|
Q: How can I fill out the Electronic Visa Application Form (EVAF) and obtain an Non Immigrant Visa (NIV) appointment without a personal computer?
Individuals who do not have a personal computer may download and complete the forms and make an appointment at The National Library or any internet café. The EVAF can be accessed at: http://evisaforms.state.gov Most internet cafes have computers, internet access and printers that you can use to complete your electronic visa application form. Internet café employees are also able to assist you in obtaining an interview appointment, which now must be done online. Several internet café operators recently completed a training session on the use of the online visa appointment service and are well equipped to help applicants without personal computers.
Applicants without personal computers can also have relatives in the U.S. fill out the form and make the appointment for them. In the past, applicants often relied on individuals in the neighborhood or even a self-proclaimed “visa expert” to help fill out the forms, sometimes even paying them to do so. This often resulted in the wrong information being put on the form and the applicant paying a high fee for a service they didn’t need. Now, applicants can either have their family in the U.S. assist them or go to an internet café for assistance.
Q: How much does the EVAF form cost?
The Electronic Visa Application Form is free to download on the internet. Scheduling an appointment online is free too. The only fee you have to pay is the standard internet service fee if you use a public computer. Any additional fees which the internet cafes charge, such as a fee for printing the EVAF, are at the discretion of the cafés themselves. The U.S. Embassy does not collect any fees from these cafes in exchange for the services they provide you. Be aware of services which charge applicants a variety of fees to complete the electronic application. Please do not fall victim to these scams.
Several internet café operators recently completed a training session on the use of the online visa appointment service. While the training will enable internet café employees to better assist you in obtaining a NIV appointment, the U.S. Embassy has not authorized internet cafés to charge a specific fee for providing assistance to applicants obtaining appointments.
Q: Does it affect my application negatively if I had assistance filling it out?
No. The Embassy does not consider who filled out the application when determining one’s eligibility for a visa. Some people who are not familiar with computers may require assistance from the internet café employees or from family members. The café employees who attended the Embassy training are especially knowledgeable and well equipped to assist you. If someone assists you in filling out the application, he or she must indicate so on the application. The EVAF asks for the individual to sign his or her name and state his/her relationship to the applicant. Internet café employees who assist you must also indicate the name of the café on your application.
Q: Do the internet cafes work for the U.S. Embassy?
No. The internet cafes provide a service to the public and operate as private businesses. They are not affiliated with the Embassy.
|
