If you are Namibian or a Namibian resident and have an unforeseen travel need as per one of the criteria listed below, you may qualify for an expedited appointment depending on availability at the U.S. Embassy. Please make sure that you meet all of the criteria listed before emailing ConsularWindhoek@state.gov with your request.

Qualifications

Before you apply for an expedited appointment, you must ensure that you have documentary evidence to prove the urgency of your situation.  If it appears during your visa interview that you misrepresented the reasons for expedited travel, such facts will be noted on your case file and may adversely influence the outcome of your visa application.  Applicants who are granted an expedited appointment but are subsequently refused a visa or who or missed their interview at the U.S. Embassy will not be allowed to request another expedited appointment.

Please note that if your request for an expedited appointment is denied, you won’t be able to make a second request during the course of your visa application.  You must take the first available appointment in our online scheduling system.

Note:  Travel for the purpose of attending weddings and graduation ceremonies, assisting pregnant relatives, participating in an annual business/academic/professional conference, or enjoying last-minute tourism does not qualify for expedited appointments.  For such travel, please schedule a regular visa appointment well in advance.

Medical Needs

Purpose of travel is to obtain urgent medical care, or to accompany a relative or employer for urgent medical care, or to visit a relative suffering from an immediate, life-threatening medical condition.

Essential documentation:

• A letter from your doctor describing the medical condition and why you are seeking medical care in the United States.
• A letter from the physician or hospital in the United States indicating that they are prepared to treat your case and providing the approximate cost of the treatment.
• Evidence of how you will pay for the cost of the treatment.

Funeral/Death

Purpose of travel is to attend the funeral of or make arrangements for repatriating the body of an immediate family member (mother, father, brother, sister, child, grandparent, or grandchild) in the United States.

Essential documentation:

• A letter from the funeral director stating the contact information, the details of the deceased, and the date of the funeral.
• You must also present evidence that the deceased is an immediate relative.

Students or exchange visitors

Purpose of travel is to begin or resume a valid program of study in the United States within 60 days when no regular visa appointments are available.  This option is limited only to students and exchange visitors who are within 60 days of their start date.  It is also limited only to applicants who have not been refused a visa within the last six months at the U.S. Embassy.

Essential documentation:

• Original Form I-20 or DS-2019 indicating start date of program within 60 days.
• Evidence that you have paid the SEVIS fee (when applicable).

If you intend to immigrate to the United States, you are required to wait until your immigrant or fiancé(e) visa has been issued. You are not allowed to reside in the United States on a non-immigrant visa or visa free under the Visa Waiver Program while waiting for the issuance of an immigrant or fiancé(e) visa.

If you wish to make a temporary visit to the United States while your immigrant visa application is pending, you may be able to travel on a B1/B2 visa, or visa free under the Visa Waiver Program. If applying for or traveling on a tourist visa, you must be prepared to furnish evidence of your residence outside the United States to which you intend to return at the end of your temporary stay.

Although a pending immigrant or fiancé(e) visa application is not necessarily conclusive evidence of your intent to abandon your residence in your home country, it is a factor considered by consular officers when reviewing a visa application. If the consular officer or U.S. immigration official at the port of entry is not satisfied that you are a bona fide temporary visitor for pleasure, or suspects that you may be seeking to circumvent delays in processing your immigrant visa application, you may be denied a visa and/or entry into the United States.

Birth tourism (travel for the primary purpose of giving birth in the United States to obtain U.S. citizenship for a child) is not a permissible basis for issuance of a visitor visa.  For more information, please click here.

ConsularWindhoek@state.gov

U.S. Embassy Windhoek
14 Lossen Street
Windhoek, Namibia

The Department of State manages the visa process strictly but fairly in order to best protect the United States.  We are committed to the essential openness for which the United States has always been known.  Travel to the United States is welcomed and encouraged.

We promise to you, the visa applicant, that:

• We will treat you with dignity and respect, even if we are unable to grant you a visa.
• We will treat you as an individual and your case as unique.
• We will remember that, to you, a visa interview may be a new or intimidating experience and that you may be nervous.
• We will use the limited time available for the interview to get as full a picture as possible of your travel plans and intentions.
• We will use our available resources to fairly assist all applicants to get appointments to allow travel in time for business, study, and other important obligations.
• We will post detailed and accurate information on visa requirements and application procedures on every Embassy and Consulate website.
• We will provide information on non-immigrant appointment waiting times at every Embassy and Consulate posted on http://travel.state.gov.
• We will explain the reason for any visa denial to you.

Furthermore, if you are a:

• Student, we will make every effort to ensure that you get an appointment and, if qualified, a visa in time to start classes.
• Medical and humanitarian emergency traveler, we will expedite processing for those dealing with life threatening emergencies.
• Business traveler, we will establish appropriate mechanisms to facilitate business travel and expedite cases of particular concern to American business.

At the same time, we expect you, the visa applicant, to:

• Plan your travel and visa application as far in advance as possible.
• Complete your application fully and accurately.
• Be forthcoming about your purpose and plans.
• Prepare for your interview by being able to clearly and concisely describe your intentions.

Yes, unless you are eligible for the visa waiver program or already hold a valid visitor (B) visa.

