How to apply for nonimmigrant visas in Ukraine

Some visa applicants qualify for our non-interview, "drop-box" application procedure, which does not require an appointment. Click here for more information on our non-interview application procedure.

An applicant may begin the application process at any time to determine his or her current eligibility for a nonimmigrant visa. The procedures listed below are for applicants:

• Who have never submitted a nonimmigrant visa application to the U.S. Consular Section in Kyiv, Ukraine; or
• Whose last U.S. visa application was approved and he or she does not wish to submit his or her application through the non-interview procedure; or
• Whose last U.S. visa application was refused and who wishes to apply again for a U.S. visa.

HOW TO REQUEST A VISA INTERVIEW APPOINTMENT

The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine processes nonimmigrant visa applications every Monday through Friday by appointment only. People who are applying for visas must contact our call center at +38-044-207-7071 (your phone must support tone dialing. Pressing "*" on most phones will enable tone dialing for the rest of the call). Applicants may choose to have a relative or friend request an appointment on their behalf and then this relative or friend can notify the applicant of the date and time of the interview.

The nonimmigrant visa interview will be scheduled for the first available date or for any other available date the applicant requests. Due to the limited number of interview appointments available on any given day, the call center may not be able to honor a specific request, particularly during peak seasons. In such cases, the call center will schedule the appointment for the first available day following the requested one.

Please be advised that the call center schedules appointments within 6 months of the date the applicant calls.

Every person (including children of any age - please click here for important information on applying with children, or see "What to Bring to the Interview," below) who plans to submit an application must have an appointment.

It is preferable to request a visa appointment seven weeks in advance to ensure that the desired date of visa interview can be given. We suggest that each applicant request an appointment as soon as they know they will be traveling to the U.S. No documents are necessary to schedule an appointment. Applicants who wait until they have received an invitation to request an appointment may find that their requests cannot be accommodated because their desired date of application has been fully scheduled. The Consular Section observes all official U.S. and Ukrainian holidays.

Unfortunately, exceptions to the appointment system can only be made for the following reasons:

1. The purpose of travel is due to serious, unforeseen events (medical or humanitarian emergency, etc);
2. The purpose of travel is for urgent business travel. This rule will not work for groups of five applicants or more who have special appointment scheduling procedures;
3. The purpose of travel is in the U.S. government interest, concerns a matter of national security, or is sponsored by the U.S. or Ukrainian government;
4. To correct our own mistake.

If the purpose of travel does not fall within one of these categories, we cannot place an applicant ahead of other applicants who have requested their appointments in a timely fashion. This policy is not based on the applicant's bona fides; rather, it is designed to afford a fair, transparent procedure that applies equally to all.

INFORMATION ABOUT FINGERPRINT SCANNING

As of December 31, 2007 all visa applicants worldwide must submit scans of ten fingerprints before the interview. The transition to ten prints enables the Departments of State and Homeland Security to more effectively process visa applicant's fingerprints. The electronic scanning procedure takes only a few seconds and does not use ink.

Children 13 and younger and applicants 80 and older will not be required to provide finger scans. Certain employees of foreign governments and international organizations traveling on official business are also exempt from this requirement.

Only those who are applying for a new U.S. visa must have their fingerprints scanned. Previously issued visas will remain valid; no one will need to renew a valid visa until it expires.

Travelers entering the U.S. will have their fingerprints matched to those collected at the time of visa application to prevent the use of the visa by anyone other than the individual to whom it was issued.

Visa applicants who decline to have their fingerprints scanned will not be able to complete the visa application. At that point, the application will be suspended for at most one year. Applicants can reactivate their application within that period by appearing at the Consulate to do the fingerprint scans.

If index fingers are bandaged or are otherwise unprintable because of temporary conditions (e.g., cuts, blisters, wounds of any character, etc.) the visa applicant will not be granted an interview that day and must reschedule the interview and return to the Consular Section when the temporary conditions have healed.

