agreement; members of a civilian component attached to or employed by an Allied Headquarters under the "Protocol on the Status of International Military Headquarters" set up pursuant to the North Atlantic Treaty; and their dependents
NATO-7	Attendant, servant, or personal employee of NATO-visa holder, and immediate family
O-1	Extraordinary ability visa	O-2	Extraordinary ability visa holder’s assistant	O-3	Extraordinary ability visa holder’s immediate family
P-1	Internationally recognized athlete or member of an internationally recognized entertainment group	P-2	Artistic or entertainment exchange	P-3	Artist or entertainer in a culturally unique program
P-4	P-visa holder’s immediate family
Q-1	Cultural exchange	Q-2	Irish Peace Process trainee	Q-3	Irish Peace Process trainee’s immediate family
R-1	Religious	R-2	R-1’s immediate family
S-5	Criminal informant	S-6	Terrorism informant	S-7	Informant’s immediate family
SIJS	Special Immigrant Juvenile Status: Refugee children
TN	NAFTA	< a href="immigration-consutation">TD	NAFTA visa holder’s spouse
T-1	Human trafficking victim	T-2	Spouse of human trafficking victim	T-3	Child of human trafficking victim
T-4	Parent of human trafficking victim
U-1	Criminal victim	U-2	Spouse of criminal victim	U-3	Child of criminal victim
U-4	Parent of criminal victim
V-1	Permanent resident’s spouse awaiting immigrant visa	V-2	Permanent resident’s child awaiting immigrant visa	V-3	Derivative child of V-1 and V-2
WB	Business visa waiver	WT	Tourism visa waiver

If you are seeking one of these visas, instead of a standard B1/B2 visa, or if you are not sure which kind of non-immigrant visa you should be applying for, you may wish to contact us for a consultation.

Most people traveling to the US for business or pleasure require the regular B1/B2 visa. If you require a different kind, please check the list above. If you are immigrating to the US, this is another matter altogether. Immigroup can refer you to an American immigration lawyer.

You must comply with the terms of your visa. For normal (B1/B2) visa holders, this basically means participating in US VISIT, departing the US before your visa’s expiry date, and submitting your I-94 Arrival-Departure record upon your final departure from the US. You must also refrain from working, conducting business or studying if you are traveling as a tourist.

You are eligible to re-enter the US on your visa only if you have traveled to Canada, Mexico, or the adjacent islands for less than 30 days. If you travel to these areas from the US, you will have to keep your I-94 with you and you will be allowed back into the United States (if you are traveling home from the US), provided your visa is still valid.

US VISIT is a program created to monitor visitors to the US. Please see our page explaining US VISIT here.

You do not need an exit visa to leave the US, however you do need to relinquish your I-94 Arrival-Departure record or you will be denied entry next time you attempt to visit, for overstaying your visa.

You will have to mail it to CBP with proof of your departure from the US. Please See how.

There are various types of grounds of inadmissibility applicable to all foreigners visiting the United States. They can be grouped in to four broad categories:
• Criminal grounds
• Health grounds
• Immigration violation grounds
• Political Grounds
• Security Grounds

You can be inadmissible to the US for different criminal reasons:
• Crimes of moral turpitude
• Drug offences
• Human trafficking and prostitution offences
• Immigration violations
• Immunity from prosecution
• Tax evasion
• Multiple minor criminal offences

Moral turpitude is a concept in US law that is part of the classification of certain criminal offences. It is tied to the nature of the crime committed, rather than the specific acts of a particular case. Moral turpitude is thought to exist in specific types of crimes (provided a conviction has been reached) regardless of testimony or evidence provided at the trial. Therefore providing evidence from a criminal proceeding is not accepted as proof that the criminal act(s) did not involve moral turpitude.

There are three types of criminal offences which involve moral turpitude for immigration purposes under US law: crimes against property, crimes against government authority and crimes against persons. This list is not exclusive.
• Crimes against property considered crimes of moral turpitude include:
  • any form of fraud including intent to defraud
  • arson and malicious destruction of property
  • blackmail, embezzlement, extortion and forgery
  • burglary, larceny, robbery, theft, and receiving or transporting stolen goods with fore knowledge
• Crimes against government authority considered crimes of moral turpitude include:
  • bribery, perjury and harbouring a fugitive with knowledge
  • counterfeiting
  • fraud committed against the government and tax evasion
• Crimes against persons considered crimes of moral turpitude include:
  • wilful abandonment of a minor or contributing to the delinquency of a minor, kidnapping
  • adultery, bigamy, gross indecency, lewdness
  • certain types of assault: with intent to kill, with intent to rape, with intent to rob, with intent to commit serious bodily harm, with a deadly/dangerous weapon, mayhem (permanently disabling someone)
  • incest involving statutory rape, rape and statutory rape
  • manslaughter
  • murder
  • pandering/procuring and prostitution

Some of these crimes may not actually be criminal offences under US law but US immigration reserves the right to deny entry for convictions on all of the above as well as other offences. You must have been 18 or over at the time of the commission of the crime for it to be the basis of your inadmissibility.
So-called political offences crimes are not considered a basis for inadmissibility.

