Qualifications

ESTA Denied

You may request an expedited visa appointment if you are a citizen of a Visa Waiver Program partner but have received notice that you are no longer eligible to travel to the United States under that program. Your travel must be imminent, and you must be a citizen of, or recently traveled to, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. Please include in your request the date and purpose of your travel.

Essential documentation:

• A copy of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection message you received regarding your ESTA status.

Urgent Business Travel

Purpose of travel is to attend to an urgent business matter where the travel requirement could not be predicted in advance.

Essential documentation:

• A letter of invitation from the corresponding company in the United States describing:

• • the urgency of the planned visit
  • the nature of the business
  • how either the U.S. or local company will suffer a significant loss of opportunity if an expedited appointment is not available.

or

• Evidence of a necessary training program in the United States of three months duration or less. Submit letters from both the local employer and the U.S. company providing the training. Each letter should include:

• • a detailed explanation of the training
  • why the need to travel is urgent
  • how either the U.S. or local company will suffer a significant loss of opportunity if an expedited appointment is not available.

Students or exchange visitors

Purpose of travel is to begin or resume a valid program of study in the United States when no regular visa appointments are available before the program start date.

Essential documentation:

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

Medical Need

Purpose of travel is to obtain urgent medical care, or to accompany a relative or employer for urgent medical care.

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 the 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 an immediate family member or to make arrangements for repatriating the body of an immediate family member (mother, father, brother, sister, child,) in the United States back to Burundi.

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.

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.

Step 1:

Make an appointment using the online appointment system, following this hyperlink or by entering https://evisaforms.state.gov/default.asp?postcode=BUJ&appcode=3 into your browser window. Follow the instructions and schedule an appointment using the barcode number on your application confirmation sheet.

Step 2:

Send an e-mail to change your regular appointment to an expedited appointment to: bujumburac@state.gov. Applicants should be prepared to submit documentary evidence as to why they require an expedited appointment. Be sure to include a phone number which can be reached during normal business hours.

The email request should also include the following information:

1. Applicant’s name
2. Applicant’s date and place of birth
3. Applicant’s passport number and nationality
4. Applicant’s application barcode number
5. Applicant’s phone number
6. Applicant’s reason for requesting an expedited appointment
7. Documentation to support the reason for the expedited appointment
8. Applicant’s regular scheduled appointment date
9. Applicant’s I-20/DS2019 and SEVIS fee payment for F1/J1 visa type

Step 3:

Once the consular section receives your email, it will review the request for an expedited appointment and determine whether it is possible to grant an earlier interview.  You will receive an email from the consular section approving or denying the emergency request. The email will include additional instructions about when to appear for the interview.  If your emergency request is denied, your regular appointment will still be valid.

Please be advised that an expedited appointment in no way guarantees visa issuance. U.S. law places the burden of qualifying for any visa solely on the applicant. All applicants must be eligible for a U.S. non-immigrant visa and should be prepared to demonstrate sufficient ties to Burundi to overcome the presumption that they are intending to immigrate to the U.S.