How to Apply
IMPORTANT NOTE: All applicants must fill out the online application form DS-160 through the Consular Electronic Application Center at https://CEAC.state.gov/genniv/.
If you were turned away from your visa interview due to a problem accessing the DS-160 and received a pink paper with instructions, please follow those instructions.
Applicants Aged 14 to 79
Nonimmigrant visa applicants aged 14 to 79 are required to schedule an appointment for an interview with a U.S. consular officer. Interviews are by appointment only. The Embassy does not accept walk-in applications.
How to schedule an appointment
Appointments can be scheduled online at http://VisaInfo.US-Visaservices.com. Alternatively, you may call the Visa Information Services at 180-931-5642 in order to schedule your appointment.
If you decide to schedule your appointment through the online visa information and appointment service, you will be required to purchase a Personal Identification Number (PIN) in the sum of $22 USD. The payment can be performed either through the Web site using an international Visa or MasterCard, or through the Israeli Post Office.
If you wish to use the call center, you will be required to purchase a PIN number in the sum of $27.50. Applicants who use the call center can purchase a PIN number using their international credit card upon calling the service at 180-931-5642 or through the Israeli Post Office in cash. If you experience problems while using a mobile phone, please try again from a landline phone. Please note that this number is available if dialed from local land or mobile telephones only.
In both cases, the PIN will allow access to the Internet website or to the call center for information and for scheduling up to 5 appointments for immediate family members who reside in the same household.
Applicants under 14 or over 79
Applicants in this age category do not need an interview appointment. Their physical presence at the Embassy is not required during the process, unless it will be specifically required by the consular officer upon review of the visa application. However, an appointment needs to be scheduled on their behalf through the system if a family member on the same household requiring a visa interview is applying for a visa as well.
Here is how to submit their visa applications for processing:
- If you are applying for your own visa, you may present your child or elderly relative’s complete visa application and passport at the time of your interview appointment at our office.
- Otherwise, call 171 (the Israeli Postal Company) and pay for two-way pick-up and delivery service with your credit card. You can send up to 5 applications in one package. The post office will send a messenger to pick up the application and deliver it to the Embassy for the visa processing.
IMPORTANT NOTE: We will not accept application sent through any other channel (Express or Registered Mail, etc). Such applications will be returned to the sender without any further processing.
Document requirements:
Each visa application for a nonimmigrant visa regardless of the applicant’s age should contain the following documents:
- DS-160 (CEAC) confirmation page. Once you have successfully completed and submitted the on-line visa application at https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/, the CEAC system will generate a confirmation page which will include a unique confirmation number. This number is essential for processing of a visa application.
- In order to avoid loss of data, we strongly advise you save your application often on your hard drive, CD, or USB.
- For quick, efficient processing at the Embassy, we strongly recommend that you print the DS-160 confirmation page on a laser printer. Ink jet printers can make the barcode unreadable, which will delay processing of your visa application and increase waiting time at the Embassy.
Failure to comply with DS-160 requirements will result in our returning the whole application back to you without processing.
- 5cmX5cm color photograph on a white background. The photograph should be clear and of good quality.
- Green part of the MRV (Machine Readable Visa) processing fee receipt payable through the post office. The fee should be paid in Shekels according to the daily exchange rate.
- Applicant’s previous and current (valid) passports.
Each visa application should also include additional documents that vary depending on the visa type. For further details, please choose the visa type from the Visa Types list on the left.
Postal delivery fee and passport return
All applicants for U.S. nonimmigrant visas MUST pay the postal delivery fee BEFORE they arrive at the Embassy for their interview appointments. This fee MUST be paid through the Post Office together with the visa processing fee. Applicants who will show up for their interview appointment without this payment WILL NOT BE ALLOWED to continue with the process.
If your visa application is approved, you must leave your passport at the Embassy after your interview. Your passport will be returned to you within 5-7 business days following your interview appointment via the Postal courier service.
In case your visa application is refused or the passport is not delivered by the Postal courier service, the postal delivery fee you paid will be automatically refunded by the Post Office.
Expedited/Emergency appointments
The American Embassy in Tel Aviv expedites a limited number of nonimmigrant visa interview appointments ONLY for the following purposes:
- Life-threatening medical emergencies that require treatment at a U.S. medical facility
- Visits to gravely ill/dying relatives in the United States
- Students and Exchange Visitors (F, M, and J visas) who could not otherwise travel to the U.S. in time for enrollment and class/program attendance
- Persons with approved employment-based visa petitions (visa categories H, L, P and O)
- Other time sensitive, business related travel that advances U.S. commercial interests, such as export promotion, direct foreign investment in the United States, and attendance at U.S. trade shows
Expedited or emergency request can be submitted ONLY after you successfully schedule an interview appointment on the first available date.
Expedited Appointment: If you have already scheduled an interview appointment through the Internet, please log in to your account using your username and password you previously created. After accessing the system, you will be automatically directed to the "My Info Page" containing the "Request an Emergency Appointment" link. An answer to your request will be sent to your email within 1-2 days.
If you have scheduled your interview appointment through the call center, please contact the call center agents and ask them to submit an emergency request on your behalf.
Emergency Appointment: If you have less than 3 business days left until your departure, you can submit the emergency appointment request directly to the Embassy via email NIVTELAVIV@STATE.GOV. In order to eliminate unnecessary delays in processing of your request, please provide all relevant details in your email and attach supporting documentation.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are a U.S. citizen, your son/daughter may be entitled to American citizenship.
You should inquire with the American Citizen Services at the U.S. Embassy about a claim to citizenship before applying for a visa for your son/daughter’s visa. You should attach to the their visa application a letter that contains answers to the following questions:
- If one or more parent is an American citizen, did the American citizen(s) reside in the United States for at least 5 years, at least 2 of which were after the age of 14?
- If both parents are American citizens, did either live in the U.S. for at least one day?
If your child under 18 is not entitled to American citizenship through automatic transmission, i.e. through his/her parents, we would like to know the following:
- Are you currently pursuing expeditious naturalization for the child through the grandparents?
- Do you already have a date for your naturalization appointment?
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