U.S. VISA APPLICATION FORMS

All of the following forms can be downloaded from our website. Please note that filling out any one of these forms is not an appointment request. All applicants must schedule an appointment separately to be considered for an interview. See above, "How to Request a Visa Interview Appointment," for instructions on requesting an appointment.

Form DS-156 - This form must be filled out by every applicant, including children, who applies for a nonimmigrant visa to the U.S. Please click here for additional information about applying for a visa with children, or see the box a few pages further on called "Important Note About Applying with Children".

Form DS-157 (additional) - This form must be filled out by any male applicant age 16 to 45 (except applicants for the A, G, K and NATO visa categories).

Form DS-158 (additional) - This form must be filled out by any applicant requesting an F, J, or M visa.

Please ensure that the printed version of the application form contains a good quality bar code, as pictured below:

	Example of a bad quality bar code
	Example of a good quality bar code

U.S. VISA APPLICATION FEE

Starting January 1, 2006, all applicants must pay the mandatory U.S. non-immigrant visa application fee – the "machine-readable visa" or MRV fee – at select branches of ProCredit Bank in Kyiv. This new service is free of charge to visa applicants. Please note that the Consular Section cashier will no longer accept payment for the MRV fee after January 1, 2006.

The new MRV payment system has many advantages. Applicants do not need to pay in person. Friends, colleagues or family can make the payment at ProCredit Bank on the applicant's behalf by presenting either the applicant's passport or its photocopy. The bank tellers only need the applicant's name, as written in his or her international passport, and passport number. The transaction takes just minutes and can be done at the applicant's convenience any day prior to the visa interview date. There are no banking fees assessed for this service. In addition, applicants no longer have to pay the visa application fee in U.S. dollars, as was required at the U.S. Embassy. In compliance with Ukrainian law, payments can only be accepted in hryvnia. The U.S. Embassy sets the exchange rate.

Applicants will receive two vouchers and a receipt from ProCredit Bank in exchange for their payment. One voucher will be scanned at the Consular Section to confirm payment and will be retained with the visa application.

ProCredit Bank currently offers this service at the following branches:

• Kyiv, Pavlivska Street 26/41 (closest to the Consular Section)
  Monday-Friday: 7:00 am to 6:00 pm and Saturday: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Kyiv, Chervonoarmiyska Street 24
  Monday-Friday: 9:00 am to 7:00 pm and Saturday: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Kyiv, Bozhenka Street 86
  Monday-Friday: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.
• Kyiv, Baseyna Street 17
  Monday-Friday: 9:00 am to 7:00 pm and Saturday: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Kyiv, Mykhaylivska Street 19
  Monday-Friday: 9:00 am to 7:00 pm and Saturday: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Kyiv, Artema Street 10
  Monday-Friday: 9:00 am to 7:00 pm
• Kyiv, Heroiv Stalinhradu Street 24A
  Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, Wednesday 9:00 am to 8:00 pm, Saturday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Kyiv, Bazhana Ave. 26
  Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, Wednesday 9:00 am to 8:00 pm, Saturday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Kyiv, Peremohy Ave. 103
  Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, Wednesday 9:00 am to 8:00 pm, Saturday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Kyiv, Entuziastiv Street 25
  Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, Wednesday 9:00 am to 8:00 pm, Saturday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Kyiv, Moskovsky Ave. 16B
  Monday-Friday: 9:00 am to 7:00 pm
• Lviv, Mitskevycha Street 5
  Monday-Friday: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm and Saturday: 9:00 am to 2:00 pm
• Ivano-Frankivsk, Sichovykh Striltsiv Street 11
  Monday-Friday: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
• Odesa, Bunina Street 33
  Monday-Friday: 9:00 am to 4:30 pm
• Odesa, Bunina Street 33
  Monday-Friday: 9:00 am to 4:30 pm
• Odesa, Bunina Street 33
  Monday-Friday: 9:00 am to 4:30 pm
• Odesa, Bunina Street 33
  Monday-Friday: 9:00 am to 4:30 pm
• Odesa, Bunina Street 33
  Monday-Friday: 9:00 am to 4:30 pm
• Odesa, Bunina Street 33
  Monday-Friday: 9:00 am to 4:30 pm
• Odesa, Bunina Street 33
  Monday-Friday: 9:00 am to 4:30 pm

WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE DAY OF YOUR VISA INTERVIEW

All applicants need to pay a $131 congressionally mandated, non-refundable application fee at select ProCredit Bank branches, as noted above. Applicants who are successful in their visa application will also need to pay $8.00 (payable in hryvnia) to have their passport delivered to them by courier.