If you have been convicted of anything more serious than possession of 30 grams of marijuana, then you are inadmissible to the US.

Anyone convicted of human trafficking (for illegal immigration or prostitution purposes) or prostitution is normally inadmissible. However, the US has special visas for the victims of human trafficking and prostitution. The onus is on the applicant to prove that the participation in these crimes was out of fear for personal safety.

Anyone who was not convicted of one of the above crimes because they sought immunity from prosecution is still inadmissible the United Sates.

Anyone who is being sought by the IRS for tax evasion is inadmissible to the US.

If you have been convicted of crimes that do not fall into the above categories, but your total sentences add up to more than 5 years, you are inadmissible to the US.
If you fall into one of the above categories, you may be eligible to apply for a US Entry Waiver.

Certain diseases and conditions make you inadmissible. Here is a list of diseases that are always grounds for inadmissibility:
• Tuberculosis
• Infectious leprosy
• Chancroid
• Gonorrrhea
• Donovanosis
• Durand-Nicolas-Favre disease

This list is not complete. The US Department of Health determines this list and it changes all the time. If you have a communicable disease, you should check with the Health Department before applying for a visa.
Certain medical conditions that pose a threat to public safety may also make you inadmissible.
These grounds may be waived if you are traveling to the US for medical treatment. Please see how to get a US Entry Waiver.

This is a particular class of criminal (and non-criminal) inadmissibility which is taken especially seriously. If you have been refused entry because you have been accused of overstaying a visa or because of some kind of misunderstanding at the border, this may be addressable through appeal, reapplying for a visa, and / or a US Entry Waiver.
However, if you entered the US illegally (Entry Without Inspection) or if you have been forcibly removed, your case is significantly worse. 3-year-bars and 10-year-bards usually cannot be waived. If you have been deported you are not allowed to reenter. Please see our US Entry Waivers page for more details.

CBP or the State Department can decide you are a security risk at their discretion (usually for membership of or association with one of the above groups, or because of participation in terrorist or espionage activities directed against the US or its allies). These grounds are rarely waived.

Bermudans, Canadians, Micronesians, Palauans, citizens of the Marshall Islands and Cayman Islands require visas if they are traveling to the US for any purposes other than brief travel or business. If your activities do not fall into one of these two basic categories, please see the list of non-immigrant visa types to find your appropriate visa. You can apply for it the same way as a citizen of another country would: by making an appointment.

You can visit any of these islands for less than 30 days and return to the US without violating the terms of your US visa. Please note that many people require a visa to visit these islands.

????? Adjacent Islands ?? ??-?????? ?????

Anguilla	Dominica	St. Christopher
Antigua and Barbuda	Dominican Republic	St. Eustatius
Aruba	Grenada	St. Kitts-Nevis
Bahamas	Guadeloupe	St. Lucia
Bonaire	Haiti	Sint Maarten / Saint Martin
>British Virgin Islands	Jamaica	St. Pierre
Cayman Islands	Marie-Galante	St. Vincent / Grenadines
Cuba Please note: Cuba is not always considered an “adjacent island”. Re-entry is at the discretion of US CBP.	Miquelon	Turks / Caicos Islan
Curacao	Montserrat	Saba
	St. Barthelemy (St. Barts)

Currently, the special status granted to Canadians and some islanders is not granted to Mexicans. However, Mexican citizens can apply for a Border Crossing Card, which serves as a long term visa unique from those available to other nationals.

Though your visa will normally limit you to visits up to 6 months at a time, a multiple entry visa can be valid up to 10 years. Please see below to determine the maximum validity of your visa. Please note that visa validity length is entirely at the discretion of the US Government. The chart below only reflects maximum validity times of multiple entry visas.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

