Firstly, you have to check whether there is any need of you to apply for a US visa. You may not need to apply for a new US visa if you already hold a valid US visa of the classification appropriate to your purpose of travel, or hold a passport eligible for travel under the visa waiver program,or if you hold a Canadian passport.
Documents Required
Apply for Visa
To apply for a US visa you will follow a straightforward application procedure. The US visa application is done at a US Consulate or Embassy in your country of residence following these simple steps:
Online Application
Step 1: Complete the Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application (DS-160) form.
Step 2: Pay the visa application fee.
Step 3: Schedule your appointment on the web page. You will need the following information in order to schedule your appointment:
Step 4: Visit the U.S. Embassy or Consulate on the date and time of your visa interview. You must bring a printed copy of your appointment letter, your DS-160 confirmation page, one photograph taken within the last six months and your current and all old passports. Applications without all of these items will not be accepted.
Visa Fees
Visa Types and Application Fee Amounts - Sorted by Fee Class
Fee Amount (USD) Fee Amount (?) Visa Type Description
$160 11,483.00 B Business/Tourist
$160 11,483.00 C-1 Transit
$160 11,483.00 D Ship/Airline Crew
$160 11,483.00 F Student (academic)
$160 11,483.00 I Journalist and Media
$160 11,483.00 J Exchange Visitors
$160 11,484.00 M Student (vocational)
$160 11,483.00 T Victim of Human Trafficking
$160 11,483.00 TN/TD NAFTA Professionals
$160 11,483.00 U Victim of Criminal Activity
$190 13,583.00 H Temporary/Seasonal Workers and Employment, Trainees
$190 13,583.00 L Intracompany Transferees
$190 13,583.00 O Persons with Extraordinary Ability
$190 13,583.00 P Athletes. Artists & Entertainers
$190 13,583.00 Q International Cultural Exchange
$190 13,583.00 R Religious Worker
$265 20,345.00 K Fiancé(e) or Spouse of U.S. Citizen
$205 18,945.00 E Treaty Trader/Investor, Australian Professional Specialty
Visa Types and Application Fee Amounts - Sorted by Visa Type
Visa Type Description Fee Amount (USD) Fee Amount (?)
B Business/Tourist $160 11,483.00
C-1 Transit $160 11,483.00
D Ship/Airline Crew $160 11,483.00
E Treaty Trader/Investor $250 17,869.00
F Student (academic) $160 11,483.00
H Temporary/Seasonal Workers $190 13,583.00
I Journalist and Media $160 11,483.00
J Exchange Visitors $160 11,483.00
K Spouse of U.S. Citizen $265 20,345.00
$190 13,583.00 L Intracompany Transferees
M Student (vocational) $160 11,583.00
O Persons with Extraordinary Ability $190 13,583.00
P Athletes. Artists & Entertainers $190 13,583.00
Q International Cultural Exchange $190 13,583.00
R Religious Worker $190 13,583.00
T Victim of Human Trafficking $160 11483.00
TN/TD NAFTA Professionals $160 11483.00
U Victim of Criminal Activity $160 11483.00
The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is an Internet-based system that tracks F, M and J visa participants (and their family members) from the time they receive their initial documentation (either an I-20 or a DS-2019) until they graduate/leave school or conclude/leave program.
F, M and J visa principal applicants: Check with your U.S. school to make sure your information has been entered into SEVIS. You will need to pay a separate SEVIS fee in addition to the visa application fee. For nonimmigrant students with Form I-20, the SEVIS fee is US$350. For most exchange visitors with Form DS-2019, the SEVIS fee is ?15,735. Instructions for paying the SEVIS fee can be found here.
Applicants participating in a U.S. Government sponsored program (programs whose codes begin with G-1, G-2, G-3, G-7) are not required to pay the SEVIS fee.
First-time principal applicants who are covered under a blanket petition for L status must pay a Fraud Prevention and Detection fee of US ?35,763 . This fee should be paid to the cashier at the Consular Section on the day of the interview. If a subsequent L-1 visa application is based on a new Form I-129S, the Fraud Prevention and Detection fee must be collected again.
