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Nonimmigrant Visas

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FAQ

Before the Interview

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FAQ

Before the Interview

Work

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Specialty Position E-3

FAQ

Immigrant Visas

American Citizen Services

How to Apply

All Israeli citizens, regardless of age, must apply for a visa to enter the United States.  The type of visa required will depend on the purpose of your travel.  Use the links on the sidebar to the left to find more information on each visa type and the documents you will need to provide to apply for each.

IMPORTANT NOTE: It is important to check the relevant section of the Web site for the documents required when applying for a specific category of visa. Failure to include the documents and forms will result in the application being delayed or denied.

Applicants Age 14 to 79 
Applicants under 14 or over 80
Non-Israeli citizens (third country nationals)
How to Schedule an Appointment
Expedited/urgent appointments
When to Apply 
Application fee
Processing Times

Applicants Age 14 to 79

Nonimmigrant visa applicants aged 14 to 79 are required to schedule an appointment for an interview with a U.S. consular officer.  Interviews are by appointment only.  The Embassy does not accept walk-in applications. Appointments can be scheduled online at http://VisaInfo.US-Visaservices.com. Alternatively, if you would like to talk to a call center agent in order to receive information regarding the visa process and schedule your appointment, you may also call the Visa Information Services at 180-931-5642.

IMPORTANT NOTE:  Minor children from 14 to 18 should be accompanied by a parent or a guardian.

Applicants under 14 or over 80

Applicants in this age category do not need an interview appointment. Their physical presence at the Embassy is not required during the process, unless it will be specifically required by the consular officer upon review of the visa application.

Here is how to submit their visa applications for processing:

• If you are applying for your own visa, you may present you child or elderly relative’s complete visa application and passport at the time of your interview appointment at our office. You do not need to schedule an appointment for them when you schedule yours.

• Otherwise, call 171 (the Israeli Postal Company) and pay for two-way pick-up and delivery service with your credit card. In case you do not have a credit card, the fee for the service can be charged through the Bezeq bill. You can send up to 5 applications in one package. The post office will send a messenger to pick up the application and deliver it to the Embassy for the visa processing.

IMPORTANT NOTE: We will not accept application sent through any other channel (Express or Registered Mail, etc). Such applications will be returned to the sender without any further processing.

Document requirements:

Each visa application of child under 14 or an elderly citizen over 80 should contain the following documentation:

1. DS-156 (EVAF) visa application form, filled out electronically at http://EVISAFORMS.STATE.GOV. The EVAF form is crucial for processing of the visa application. The EVAF DS-156 form must be printed and signed and the three pages (including the third page with the bar-code) should be submitted. Please note that we receive ONLY ORIGINAL forms. Application forms with hand-written information will NOT be accepted. Do not fold the application and make sure that it is printed in a high quality printer.  

Please indicate a valid E-mail address on the application.

Failure to comply with EVAF requirements will result in our returning the whole application back to you without processing.

2. 5cmX5cm color photograph on a white background. The picture should be clear and of good quality.

3. Green part of the $131 fee receipt payable through the post office. The fee should be paid in Shekels according to the daily exchange rate.

4. Applicant’s valid passport.

Children’s visa applications should also include copies of the parent's valid American visas. If the parents do not have valid American visas, please enclose copies of the parents’ three most recent salary slips as a proof of their ties to Israel. If one of the parents does not have a valid American visa, please enclose the parent's letter of consent, stating that he/she is aware of the child's travel to the United States and copies of the parent’s three most recent salary slips.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you were born in the United States, your child may be entitled to American citizenship.

You should inquire with the American Citizen Services at the U.S. Embassy about a claim to citizenship before applying for a visa for your child. You should attach to the child’s visa application a letter that contains answers to the following questions:

1. A. Is only one parent an American citizen?
   B. Did that parent live in the United States for at least five years, at least two of which were after the age of 14?
2. A. Are BOTH parents American citizens?
   B. If so, did either one of them ever reside in the United States?
3. A. Were parents married at the time of the child's birth?
   B. If not, please provide information about which parent is an American citizen and for how long he/she resided in the United States.
4. A. Are you currently pursuing or planning to pursue expeditious naturalization for the child?
   B. Are you currently traveling for the purpose of expeditious naturalization for the child?
   C. What is the date of your naturalization appointment?