If you are a citizen of	The maximum validity of your multiple-entry B1 / B2 (tourist or business) visa is:
Afghanistan	3 months
Albania	12 months (1 year)
Algeria	24 months (2 years)
Andorra^	120 months (10 years)
Angola	24 months (2 years)
Anguilla	120 months (10 years)
Antigua and Barbuda	120 months (10 years)
Argentina	120 months (10 years)
Armenia	12 months (1 year)
Aruba	120 months (10 years)
Ascension Island	120 months (10 years)
Australia^	12 months (1 year)
Austria^	120 months (10 years)
Azerbaijan	12 months (1 year)
Bahamas	120 months (10 years)
Bahrain	120 months (10 years)
Bangladesh	60 months (5 years)
Barbados	120 months (10 years)
Belarus	12 months (1 year)
Belgium^	120 months (10 years)
Belize	120 months (10 years)
Benin	36 months (3 years)
Bermuda	120 months
Bhutan	3 months
Bolivia	120 months (10 years)
Bosnia and Herzegovina	120 months (10 years)
Botswana	120 months (10 years)
Brazil	120 months (10 years)
Brunei^	120 months (10 years)
Bulgaria	120 months (10 years)
Burkina Faso	120 months (10 years)
Burma (Myanmar)	60 months (5 years)
Burundi	3 months
Cambodia	12 months (1 year)
Cameroon	3 months
Canada	12 months (1 year)
Cape Verde	60 months (5 years)
Cayman Islands	120 months (10 years)
Central African Republic	12 months (1 year)
Chad	3 months
Chile	120 months (10 years)
China	12 months (1 year)
Colombia	120 months (10 years)
Comoros	45 days (1.5 months)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the	1 month
Congo, Republic of the	6 months
Costa Rica	120 months (10 years)
Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)	12 months (1 year)
Croatia	120 months (10 years)
Cuba	6 months
Curacao	120 months (10 years)
Cyprus	120 months (10 years)
Czech Republic^	120 months (10 years)
Denmark^	120 months (10 years)
Djibouti	12 months (1 year)
Dominica	120 months (10 years)
Dominican Republic	120 months (10 years)
Ecuador	60 months (5 years)
Egypt	60 months (5 years)
El Salvador	120 months (10 years)
Equatorial Guinea	24 months (2 years)
Eritrea	12 months (1 year)
Estonia^	120 months (10 years)
Ethiopia	24 months (2 years)
Fiji	120 months (10 years)
Finland^	120 months (10 years)
France^	120 months (10 years)
Gabon	60 months (5 yearss)
Gambia, the	60 months (5 yearss)
Gaza Strip	36 months (3 years)
Georgia	120 months (10 years)
Germany^	120 months (10 years)
Ghana	60 months (5 years)
Gibraltar	120 months (10 years)
Greece^	120 months (10 years)
Grenada	120 months (10 years)
Guatemala	120 months (10 years)
Guinea	36 months (3 years)
Guinea-Bissau	60 months (5 years)
Guyana	120 months (10 years)
Haiti	60 months (5 years)
Holy See (Vatican City)	60 months (5 years)
Honduras	120 months (10 years)
Hong Kong	120 months (1 years)
Hungary^	120 months (10 years)
Iceland^	120 months (10 years)
India	120 months (10 years)
Indonesia	60 months (5 years)
Iran	3 months
Iraq	12 months (1 year)
Ireland^	120 months (10 years)
Israel	120 months (10 years)
Italy^	120 months (10 years)
Jamaica	120 months (10 years)
Japan^	120 months (10 years)
Jordan	60 months (5 years)
Kazakhstan	12 months (1 year)
Kenya	12 months (1 year)
Kiribati	48 months (2 years)
North Korea	3 months
South Korea^	120 months (10 years)
Kosovo	36 months (3 years)
Kuwait	120 months (10 years)
Kyrgyzstan	12 months (1 year)
Laos	3 months
Latvia^	120 months (10 years)
Lebanon	60 months (5 years)
Lesotho	120 months (10 years)
Liberia	12 months (1 year)
Libya	3 months
Liechtenstein^	120 months (10 years)
Lithuania^	120 months (10 years)
Luxembourg^	120 months (10 years)
Macau	120 months (10 years)
Macedonia	120 months (10 years)
Madagascar	3 months
Malawi	120 months (10 years)
Malaysia	120 months (10 years)
Maldives	120 months (10 years)
Mali	60 months (5 years)
Malta^	120 months (10 years)
Marshall Islands*	3 months
Mauritania	60 months (5 years)
Mauritius	120 months (10 years)
Mexico	120 months (10 years)
Micronesia*	3 months
Moldova	120 months (10 years)
Monaco^	120 months (10 years)
Mongolia	120 months (10 years)
Montenegro	36 months (3 years)
Montserrat	120 months (10 years)
Morocco	120 months (10 years)
Mozambique	12 months (1 year)
Namibia	60 months (5 years)
Nauru	60 months (5 years)
Nepal	60 months (5 years)
The Netherlands^	120 months (10 years)
New Caledonia	120 months (10 years)
New Zealand^	120 months (10 years)
Nicaragua	120 months (10 years)
Niger	12 months (1 year)
Nigeria	24 months (2 years)
Norway^	120 months (10 years)
Oman	120 months (10 years)
Pakistan	60 months (10 years)
Palau*	3 months
Panama	120 months (10 years)
Papua New Guinea	12 months (1 year)
Paraguay	120 months (10 years)
Peru	120 months (10 years)
Philippines	120 months (10 years)
Pitcairn Islands^	3 months
Poland	120 months (10 years)
Portugal^	120 months (10 years)
Qatar	120 months (10 years)
Romania	120 months (1 years)
Russia	36 months (3 years)
Rwanda	120 months (10 years)
Samoa	60 months (5 years)
San Marino^	6 months
Sao Tome and Principe	60 months (5 years)
Saudi Arabia	120 months (10 years)
Senegal	120 months (10 years)
Serbia	120 months (10 years)
Seychelles	120 months (10 years)
Sierra Leone	36 months (3 years)
Singapore^	120 months (10 years)
Sint Maarten^	120 months (10 years)
Slovakia^	120 months (10 years)
Slovenia^	60 months (5 years)
Solomon Islands	60 months (5 years)
Somalia	3 months
South Africa	120 months (10 years)
Spain^	120 months (10 years)
Sri Lanka	60 months (5 years)
St. Helena^	60 months (5 years)
St. Kitts and Nevis	120 months (10 years)
St. Lucia	120 months (10 years)
St. Vincent and the Grenadines	120 months (10 years)
Sudan	3 months
Sudan, South	3 months
Suriname	60 months (5 years)
Swaziland	120 months (10 years)
Sweden^	120 months (10 years)
Switzerland^	120 months (10 years)
Syria	24 months (2 years)
Taiwan^	60 months (5 years)
Tajikistan	12 months (1 year)
Tanzania	12 months (1 year)
Thailand	120 months (10 years)
Timor-Leste (East Timor)	3 months
Togo	36 months (3 years)
Tonga	120 months (10 years)
Trinidad and Tobago	120 months (10 years)
Tunisia	120 months (10 years)
Turkey	120 months (10 years)
Turkmenistan	12 months (1 year)
Turks and Caicos^	120 months (10 years)
Tuvalu	120 months (10 years)
Uganda	24 months (2 years)
Ukraine	60 months (5 years)
United Arab Emirates	120 months (10 years)
United Kingdom^	120 months (10 years)
Uruguay	120 months (10 years)
Uzbekistan	12 months (1 year)
Vanuatu	60 months (5 years)
Venezuela	120 months (10 years)
Vietnam	12 months (1 year)
British Virgin Islands^	120 months (10 years)
Wallis and Futuna^	120 months (10 years)
West Bank (Palestine)	36 months (3 years)
Western Sahara	Not recognized by the United States
Yemen	12 months (1 year)
Zambia	36 months (3 years)
Zimbabwe	12 months (1 year)

