Applying for:  H,  L,  O,  P  or Q  Visas

All H, L, O, P and Q visa applicants, even children and babies listed in parents' passports are required to:

• Complete the visa application form DS-156;
• Pay a visa application fee;
• Present a passport or other travel document valid for at least six months beyond the holder's period of stay in the United States with at least one blank page - the six-month requirement does not apply to United Kingdom passports. If the passport is damaged, we recommend that you obtain a new passport before applying for the visa to avoid any delay in the processing of your application;
• Provide one photograph which meets State Department regulations;
• Furnish the original, photocopy or facsimile copy of the Notice of Action Form I-797A, B or C. The application cannot be processed without this form. Please note that at the time of booking the appointment you will be required to provide the Receipt Number of the approved petition to the agent. Read more about the Receipt Number...

Spouses and Children

The application procedure is the same for spouses and children under the age of 21; the I-797A, B or C covers dependents. If applying separately from the principal, a copy of the marriage certificate and/or birth certificate(s) for the child(ren) will be required.

L Visa Applicants

L visa applicants, including blanket L applicants, are required to furnish a copy of the full petition and supporting documents that were filed with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Blanket L-1 Visa Applicants

Blanket L-1 visa applicants are required to furnish the following additional documents when applying for the visa:

• One original and two copies of the form I-129S. This is an abbreviated form of the petition and indicates under which category (manager, executive or specialized knowledge professional) your visa is to be granted. You may also be required to produce evidence of your entitlement to a particular category, such as diplomas, certificates or other proof of your educational background;
and,
• A letter from your company stating the position and the organization from which you are transferring, the new organization and position to which you are destined, a description of your actual duties and salary under both the new and the former positions, and the dates and locations of your previous stays in the United States in "L" status.
• From March 8, 2005 blanket L-1 visa applicants will be required to pay a $500.00 Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee. The fee will be paid to the Embassy's cashier on the day of the visa interview. Fees may be paid in cash - sterling or dollar equivalent, or by Credit Card - Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club, Discover or American Express. The Embassy does not accept any other credit or debit cards, or personal checks.

Issuance fees

Nationals of certain countries are required to pay an issuance fee in order for an approved visa to be issued. No fee is charged for the issuance of an H, O, P, Q or L-1 visa to a British citizen passport holder; they are required, however, to pay an issuance fee for an L-2 visa.

Additional processing requirements and information for the following:

What do I do next?

Applicants aged 14 to 79 are required to schedule an appointment for an interview.

Applicants under the age of 14 and those 80 and over may be eligible to apply for a visa by mail.

Important Notice: Visa applications are subject to a greater degree of scrutiny than in the past which means that in some instances visa applications are taking longer to process to conclusion than has been customary. You will be advised at the time of the interview if your application requires additional processing.

Reminder: We always recommend that individuals apply for visas well in advance of their proposed date of travel. No assurances regarding the issuance of visas can be given in advance. Therefore, final travel plans or the purchase of non refundable ticket should not be made until a visa has been issued and you are in receipt of the passport.

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