Foreign nationals who will travel home for the holidays should check that they have a current, valid visa and that their passport is valid for at least 6 months beyond the date they wish to enter the U.S.
The Department of State is requiring Embassies and Consulates to phase in worldwide usage of the Form DS-160, Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application, which is available
here. The Department of State has an FAQ Section regarding the DS-160 available
here.
Individuals who will apply for a visa at the following posts must complete the Form DS-160, rather than the Form DS-156 and Form DS-157:
Australia: Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney
Bermuda: Hamilton
Canada: Montreal and Vancouver
Hong Kong
Iraq: Baghdad
Ireland: Dublin
Libya: Tripoli
Mexico: Ciudad Juarez, Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida (required after 01/11/2010), Monterrey, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo, and Tijuana
Montenegro: Podgorica
Russia: Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Vladivostok
The following posts must require usage of the Form DS-160 no later than March 1, 2010:
Algeria: Algiers
Austria: Vienna
Bahrain: Manama
Belarus: Minsk
China: Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Shenyang
Cuba: Havana
Djibouti: Djibouti
Egypt: Cairo
Ethiopia: Addis Ababa
France: Paris
Germany: Frankfurt
India: Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Delhi
Indonesia: Jakarta and Surabaya
Israel: Tel Aviv and Jerusalem
Jordan: Amman
Kenya: Nairobi
Kuwait: Kuwait City
Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur
Morocco: Casablanca
Oman: Muscat
Pakistan: Islamabad and Karachi
Saudi Arabia: Dhahran, Jeddah, and Riyadh
Singapore: Singapore
Sudan: Khartoum
Syria: Damascus
Taiwan: Taiwan
Ukraine: Kyiv
UAE: Dubai
UAE: Abu Dhabi
United Kingdom: London
Venezuela: Caracas
Yemen: Sana'a
All remaining posts will require usage of Form DS-160 by April 30, 2010. Therefore, visa applicants should visit the website of the Embassy/Consulate that will process their visa application to determine which Form(s) is required.
If you would like further information, please contact
Mary M. Godar or any other member of Frost Brown Todd's
Immigration Practice Group.