Please note that as of July 1, 2005, there are no visa issuance fees for Ukrainian citizens. Both single-entry visas (valid for six months) and multiple-entry visas (valid for five years) are free of charge. There are no visa issuance fees for any other nonimmigrant visa category for Ukrainian citizens, with the exception of blanket L (intra-company transfer) visas, for which a USD500 processing fee is assessed.

Applicants should arrive 15 minutes prior to their appointment time in order to go through security. Applicants must bring a completed, printed and signed electronic visa application form with them before they enter the Consular Section building.

Each applicant should be ready to discuss his or her ties outside of the U.S. as well the circumstances of his or her travel. The visa interview is a fact-finding exchange geared to elicit information to supplement the information already provided on the application form. Applicants must be able to demonstrate to the Consular Officer that they have ties to a residence outside the United States because in order to be issued a visa, every applicant must overcome Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, as amended. This section of the law requires Consular Officers to presume that every nonimmigrant visa applicant is an intending immigrant to the United States. This places the burden of overcoming a statutory presumption of intending immigration on the applicant.

According to the law, therefore, an applicant can only receive a visa if the consular officer adjudicating his case is satisfied:

1. That the applicant has a residence abroad;
2. That the applicant has no intention of abandoning that residence; and
3. That the intent of travel conforms to one of the nonimmigrant visa categories delineated in U.S. law.

Consular officers determine from objective evidence of strong family, economic, and social ties to an applicant's home country that an applicant has no intention of abandoning his residence abroad. Even if an applicant superficially displays such ties to his home country, the consular officer is still obligated by law to deny the visa application if the officer suspects that an applicant intends to abandon those ties, doubts the veracity of the ties, determines that ties to the U.S. outweigh those to Ukraine, or if the officer believes the purpose of travel is not permissible under visa law. The burden of proof in this regard lies only with the applicant, and a nonimmigrant visa may not be issued based upon assurances, guarantees, or bonds made on behalf of the applicant by a third party.

Please be assured that we provide each applicant every consideration, as intended by Congress, within the laws governing nonimmigrant visas under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

An applicant's ties to his or her country as well as his or her purpose of travel will vary from applicant to applicant. It is solely the applicant's responsibility to demonstrate the legitimacy of his or her travel, as well as ties outside the U.S. It is in the interest of the applicant to answer each question on the application and during the visa interview completely, truthfully, and as informatively as possible. We also ask that each applicant feel free to provide additional information that they feel is pertinent to his or her application that may not be asked on the application form or during their visa interview.

An applicant may bring any documents they desire to the visa interview, but documents rarely are a determining factor regarding an applicant's visa eligibility. If someone in the United States wishes to support an applicant's visa application, supporting documents must be sent to the applicant so that he or she may present them in conjunction with his or her visa application. We do not have the resources to store documentation connected to specific applications.

The Consular Section uses an express courier delivery service to return passports and visas to those people who are issued U.S. visas. After being informed of their visa issuance by a visa officer, applicants will be instructed to proceed to the courier service representative located in the Consulate to arrange for the delivery of their passports with issued visas. At this time, applicants will need to pay the required delivery fee and insurance fee (total of USD 8.00, also payable in hryvnia). The Consular Section will normally release the passport to the courier service within five business days of the visa interview. Upon receipt of the passport, the courier service is then generally able to deliver the passport to the applicant within two to five business days, depending on the delivery location within Ukraine. Applicants should keep in mind this visa processing and delivery time (total seven to ten business days) when making travel plans to the United States. The Consular Section will not be able to honor requests to expedite passport delivery.

