More Information
Non-Immigrant Visas
General Information
A valid Non-Immigrant Visa is required to visit the United States. Specific visas are required for persons who will attend school or be employed in the U.S. (see Student Visas, Temporary Workers).
A visa allows a foreign citizen to travel to the United States port-of-entry, and request permission from Department of Homeland Security to enter the United States. A visa does not guarantee entry into the United States.
All Non-Immigrant Visa applicants must appear in person for an interview. Interviews are scheduled Monday through Thursday at 8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., and 10:00 a.m. Applicants should be prepared to wait up to three hours during peak visa processing times, particularly before school holidays and during the summer. Children applying for visas are required to be present at the interview.
Applicants must complete an on-line Electronic Visa Application Form and schedule an appointment at the same site.
Due to the high interest in travel to the United States, we encourage visa applicants to schedule their appointments at least one month in advance of travel plans. Current visa wait times are published online (see Visa Wait Time).
How to Apply
- Complete the Electronic Visa Application Form. It is each
applicant's responsibility to ensure that the information on the application is correct. If a visa is printed with any errors due to incorrect information on the application form, the applicant will be required to repeat the application process which includes a second fee payment with the corrected electronic application form.
- Print your application form and check that that all pages are printed clearly.
- Visit the NIV Appointment System to schedule an appointment for your interview at the U.S. Embassy. You will need information from your printed application.
- Pay the non-refundable US$131 (BZ$ 262) processing fee at an Atlantic Bank branch and obtain a signed receipt. This fee must be paid prior to the interview and your receipt must be submitted at the interview. There is no refund of the processing fee even if the visa is denied.
- Gather all required and supporting documents. See the information below.
- Appear in person at the U.S. Embassy Consular Section at your scheduled interview time.
- If your visa is approved, you may pick up the visa from the consular section starting at 3:30pm the following working day. Because the visa section is closed on Fridays, Thursday issuances are available the following Monday at 3:30pm.
applicant's responsibility to ensure that the information on the application is correct. If a visa is printed with any errors due to incorrect information on the application form, the applicant will be required to repeat the application process which includes a second fee payment with the corrected electronic application form.
Required Documents
All visa applicants must bring the following documents with them to their scheduled interview.
- An undamaged passport that is valid for at least 6 months after planned entry to the U.S. and previous passports that document recent travel and contain any previous visas;
- Two identical color passport-sized photographs 2" x 2", taken within the last six months;
- A completed and printed Electronic Visa Application Form. It is each applicant's responsibility to ensure that the information on the application is correct. If a visa is printed with any errors due to incorrect information on the application form, the applicant will be required to repeat the application process which includes a second fee payment with the corrected electronic application form;
- For males ages 16 to 45 and applicants who do not hold a Belize Passport, a completed supplementary application form (Form DS-157), available at the Embassy consular section.
- For children under the age of 16, original birth certificate or a certified replacement copy from the Department of Vital Statistics. The child must have the permission of both parents or authorized legal guardian to apply for a visa. Please see additional information under "Visas for Children" below.
- The bar code that is printed as the third page of your application form;
- A print-out of your on-line appointment. Visit the NIV Appointment System to schedule an appointment for your interview at the U.S. Embassy. You will need the barcode number from your application in order to complete this form and receive an interview date and time;
- A receipt for the US$131 (BZ$ 262) processing fee paid to any Atlantic Bank. This fee must be paid prior to interview and there is no refund of the processing fee even if the visa is subsequently denied.
- Birth certificate (and Deed Poll or Marriage Certificate to demonstrate a change of name, if applicable.);
- It is strongly suggested that all applicants should bring supporting documentation to the interview to demonstrate their strong economic, social and/or family ties to Belize.
NOTE:
Examples of Supporting Documentation
- Letter from employer indicating position, monthly salary, length of employment, and the date of expected return to work after the trip to the U.S.
- Proof of salary received
- Business license, business tax receipts, business financial documents
- Property ownership or long term lease titles
- Recent bank statements, bank books, financial records
- Previous passports and/or documentation of prior international travel
All documents must be in English. Individual experience in obtaining a visa can range from relatively fast and simple to relatively complex and time consuming. There is no set list of documents that will guarantee visa issuance. Each application is adjudicated on its own merits. Possession of a previous or current visa does not qualify an applicant for a visa.
If you do not provide the required documentation at the time of the interview, your visa request will be refused and you will be required to begin the process again. If you do not provide sufficient supporting documentation at the time of interview, your application may be suspended and you may be requested to submit additional supporting documentation.
Visas for Children
Only a parent or legal guardian may submit an application on behalf of a minor child. The child must be present for the interview and birth certificates must be presented for children under the age of 16. In addition, the parent or legal guardian should be able to present proof of parentage/guardianship and identity at the time of the application. An affidavit by a relative claiming to be the child's guardian will not suffice for this purpose. Minor children must qualify for the visa through their parent or guardian. If also applying for a visa, parents/guardians should provide supporting documentation (as listed above) to qualify for their own visa.
NOTE:
Telephone inquiries are taken for specific cases, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ONLY.
Additional resources
Information for U.S. citizen travelers and foreign visitors to the United States
http://travel.state.gov/
U.S. Embassy Belmopan website
http://belize.usembassy.gov/
Student Visas to study in the United States
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1268.html
Employment visas to work in the United States
http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1323.html
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis
Information on Immigrating to the United States
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis
Electronic System for Travel Authorization and the Visa Waiver Program
http://cbp.dhs.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/esta/