Transit (C) visas are nonimmigrant visas for persons traveling in immediate and continuous transit through the United States en route to another country, with few exceptions. Immediate and continuous transit is defined as a reasonably expeditious departure of the traveler in the normal course of travel as the elements permit and assumes a prearranged itinerary without any unreasonable layover privileges.

If the traveler seeks layover privileges for purposes other than for transit through the United States, such as to visit friends or engage in sightseeing, the traveler will have to qualify for the type of visa required for that purpose.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/other-visa-categories/transit.html

 A visa does not guarantee entry into the United States, but allows a foreign citizen coming from abroad, to travel to the United States port-of entry (generally an airport or land border) and request permission to enter the United States. The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials have authority to permit or deny admission to the United States and determine how long a traveler may stay.

At the port of entry, upon granting entry to the United States, the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. immigration inspector, provides you an admission stamp or paper Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record in your passport. On this admission stamp or paper Form I-94, the U.S. immigration inspector records either a date or “D/S” (duration of status). If your admission stamp or paper Form I-94 contains a specific date, then that is the date by which you must leave the United States. Your admission stamp or paper Form I-94 is very important to keep in your passport, since it shows your permission to be in the United States. Review information about Admission on the CBP Website. Also, see Duration of Stay.

Yes. Third-Country Nationals (i.e., non-Namibians) may apply for non-immigrant visas in Namibia. Completion of a new DS-160 is not required if you wish to change your interview location from another U.S. embassy or consulate to the U.S. Embassy in Namibia. In most cases, we will be able to access your application using the barcode on your DS-160 confirmation page, which you must bring to the visa interview. ​However, please note that any MRV fees already paid to another U.S. embassy or consulate are non-transferrable and non-refundable.

Yes, you can reprint the confirmation page of an application that has already been submitted. In order to do so, go into the Consular Electronic Application Center website and select the Embassy or Consulate at which you are applying. Hit “Option C-Retrieve Application” on the Getting Started page and enter your application ID number. From there you will be able to view and print your confirmation page.

A visa must be valid at the time a traveler seeks admission to the United States, but the expiration date of the visa (validity period/length of time the visa can be used) has no relation to the length of time a temporary visitor may be authorized by the Department of Homeland Security to remain in the United States.

Travelers holding visas valid for multiple entries may make repeated trips to the United States for the same purpose of travel, so long as the visa has not expired and the traveler has done nothing to become ineligible to enter the United States.

No. If your U.S. visa is still valid you can travel to the United States with your two passports (the new valid passport and the expired passport with your valid visa) so long as your U.S. visa is not damaged and is the appropriate type of visa required for your principal purpose of travel (Example: a tourist visa, when your principal purpose of travel is tourism). Both passports must be the same type (e.g. regular/official/diplomatic) and must be issued by the same country (Example: both Namibian regular passports, both official passports, etc.).

When you arrive at the U.S. port-of-entry (generally an airport or land border crossing) the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer will check your visa in the old passport. If they decide to admit you into the United States, they will stamp your new passport with an admission stamp with the annotation “VIOPP” (visa in other passport). Do not try to remove the visa from your expired passport and stick it into the new valid passport. If you do so, your visa will no longer be valid.

If your visa has been damaged in any way, you will need to reapply for a new visa following the instructions at the top of this page.

No. If the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection Immigration Officer at the port-of-entry admitted you into the United States for a specific period of time, s/he will note your authorized period of stay on your admission stamp or paper Form I-94, called an Arrival/Departure Record.

You will be able to remain in the United States during your authorized period of stay, even if your visa expires during the time you are in the United States.

Visa applicants are encouraged to review the Visa Applicant Checklist to ensure that they arrive prepared for their visa appointment. Applicants who arrive without the required documentation may be asked to reschedule.

Gather and prepare the following required documents before your visa interview:

• Passport valid for travel to the United States – Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the United States (unless exempt by country-specific agreements). Each individual who needs a visa must submit a separate application, including any family members listed in your passport.
• Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160 confirmation page.
• Application fee payment of $185 USD or its Namibian equivalent.
• Photo – You must bring one printed photo in the format explained in the photograph requirements.
• (Optional) – Any additional documents (e.g., bank statements, pay slips, previous passports showing prior international travel, invitation letters, etc.) which you believe help establish your eligibility for the visa being sought.
• (For visa classes H, L, O, P, Q, and R) – A copy of your approved petition from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
• (For visa classes F, M, or J) – A copy of your I-20 or DS-2019.
• (For visas class C1/D) – A copy of your Letter of Employment (LOE), contract, and/or crewmember identification card.

Note: Visa applicants must qualify on the basis of the applicant’s residence and ties abroad, rather than assurances from U.S. family and friends. A letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support is not needed to apply for a visitor visa. If you choose to bring a letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support to your interview, please remember it is not one of the factors used in determining whether to issue or deny the visa.

Report the loss of your visa to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate which issued your visa.  Include a copy of the police report if available. Once you report the loss of your passport and visa, the visa will be invalid for future travel to the United States.​

Note that we cannot replace lost or stolen visas. In the event your visa is lost or stolen, you will be required to reapply and pay all applicable fees.