Non-Immigrant Visa Section

Visa Appointment Wait Times:

-Average Appointment Wait Time - visitor (B1/B2) visa - Click here

-Average Appointment Wait Time - student (F, M) or exchange visitor (J) visa - Click here

-Average Appointment Wait Time - all other nonimmigrant visas - Click here

-To make a nonimmigrant appointment from within China, please call the China-wide Visa Information Call Center (a user-pays service) at 4008-872-333.  Callers outside mainland China please call 86-21-3881-4611.  For Call Center payment and other details, please Click here.

* The Department of State wishes to advise callers that the charges for international calls are solely the responsibility of the caller. Currently, callers are experiencing significant wait times before reaching a live operator.
For information about the call center's refund policy, please click here:
https://www.usavisainformation.com.cn/eng/help_faq.aspx

-Average Visa Processing Time (the number of working days after a consular officer decision to issue a visa, for the passport with visa to be returned to applicants at the consular section or by courier, as applicable) - Click here

All applicants should be aware that the times given above are AVERAGES, and that the processing time of a specific case can vary due to individual circumstances and other special requirements.

General Information

• SEVIS FEE IN EFFECT AFTER SEPTEMBER 1, 2004 (09/14/04)
• Call Center to Begin Accepting Group Appointments (08/31/04)
• Education Hour (07/28/04)
• Biometric Collections Begin at the United States Consulate General in Guangzhou (04/22/04)
• New Online Visa Application Form
• Visa Information Call Center
• American Citizen Hour
• Important travel information for F, M and J
• SEVIS

• Visas Categories:

  • Business and Tourist Visas (B-1, B-2 Visas)

  • Student Visas (F-1, M-1 Visas)

  • Exchange Visitors (J-1)

  • Visas for Work in the United States (H, L, O, P, Q Visas)

  • Dependents (F-2, J-2, L-2, H-4 Visas)

  • U.S. Visas for Performers, Entertainers, and Their Technical Assistants

  • U.S. Visas for Press and Broadcast Media

SEVIS FEE IN EFFECT AFTER SEPTEMBER 1, 2004

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced implementation of the SEVIS (Student Exchange Visitor Information System) fee.  Effective immediately, each student or exchange scholar issued an initial Form I-20 or DS-2019 on or after September 1, 2004, is responsible for paying this fee before applying for a visa.  Persons sponsored by the United States Government are exempt from payment of the SEVIS fee.  Most continuing students and exchange visitors will also not be required to pay the SEVIS fee. 

The SEVIS fee has been set at $100.  Certain short-term exchange visitors will pay a reduced fee of $35.  All applicants required to pay the SEVIS fee will also have to complete Form I-901.  This form is available on-line at www.fmjfee.com.

Currently, the SEVIS fee can be paid by credit card on-line or by international money order or check drawn on a financial institution in the United States if payable in United States currency.  China has been selected to participate in a pilot program for overseas, off-site fee collection.  Preliminary plans are to make the fee payable at a local Chinese bank.  This option is NOT yet available.  Please check our website regularly for further updates on this payment option.

The SEVIS I-901 fee is mandated by Congress to support the automated system that keeps track of students and exchange visitors to ensure that they maintain their lawful status in the United States.  For more information regarding the SEVIS fee, please refer to the SEVIS website at http://www.ice.gov/sevis

Call Center to Begin Accepting Group Appointments

The China-wide Visa Information Call Center will now begin accepting group appointments for the United States Consulate General, Guangzhou.

Groups consisting of 6 or more people who will be traveling together to the United States with the same purpose of travel and the same time of travel will be allowed to fax or e-mail their appointment requests to the Visa Information Call Center.

The Visa Call Center will send a confirmation reply by fax or email within 24 hours of receipt (unless fax/email is received after closing on Saturday or on a Sunday or public holiday).

For more information about group scheduling, please click here.

Education Hour

Press Release

Thursday, April 22, 2004

Biometric Collections Begin at the United States Consulate General in Guangzhou

On Friday, April 23, 2004, the United States Consulate General in Guangzhou will begin collecting fingerprints as biometric identifiers for nonimmigrant visa applicants.  This program was mandated by the United States Congress in Section 303 of the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002.  The United States Embassy in Beijing has already begun collecting fingerprints.

This law requires that, by October 26, 2004, the United States government shall issue to international visitors “only machine-readable, tamper-resistant visas and other travel and entry documents that use biometric identifiers.”

These biometric visas will facilitate rapid and precise identification of travelers, protecting the identity of the visitor while enabling more secure processing of travelers at ports of entry in the United States. The biometric identifier will be checked at the port of entry in the United States to verify that the person presenting the visa is the same person who was issued the visa.

The two index fingers of a visa applicant will be electronically scanned in an inkless process at the beginning of the nonimmigrant visa interview. Collecting the fingerprints should add no more than one minute to the application process and in most cases will take only seconds.  The electronic data from the fingerprints will be stored in a database and will be available to Department of Homeland Security immigration officers at ports of entry in the United States.