WHAT TO BRING TO THE INTERVIEW:

The order of documents is essential! Please remove all documents from folders and plastic transparent files before submitting them to the intake windows, in the following order:

1. Valid international passport, valid at least six months beyond the date of travel to the United States
2. Form DS-156 (EVAF) with one picture stapled to the form. Staples should be placed as far away as possible from the applicant's face. Photographs must conform to the following standards:
   • Be unmounted
   • Be full-faced - A "full face" photo is one in which the applicant is facing the camera directly. The applicant should not be looking down or to either side, and the face should cover approximately 50 percent of the area of the photograph. It is preferable that the ears be exposed.
   • Taken within the past six months.
   • Measure 5 cm square (5 cm on each side) and the head should be centered in the frame. The head (measured from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin) should measure between 2.5 cm and 3.5 cm with the eye level between 2.8 cm and 3.5 cm from the bottom of the photograph.
   • Be in color taken against a white or off-white background.
   Photos taken in front of busy, patterned, or dark backgrounds will not be accepted. All applicants MUST sign and date their DS-156 form, (question #41). Applications for minor children must be signed by one of the parents (question #41).
3. A voucher from ProCredit Bank for the $131 application fee for each applicant, including children. Please click here, for additional information on special considerations for applying with children. One ProCredit Bank voucher MUST be stapled to the back side of the 1st page of the DS-156 form as shown on picture 1 and picture 2.
4. Completed form DS-157 (for men age 16 to 45) if applicable.
5. Completed form DS-158 (for F-1/J-1/M-1 and F-2/J-2/M-2 visa applicants) if applicable
6. A copy of the original DS-2019 (for J-1 and J-2 visa applicants) if applicable
7. A copy of the original I-20 form (for F-1/M-1 and F-2/M-2 visa applicants) if applicable
8. Proof of SEVIS fee payment (for J-1/F-1/M-1 visa applicants) if applicable
9. A copy of the original form I-797 (for H/L/O/P visa applicants) if applicable

All the required documents must be stapled in the order shown above. In addition, please place unstapled original copies of items 6, 7 and 9 underneath the stapled document package along with the international passport.

Failure to comply with the above requirements will result in a delay in the processing of your documents at the intake area. Consular staff will not accept incomplete application packages! You will be requested to return with a completed and properly assembled application package.

Please also bring:

• USD 8.00 for return delivery of the passport by courier (also payable in hryvnia)
• For student visa applicants, proof of ability to pay for the first year of studies, plus proof of income to cover subsequent years of study, if additional years of study are planned
• Any other documents that demonstrate the applicant's current status in Ukraine or the United States

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS

Because each applicant's case will vary, no single document guarantees a visa will be issued. In addition, documents rarely, if ever, determine the outcome of an interview. U.S. law requires that temporary travelers to the U.S. prove that their purpose of travel is legitimate and authorized under the type of visa requested and that they are not intending immigrants to the U.S. before a visa can be issued. Any documentation or proof that the applicant would like to submit as evidence of strong economic, family, and social ties to his or her country of residence is helpful. Helpful supporting documents are listed below for each type of visa. This list depends upon which kind of visa the applicant is applying for, and this is not a comprehensive list. An applicant may present any information he or she feels is relevant to his or her ties outside the U.S. or purpose of travel.

