Nonimmigrant Visas

Visa Application Procedures for Travelers Using Diplomatic or Official Passports

Official Travel

The U.S. Consulate will ordinarily issue a visa to an official from a government recognized by the United States, traveling on official business, only upon receipt of a diplomatic note from the appropriate foreign office, mission, or international organization. The foreign mission should submit to the nonimmigrant visa unit:

• A diplomatic note from the foreign mission that identifies the official as an employee and that states in specific terms the purpose of the official travel.
• Passport with at least six months validity remaining.
• Online application form (DS-160) which can be filled out by clicking here.
• Photograph uploaded to the DS-160 application form. Applicants must also bring a photo with them to their interview. Photo specifications are very exact. Click here for instructions.

Officials seeking to enter the United States, pursuant to official orders or instructions from a government recognized by the United States, to perform duties or services for that government that are official in nature are exempt from biometric visa procedures (fingerprint scans) at the U.S. Consulate and US-VISIT procedures at the U.S. port of entry. Official travelers are also exempt from the normal application fee of US$131 or HK$1040.

Personal Travel

Officials seeking a visa to enter the United States for personal travel are not exempt from biometric visa procedures and must appear personally at the U.S. Consulate, unless the official is age 80 or over, in which case the personal appearance of the applicant may be waived. These procedures should in no sense be considered demeaning to visa applicants; they are designed to verify identity and otherwise facilitate travel. Such measures may become standard practice for many countries as we enter the biometric age.

Officials seeking to enter the United States for personal travel should contact the U.S. Consulate nonimmigrant visa unit to arrange a convenient time to personally appear and process fingerprint scans. They may contact the Consulate's Visa Information Unit by fax at 852-2147-3586. Such officials need not submit their documents ahead of time. When they arrive at the Consulate, officials should bring:

• A diplomatic note from the foreign mission that identifies the official as an employee.
• Passport with at least six months validity remaining.
• Online application form (DS-160) which can be filled out by clicking here.
• Photograph uploaded to the DS-160 application form. Applicants must also bring a photo with them to their interview. Photo specifications are very exact. Click here for instructions.
• Fee receipt from Dah Sing Bank for each applicant, as applicable. (The current fee is US$131 or HK$1040.) Officials who hold diplomatic passports are exempt from the application fee; officials who hold official or regular passports are NOT exempt from the fee.

 

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Last modified: February 12, 2009