The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

THE UNITED States Embassy has launched a new system for visa appointments – making it easier, faster and in some cases cheaper to complete the process.

The system took effect on Monday, March 11.

The new system allows applicants to make their own visa appointments on-line from home, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and also eliminates the need to purchase a $14 scratch cars to schedule appointments.

The changes will effect all non-immigrant visa applicants throughout the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos.

Applicants will now pay the application fee at a local Cash ’N Go location. After the fee is paid, applicants will be able to schedule an appointment on-line at http://usvisa-info.com.

After the appointment, if you are successful in receiving a visa, your passport will be delivered by courier to a DHL office, where it can be picked up during their regular business hours, eliminating the need to stand outside the Embassy for hours.

Acting Deputy Chief of Missions at the US Embassy, John Armstrong, said the new procedures are more streamlined, making it more convenient and less expensive by eliminating additional fees.

“The new process is easier, more convenient and includes everything in one fee. Before you can access the visa information web site, you must first create an account. There is no fee to create an account, however once you have registered for the account you must pay the non refundable visa application fee. You must pay the fee at the Cash ’N Go locations or you will not be able to schedule an appointment. However, a credit card option will be implemented by the summer,” he said.

“After the applicant schedules an appointment, the confirmation screen and conformation email will show the date and time of the appointment as well as the date and time by which any changes can be made to the appointment.”

Applicants who do not have a local Cash ’N Go on their island can ask a friend or family member to pay the fee for them and provide them with the payment slip to log on and secure an appointment.

If there is no urgent travel, the Embassy also recommends applicants to wait until the credit card option has been integrated into the new website.

If the travel is urgent, the Embassy will schedule and emergency appointment via visanassau@state.gov.

Mr Armstrong said, as usual, students will be given the priority when it comes to appointments and urged members of the public to make their appointments as early as possible.

“If you are planning for a visa, advance planning pays. Do not wait for the last minute because we cannot guarantee we will get you in. You know your visa is expired in September, you can go in June or July, you do not have to wait until the day before your visa expires if you know you are going to travel.

“Now is a good time, because something may come up and things tend to come up in the summer, people travel a lot in the summer,” he said.

“Students are priority for the State Department and for the United States government. We want to help people to study in the United States and we will expedite students and we will be keeping appointments set aside especially for students. Students, as soon as they can, should contact us to start their visa process, even if all the documentation is there we can still get the process going.”