EXPEDITE APPOINTMENT
Contact our Call Center to expedite your appointment 1-866-374-1769
ONLY IF :
Applicant's interview is scheduled between January 1, 2010 and July 31, 2012. Applicant has been waiting for interview for a year or longer.
Nonimmigrant Visas
Important information for persons calling after May 31, 2010, to schedule a non-immigrant visa appointment
NEW APPLICATION FORM - All visa applicants calling after May 31, 2010 to schedule a non-immigrant visa appointment at the U.S. Interests Section in Havana will be required to submit a new electronic application form, known as the DS-160 Non-Immigrant Visa Electronic Application.
For more information on the DS-160 application form, please go to:
To complete the electronic application Form DS-160, please click here.
The Nonimmigrant Visa Unit processes applications for applicants who wish to travel to the United States temporarily. Applicants in Cuba should ask a family member or associate in the United States to contact our Visa Information and Appointment Scheduling Service at 1-866-374-1769, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to schedule an interview appointment on their behalf.
Given the restricted number of American consular personnel authorized to work in Cuba, the U.S. Interests Section is only able to schedule a limited amount of applicants per day. First time applicants can expect an average three year wait time for an appointment.
On the day of their interview, a determination of an applicant’s eligibility under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) is made. If favorable, the application undergoes necessary administrative processing to verify the applicant’s qualifications for the visa class requested. This process often takes 40 days, but in some instances, it may take several months or longer.
The U.S. Interests Section will contact the applicant by telephone as soon as this process has concluded and a determination has been made on the applicant's case. The applicant will then be able to come to the U.S. Interest Section, Monday through Thursday, at 2:00 p.m. to pick up the results of his or her visa application.
NON-IMMIGRANT VISA BACK-LOG REDUCTION PROGRAM
In February 2009, the U.S. Interests Section (USINT) began a program to reduce the waiting time for a non-immigrant visa interview. As a result of demand for non-immigrant visas in Cuba and the limitations on the number of personnel that can be assigned to USINT, the waiting time can exceed two years.
Under this new program, USINT's Visa Appointment Call Center contacts persons who have made appointments for family members in Cuba for January 2010 and after and offers them a new, expedited appointment. As appointments are advanced, vacated appointments become available for new callers.
All applicants who obtain expedited appointments through this program must bring the DS-160 confirmation page, valid passport, (1) recent passport style photograph, and a nonrefundable fee.
The U.S. Interests Section will implement this program progressively, based upon the date of the existing interview, with the goal of advancing as many appointments as possible, as resources permit.
In order to be eligible for this program, applicants must first obtain a normal appointment through the Call Center.
Our Visa Information and Appointment Scheduling Service is currently expediting interview appointments for applicants scheduled between January 1, 2010 and July 31, 2012 and have been waiting for their interview appointment for approximately a year or less.
Visa Forms