My wife and I are U.S. citizens. We would like to invite my wife’s sister for a short visit to the U.S. Will she need an invitation and affidavit of support from us?
Venkata Erramilli
There are no specific documents required for a visitor’s visa – except a valid passport and the visa application. Every applicant must qualify for a visitor’s visa on his/her own merits; supporting documents from the U.S. are not necessary. During the interview, the officer looks at the overall circumstances of each applicant to determine his or her qualifications for a visa. Please visit www.ustraveldocs.com/in to see how to apply for a visa and to schedule an appointment.
My mother has a U.S. visa that will expire in 2021. Her passport will expire by the end of this year. She applied for new passport recently. If she travels to the U.S., will she need to carry her old passport with her U.S. visa stamped in it as well as her new passport? Or does she need to visit the U.S. Consulate and transfer her U.S. visa into her new passport?
Your mother may use her U.S. visa for travel to the United States up to the date it expires, even if it is in her old, cancelled passport. She just needs to carry both her valid passport and her old passport with her valid visa in it when she travels to the U.S.
I possess a U.S. visa which will expire in July 2015. My last visit to the U.S. was in July 2012. I renewed my passport in 2012. I wish to seek a visa extension. What procedure should I follow?
Visas to the U.S. cannot be extended; rather, you would need to apply for a new visa. You can find the process for applying for a visa at: www.ustraveldocs.com/in. Please be sure to review the information on the Interview Waiver Program, as you may be able to take advantage of that program. However, you may use your U.S. visa for travel to the United States up to the date it expires, even if it is in your old, cancelled passport. Just carry both your valid passport and your old passport with the valid visa in it when you travel to the United States.
I have been admitted to University of Houston for the master’s program in biomedical engineering. I received a scanned copy of my I-20 from the university via email. The graduate advisor at the university informed me that as the university does not have any express courier service, my I-20 will be sent by normal mail service. It was mailed to me last month but I have not received it yet. Can I use a printout of the I-20 which the university sent me by email for the visa interview?
It is advisable to attend the interview only after you receive the original I-20. If you have an interview scheduled and have not received the I-20 by that time, please bring the print-out you do have. However, the visa cannot be issued until the original I-20 has been received and submitted to us. Your case will remain pending until then.
NOTE: The best place to find answers to your visa and general consular questions is on our official website at http://hyderabad.usconsulate.gov. In this column, we do not normally respond to or comment on questions relating to specific visa cases or refusals. We will, however, answer general questions about visas and items of general interest. If you have specific visa case questions, please contact support-india@
ustraveldocs.com.’
Venkata Erramilli
There are no specific documents required for a visitor’s visa – except a valid passport and the visa application. Every applicant must qualify for a visitor’s visa on his/her own merits; supporting documents from the U.S. are not necessary. During the interview, the officer looks at the overall circumstances of each applicant to determine his or her qualifications for a visa. Please visit www.ustraveldocs.com/in to see how to apply for a visa and to schedule an appointment.
My mother has a U.S. visa that will expire in 2021. Her passport will expire by the end of this year. She applied for new passport recently. If she travels to the U.S., will she need to carry her old passport with her U.S. visa stamped in it as well as her new passport? Or does she need to visit the U.S. Consulate and transfer her U.S. visa into her new passport?
Satya Gadam
Your mother may use her U.S. visa for travel to the United States up to the date it expires, even if it is in her old, cancelled passport. She just needs to carry both her valid passport and her old passport with her valid visa in it when she travels to the U.S.
I possess a U.S. visa which will expire in July 2015. My last visit to the U.S. was in July 2012. I renewed my passport in 2012. I wish to seek a visa extension. What procedure should I follow?
Krishna Rangaraju
Visas to the U.S. cannot be extended; rather, you would need to apply for a new visa. You can find the process for applying for a visa at: www.ustraveldocs.com/in. Please be sure to review the information on the Interview Waiver Program, as you may be able to take advantage of that program. However, you may use your U.S. visa for travel to the United States up to the date it expires, even if it is in your old, cancelled passport. Just carry both your valid passport and your old passport with the valid visa in it when you travel to the United States.
I have been admitted to University of Houston for the master’s program in biomedical engineering. I received a scanned copy of my I-20 from the university via email. The graduate advisor at the university informed me that as the university does not have any express courier service, my I-20 will be sent by normal mail service. It was mailed to me last month but I have not received it yet. Can I use a printout of the I-20 which the university sent me by email for the visa interview?
Shruti Ray
It is advisable to attend the interview only after you receive the original I-20. If you have an interview scheduled and have not received the I-20 by that time, please bring the print-out you do have. However, the visa cannot be issued until the original I-20 has been received and submitted to us. Your case will remain pending until then.
NOTE: The best place to find answers to your visa and general consular questions is on our official website at http://hyderabad.usconsulate.gov. In this column, we do not normally respond to or comment on questions relating to specific visa cases or refusals. We will, however, answer general questions about visas and items of general interest. If you have specific visa case questions, please contact support-india@ustraveldocs.com.’