Effective worldwide on 29 August, 2019, Nigerian citizens will be required to pay a visa issuance fee, or reciprocity fee, for all approved applications for nonimmigrant visas in B, F, H1B, I, L, and R visa classifications. The reciprocity fee will be charged in addition to the nonimmigrant visa application fee, also known as the MRV fee, which all applicants pay at the time of application. Nigerian citizens whose applications for a nonimmigrant visa are denied will not be charged the new reciprocity fee. Both reciprocity and MRV fees are non-refundable, and their amounts vary based on visa classification.
The reciprocity fee will be required for all Nigerian citizens worldwide, regardless of where they are applying for a nonimmigrant visa to the United States. The reciprocity fee is required for each visa that is issued, which means both adults and minors whose visa applications are approved will be charged the reciprocity fee. The fee can only be paid at the U.S. Embassy or the U.S. Consulate General. The reciprocity fee CANNOT be paid at GTB banks or any other location.
J1 Visa
Individuals planning to participate in a work and study based exchange visitor program in the United States must apply for a J1 visa. When applying for a J1 visa, applicants must first select an exchange visitor program and determine their eligibility for that J1 visa program. The J1 visa application involves completing Form DS-2019 and sending the appropriate filing fees. For the complete details on how to get a J1 visa, read the following steps for the J1 visa application process below.
Step 1: Choose an Exchange Visitor Program
The first step of how to apply for a J1 visa is to choose a J1 exchange visitor program. There are multiple exchange visitor programs, which include the following J1 visa programs.
Step 2: Determine Eligibility
Once you select your J1 visa program, but before you apply for a J1 visa, you should determine your eligibility for that program. There are different J1 visa eligibility criteria depending on the program, but all programs require that the participant fulfill an English Language proficiency test such as TOFEL, IBT, IELTS, PTE, TOEIC, CAE, or CPE. When applying for J1 visa, applicants should remember that they must have medical insurance for themselves and their dependents on J2 visa.
In short, anyone applying for J1 visa must have the following in order to be eligible for an exchange visitor program in the US.
Sponsors are responsible for providing pre-arrival information and a post-arrival orientation for all participants, as well as ensuring that their program is consistent with the J1 program category.
Step 3: Find a Sponsor
Once the participant chooses from one of the above programs, he/she needs to contact a designated sponsor. A designated sponsor is a state department approved sponsor who is authorized to supervise the application process, they also stand as a single point of contact for participants willing to apply for J1 visa. J1 visa applicants can choose different state department designated sponsors on the basis of their program and choice of the state they wish to travel to in Unites States. For example, an applicant can choose an Intern program in the state of Illinois from the listed sponsors and contact them.
Step 4: Complete Form DS-2019
A program sponsor will review the application of the J1 visa applicant and issue Form DS-2019 to prospective applicants selected for the J1 visa program. Form DS-2019 consists of detailed information such as:
Step 5: Pay Application Fees
FORM DS-160
The DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application form, is for temporary travel to the United States, and for K (fiancé€) visas. Form DS-160 is submitted electronically to the Department of State website via the Internet. Consular Officers use the information entered on the DS-160 to process the visa application and, combined with a personal interview, determine an applicant’s eligibility for a nonimmigrant visa.
Visa applicants must submit a completed DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application for all nonimmigrant visa categories, including applicants applying for K visas.
The application form DS-160 consists of two parts:
The first part contains questions about personal information as:
1.Full name
2.Marital Status
3.Nationality
4.Date & Place of Birth
5.Address
6.Country
7.Mobile number
8. Email
9.Passport number
10.Passport book number
11.Family information
12. Education
13. Work, etc.
The second part of the online application form consists of questions on security and background information as:
1. if you have ever been arrested or convicted for an offense or crime.
2. If you have ever engaged in a conspiracy to violate, any law relating to controlledsubstances.
3.if you have ever been involved in money laundering.
4.if you ever ordered, incited, committed, assisted, or otherwise participated in genocide, etc.