Temporary foreign workers and permanent residents of Canada can apply for US non-immigrant visas without leaving Canada. The application process for US Visa is very quick and easy. There are a few steps for an applicant to follow:
- Apply online for non-immigrant visa application and fill out the non-immigrant visa form called DS-160.
- Pay the US visa application fee and doing it online is the quickest option.
- Schedule a US visa interview appointment in Canada.
Applying for DS-160 Online
There are several documents that must be at hand before filling up the form (DS-160) online. These documents include:
- Applicant’s valid passport
- Applicant’s updated resume
- Applicant’s qualified photo.
Note: It is important to take note of the photo requirements or specifications because they vary from one country to another.
Aside from providing an applicant’s biometric information, he or she must also be prepared to provide data and answer several questions pertaining to his or her travel to the United States. His or her answers to these questions may affect the decision as to whether or not a non-immigrant visa will be granted to him or her.
Questions may include:
- Applicant’s Itinerary. This pertains to the date of applicant’s arrival and departure in the United States as well as his or her length of stay in the said country.
- Applicant’s US contact information. This refers to the place where the applicant will stay. This may be a relative’s home, friend’s place or a hotel.
- Who are the persons traveling with the applicant (if there are any)
- Who is the person paying for the applicant’s trip
- Applicant’s work information. This includes his or her monthly salary and duties at the work place.
After filling out the DS-160 form online, the applicant must print the confirmation page with the confirmation number and photo. The applicant has the option to choose between printing a personal copy of the form and saving a soft copy of it instead.
Paying the Visa Application Fee or the Machine Readable Visa (MRV) Fee
The most common non-immigrant visa categories are visitor visas B1 (Business) and B2 (Pleasure). To pay the fees for application, thefollowing steps must be taken:
- Open or create an account at the Official Visa Services of USA prior to payment.
- Choose among the following payment options:
-online with a credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express)
-cash payment with one of the Scotiabank branches
-over the phone with credit cards
Note: the MRV is valid for one year from date of purchase.
Scheduling an Interview Online
In scheduling an interview online, an applicant must:
- Choose the interview date carefully.
- Rescheduling and cancellation is allowed up to 24 hours prior the appointment date. However, it can entail a lot of hassle and giving a valid reason that is acceptable is the hardest part in it.
Once interview schedule is set, an applicant must prepare for the interview and appear at the scheduled interview at least 30 minutes earlier.