Useful Information
Non-Immigrant Visas
Please be advised that beginning September 4, 2009 all non-immigrant visa applicants are required to pay the non-refundable application fee $131 at any branch of TBC Bank.
Please bring the following to any branch of TBC-Bank in Georgia during regular business hours:
• passport (must be valid at least another 6 months)
• non-refundable application fee $131 (equivalent to be paid in Georgian Lari (GeL))
NIV Appointment Scheduling
All non-immigrant visa applicants applying on or after March 1, 2008 will be required to schedule appointments for a visa interview online. Applicants may do so by visiting the following link: (Schedule Visa Interview).
All applicants are requested to arrive on time for their appointments. Applicants will not be permitted to enter the consular section until the time on their appointment form. The form may be printed at the time the appointment is scheduled online. Applicants who arrive more than 30 minutes late will not be granted entry and will need to reschedule their appointments online.
Non-immigrant visa interviews are conducted on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM by appointment only.
All applicants must complete both the DS-156 (Link to DS-156) and DS-157 (Link to DS-157) forms. (please see below for information on computer access to complete these forms).
Once an appointment is scheduled, please come to the consular section of the American Embassy (11 George Balanchine Street, Tbilisi) at the appointed date and time.
Please bring the following to your interview:
• passport (must be valid at least another 6 months)
• any previous passports
• application fee receipt paid in Georgian Lari at TBC-Bank
• completed visa application forms DS-156 and DS-157*
all students and exchange visitors must also complete DS-158**
• One 5 x 5cm, white background, full face photograph stapled or glued to the application form***
Note: If you need a copy of your MRV receipt, please make a photocopy of it prior to coming to the Consular Section. We are not able to make copies of the receipts for visa applicants.
The visa applicant is responsible for bringing any supporting documents to the interview.
If approved, the passport and visa will be sent to the address of your choice via DHL courier service, normally within two business days of your interview. Please be advised that we are unable to have visas ready sooner than this due to additional processing requirements that take place after the interview. Please do not make travel arrangements until you have physically received your visa.
COMPUTER ACCESS
As of October 1, 2006, all visa applicants are required to complete the application forms DS-156 and DS-157 online, then print them and bring to the interview. Both forms can be found at this website.
The DS-forms filled out by hand will not be accepted, and applicants without a form completed on this website will not be interviewed and will be required to schedule a new appointment. If you do not have a personal computer, you may use public computers at any location—including at an internet café, at the main branch of TBC Bank in Tbilisi (free of charge), or at any American Corner library in the country (free of charge). Please be advised that all applicants are legally responsible for the accuracy of the information provided on the application, regardless of who completes the form on the applicant’s behalf.
* All applicants must fill out form DS-156 and DS-157.
**All applicants seeking F, M or J visas (student, and exchange visas) must complete and submit a Form DS-158.
***The photograph should meet the following requirements:
a) “Full face” defines a photo in which the applicant is facing the camera directly with the ears exposed and the face covering about 50 percent of the photo area.
b) The photograph should clearly identify the applicant. Head coverings and hats are only acceptable due to religious beliefs. Glasses or other paraphernalia are not acceptable, unless required for medical reasons (an eye patch, for example).
VISA ELIGIBILITY:
Under Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, applicants for non-immigrant visas are presumed to be intending immigrants. Visa applicants usually overcome this presumption by demonstrating they have a permanent residence abroad which they have no intention of abandoning. This is generally established by the documentation of family, social, employment, economic or other ties in their country that will compel them to return after a short and temporary stay in the U.S. Since visitors to the U.S. do not have the right to employment while there, an applicant's economic position in his/her country and his/her personal financial resources are additional factors in determining whether the applicant has the need or desire to work while in the U.S.
American citizens and green card holder who want to provide information regarding an applicant are advised to give the applicant a letter to be presented to the consular officer during the visa interviews. It is important to understand, however, that it is the applicant alone who must establish eligibility for a visa. Consular officers may not issue visas based solely on the assurances of interested third parties abroad or in the United States.