• For business visas (B-1 or B-1/B-2):
  1. A substantive letter explaining the nature of applicant's business in the U.S. and the nature of the relationship between the inviting party and the applicant is very helpful. It is absolutely not necessary for this letter to be notarized. An affidavit of support from the inviting party is not necessary.
  2. Note: If visa applicants are involved in technical or scientific fields, please read the section above.
• For tourist visas (B-2):
  1. Documents regarding the inviting party's legal status in the United States are helpful, but not required.
• For transit visas (C):
  1. Permission to enter the country of final destination following the transit through the United States, unless you submit satisfactory evidence that such advance permission is not required.
  2. Paperwork explaining the purpose of the trip (such as letter from travel agency, invitation, hotel reservation).
  3. Confirmed, onward tickets reservation or original tickets.
  4. Proof of possession of sufficient funds to carry out the purpose of the transit journey.
• For student visas (F):
  1. An original and a copy of the I-20 form are required.
  2. Proof that tuition and living expenses can be paid is required; i.e. scholarship letters, bank statements, receipts from the school, etc.
  3. Dependent F-2 visa applicants (spouses and children of F-1 applicants) must provide proof of relationship to the F-1 applicant or visa holder.
  4. Proof of payment of the SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) fee - if this fee is not paid at the time of the visa interview, the applicant will not be able to receive their visa, and will have to pay the fee before a visa can be issued. Please click here for information on how to pay the SEVIS fee.
  5. Note: If visa applicants are involved in technical or scientific fields, please read the section above.
• For temporary workers' visas (H):
  1. The original approval notice (and a copy) of an H petition approved by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) is required.
  2. A copy of the complete petition submitted to USCIS for approval is required.
  3. An invitation explaining the nature of applicant's employment in the U.S. is helpful.
  4. Dependent H-4 applicants (spouses and children of the principal H application) must provide proof of relationship to the H applicant or visa holder.
  5. Note: If visa applicants are involved in technical or scientific fields, please read the section above.
• For exchange visas (J):
  1. An original and a copy of DS-2019 form are required.
  2. An invitation explaining the nature of exchange program and how the applicant was chosen for the program is helpful.
  3. Dependent J-2 applicants (spouses and children of the J-1 applicant) must provide proof of relationship to the J-1 applicant or visa holder.
  4. Proof of payment of the SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) fee - if this fee is not paid at the time of the visa interview, the applicant will not be able to receive their visa, and will have to pay the fee before a visa can be issued. Please click here for information on how to pay the SEVIS fee.
  5. Note: If visa applicants are involved in technical or scientific fields, please read the section above.
• For intra-office transfer visas (L):
  1. The original approval notice (and a copy) of an L petition approved by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) is required.
  2. A copy of the complete petition submitted to USCIS for approval is required.
  3. Proof of employment with the petitioning company for one year within the three years preceding the application for admission into the United States is required.
  4. An invitation explaining the nature of applicant's business in the U.S. and documents demonstrating the financial viability of the petitioner are helpful.
  5. Dependent L-2 applicants (spouses or children or L-1 applicants) must provide proof of relationship to the L applicant or visa holder.
  6. Beneficiaries of blanket L petitions will have to pay a processing fee of USD 500 to the Consular Section cashier on the day of their visa interview.
• For performers' visas (P):
  1. The original approval notice (and a copy) of a P petition approved by United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) is required.
  2. A copy of the complete petition submitted to USCIS for approval is required.
  3. A substantive letter explaining the nature of applicant's business in the U.S. and the nature of the relationship between the inviting party and the applicant is very helpful.
  4. Applicants traveling as the dependent of a P visa applicant must provide proof of relationship to the applicant or visa holder.
• For temporary religious workers' visas (R):
  1. A substantive letter explaining the nature of applicant's employment in the U.S. is required.
  2. The applicant must be prepared to discuss why he or she is qualified for the position to be filled in the United States
  3. Proof of membership in the religious organization for at least two years is required.
  4. Dependent R-2 applicants (spouses or children of R-1 applicants) must provide proof of relationship to the R-1 applicant or visa holder.
• Applicants traveling to receive medical treatment in the U.S. must provide:
1. A diagnosis from a Ukrainian physician stating the nature of the applicant's medical condition and why it cannot/can no longer be treated in Ukraine.
2. A letter from an U.S. physician stating that they are willing to treat the condition.
3. Estimate of the treatment's cost in the United States, provided by the U.S. physician or hospital.
4. Evidence that funds are available to pay for the treatment.
5. Applicants applying for emergency medical treatment in the U.S. should schedule an appointment on our web site.