Visa Status

First time?

Start here

Tell us why you are going to the U.S. and we will point you to the right pages. No account, no sign-up.

I want to visit

A holiday, seeing family or a short business trip. This is usually a B-1/B-2 visa.

About the B-1/B-2 visa →Will my visa be approved? (refusal rates) →How long is the interview wait? →

I want to study

A university, college or school. This is usually an F-1 visa (or J-1 for exchange programs).

About the F-1 visa →About the J-1 exchange visa →When do student waits get long? →

I want to work

A job that needs a degree is often H-1B. Moving within a company is L-1.

About the H-1B visa →About the L-1 visa →Which visa fits me? →

I want to live there

Living permanently is a green card, not a visa. Many people wait in a line by country.

Is my green card date current? →The monthly Visa Bulletin →Green cards given each year →

I have an interview coming

Get ready, and check how long others wait.

No slot? What can I do? →Which embassy has the shortest wait? →All embassy waits →

First questions

I am not sure which visa I need. Where do I begin?

Start with why you are going: visiting, studying, working or living there. Each choice above shows the visa that usually fits. If you are still unsure, the visa helper asks two or three plain questions.

What are the usual steps for a U.S. visa?

In general: pick the visa type, fill in the online application (DS-160), pay the fee, book an interview, bring your documents and answer the officer's questions. Steps differ by visa and by embassy, so follow your embassy's website.

Is this site official?

No. Visa Status is an unofficial site that organizes public State Department numbers in plain words. It is not legal advice. Always check the State Department visa website and your embassy.

Visa Status is an unofficial site. This page is general information, not legal advice.