* Most citizens of these countries do not require a visa to enter the United States.
^ Most citizens of these countries can register online prior to traveling to the United States and do not require a visa.

You can cancel and reschedule your US visa appointment if you have a valid reason for which you can supply documentary evidence, and provided you cancel your appointment on the government site ahead of time.
If you do not cancel the appointment ahead of time, and if you cannot provide proof of why you had to cancel, you run the risk of being denied a visa when you reapply.

Some permanent residents are exempt from applying for a US visa e.g. if your nationality is one of those that normally does not require a visa you should register online before traveling). All other permanent resident card holders must apply for a US visa before they travel to the United States. It is recommend you take your PR card or your landing document with you to the visa interview.

You must check the government website to see when the next appointments are available.

You can apply for a visa appointment at the Embassy in Ottawa or any consulate in Canada.

The US Ebmassy is located in Ottawa at 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 1G8.

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The US Consulate in Calgary is located at 615 Macleod Trail S.E., 10th Floor, Calgary, Alberta, T2G 4T8.

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The Us Consulate in Halifax is located at 1973 Upper Water Street Halifax, NS, B3J 0A9.

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The Us Consulate in Montreal is located at 315 Place d'Youville, Suite 500 Montreal, Québec, H2Y 0A4.

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The US Consulate in Quebec City is located at 2 Place Terrasse Dufferin, Québec, QC, G1R 4T9

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The US Consulate in Toronto is located at 360 University Avenue Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1S4.

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The US Consulate in Toronto is located at 360 University Avenue Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1S4.

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The US Consulate in Winnipeg is located at 201 Portage Avenue, Suite 860, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3B 3K6.

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