The consular officer reserves the right to ask any applicant to appear for a personal interview.

Non-Israeli citizens (third country nationals)

Third-country nationals may apply for visas at US Embassy Tel Aviv.  However, if you do not speak English or a language commonly spoken in Israel, you should be aware that language difficulties and interviewing officers’ unfamiliarity with local conditions in your country may make it more difficult to demonstrate your qualifications for a visa.

How to Schedule an Appointment

To schedule an appointment, you may access the following web site http://VisaInfo.US-Visaservices.com or contact the Visa Information Center at 180-931-5642. If you decide to schedule your appointment through the online visa information and appointment service, you will be required to purchase a Personal Identification Number (PIN) in the sum of $22 USD. The payment can be performed either through the Web site using an international Visa or MasterCard, or through the Israeli Post Office.

If you wish to use the call center, you will be required to purchase a PIN number in the sum of $27.50. Applicants who use the call center can purchase a PIN number using their international credit card upon calling the service at 180-931-5642 or through the Israeli Post Office in cash. If you experience problems while using a mobile phone, please try again from a landline phone. Please note that this number is available if dialed from local land or mobile telephones only.

In both cases, the PIN will allow access to the Internet website or to the call center for information and for scheduling up to 5 appointments for immediate family members who reside in the same household.

Expedited/urgent appointments

If the appointment date does not suite your travel plans, you can submit a request for an expedited appointment. The expedite request can be submitted only after you successfully schedule an interview appointment on the first available date. If you have already scheduled an interview appointment through the Internet, please log in to your account using your username and password you previously created. After accessing the system, you will be automatically directed to the "My Info Page" containing the "Request an Emergency Appointment" link. An answer to your request will be sent to your email within 1-2 days.

If you have scheduled your interview appointment through the call center, please contact the call center agents and ask them to submit an emergency request on your behalf. 

Requests for emergency appointments for life or death cases, urgent business travel, and when applicants need to return to the United States to resume their studies or work, can be submitted directly to the Embassy via email NIVTELAVIV@STATE.GOV. Requests like this will be processed by us provided there are less than 3 business days left until the flight. In order to eliminate unnecessary delays in processing of your request, please provide all relevant details in your email and attach supporting documentation.

When to Apply 

Summer and the months preceding Pesach and the High Holidays are very busy, and it may be difficult to make an appointment during this time.  The Embassy suggests that intending travelers apply for visas several months before the proposed travel date in order to avoid any delay and to plan ahead for any anticipated events in the United States, such as weddings, conferences, and bar mitzvahs.  Travelers should also not purchase tickets until after the visa has been issued.

You can check the approximate wait time for scheduling a visa interview at the U.S. Department of State Web site.

Processing fee

The Visa Processing Fee, also known as a Machine Readable Visa or MRV fee, for a U.S. nonimmigrant visa amounts to $131. It is payable through the Israeli Post Office in the equivalent in Shekels according to the daily exchange rate. For the complete list of participating Post Office branches, please click here. The MRV fee is non-refundable.

The MRV fee receipt contains two stubs: the pink stub that remains with the applicant and the green stub that should be brought to and will remain at the Embassy. Each application must be accompanied by a separate receipt. Families or groups cannot pay with one receipt for the family or group.

Applicants who do not present the proper visa processing receipts (“Kabalah” or “Kabalah L’Shagrirut Amerika’it”) from the Bank HaDoar as proof of payment will not be permitted an interview and will have to reschedule the interview date. Applicants applying for more than one visa will need to pay the processing fee for each type of visa.

IMPORTANT NOTE:  You must pay the $131 MRV fee prior to your arrival at the Embassy for your interview and bring the green stub to your appointment.

Processing Times

The whole process takes in average five business days from the date of your interview until delivery of the passport through a postal delivery service.  However, some applications require additional processing time. It is prudent to keep these approximate times in mind when planning your international travel.

Some applicants require additional processing before they can receive a visa.  Applicants who are advised at the time of the visa interview that their application will require additional administrative processing should allow additional time for this stage of the application to be completed. 

Please note: If your visa application is approved, you will need to leave your passport at the Embassy in order to process your visa.  Please plan your international travel accordingly.