This worldwide biometric program began in September 2003.  As of today, there are more than 70 U.S. Embassies and Consulates worldwide collecting biometrics for visa applicants, including several in Asia.  All visa-issuing Embassies and Consulates will be doing this for visa applicants by October 26, 2004.

Applicants for U.S. visas between the ages of 14 and 80, except for diplomatic or central government personnel traveling on official business, are required to be fingerprinted. This means that certain people who were previously eligible for a personal appearance waiver will now have to come to the Consulate to have their fingerprints collected.  Visa information and appointments for visa application is obtained by calling the Visa Information Call Center at 4008-872-333 from within China (toll free call, but call center information fees apply), or from overseas at (86-21) 3881-4611 (both phone call and call center information fees apply).

Biometrics Questions and Answers

New Online Visa Application Form

The U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou is pleased to announce a new online visa application form (the English DS-156) that will save time for applicants and our Consular Section staff. The new online form contains a barcode that will allow electronically transfer data and therefore reduce waiting time during the visa application process.

The new online visa application form can be downloaded from the following State Department website: http://evisaforms.state.gov. Once the application form is completed online, it must be printed clearly (barcode must be smudge free), and then submitted to the Consular Section at the time of the visa interview. If visa applicants are unable to access the new online form or to meet the system requirements, they can still fill out the English DS-156 form manually. For now, the other application forms (DS-157 and DS-158) and the Chinese versions of all visa application forms must be completed manually.

There are some system requirements for using the new online visa application form.

• Use either an ink-jet or laser printer to print the completed form.
• Internet browser must support 128-bit encryption.
• If using Internet Explorer, the minimum version that will work with the site is version 5.0, with service pack 2.
• If using Netscape, the minimum version that will work with the site is version 6.2.
• Must also have Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to download and print the completed application form. The minimum version that will work with the site is version 5.
• If possible, please print the two pages of the DS-156 form on one sheet of paper, front and back. The 2D barcode will print on a separate page.

If your system does not meet these requirements, please consider using a computer that does at an Internet Cafe.

We encourage as many visa applicants as possible to use this new online visa application form. It will save valuable time for everyone. Thank you for your cooperation.

Visa Information Call Center

Announcement: On March 3, 2004, the China-wide Visa Information Call Center began operations.

Telephone Number:
4008-872-333 (For caller in Mainland China)
86-21-3881-4611 (For caller outside Mainland China)*

* The Department of State wishes to advise callers that the charges for international calls are solely the responsibility of the caller. Currently, callers are experiencing significant wait times before reaching a live operator.

Please click here for more information.

Note: Non-immigrant visa appointments will no longer be made by calling the U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou directly - all non-immigrant visa appointments will be made through the Visa Information Center.

American Citizen Hour

In order to more effectively address the questions and concerns of American Citizens interested in the Non-Immigrant Visa interview process, the U.S. Consulate General Guangzhou will host an “American Citizen Hour” each Monday from 3:00pm to 4:00pm at the NIV waiting room. In addition, American citizens will not be permitted to accompany NIV applicants to their interview and would instead be encouraged to attend the Monday afternoon American citizen hour. Both programs will become effective Monday, November 3, 2003.

Important travel information for F, M and J

To all recipients of an F, M, or J student or exchange visitor visa: Please be aware that United States Department of Homeland Security regulations state that holders of F, M, or J nonimmigrant visas will not be admitted to the United States until a date thirty days or less prior to the beginning of your program date, or start date, as given on your Form I-20 (For F or M visas) or DS-2019 (for J visas). Please consider that date carefully when making your travel plans to the United States.

SEVIS

All students, exchange scholars and their dependents must be registered in SEVIS. SEVIS stands for Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. The host institution (for example, School) is responsible for entering your application information into SEVIS. Questions regarding SEVIS should be directly to your host institution.

Visas Categories:

• Business and Tourist Visas (B-1, B-2 Visas)

• Student Visas (F-1, M-1 Visas)

• Exchange Visitors (J-1)

• Visas for Work in the United States (H, L, O, P, Q Visas)

• Dependents (F-2, J-2, L-2, H-4 Visas)

• U.S. Visas for Performers, Entertainers, and Their Technical Assistants

• U.S. Visas for Press and Broadcast Media

Business and Tourist Visas
(B-1, B-2 Visas)

To obtain a visa for tourist or business travel to the United States, the applicant must be able to demonstrate his or her intention to enter the United States for a temporary period, solely for the purpose of tourism and/or short-term business. The applicant must also provide evidence of financial ability to cover his or her travel expenses to and stay in the United States, and sufficiently strong social, economic, and other ties in the applicant's home country to compel the applicant's return after a temporary and lawful visit. Under Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, as amended, a visa may not be issued to any applicant who is unable to overcome the legal presumption that he or she is an intending immigrant by demonstrating the above factors to the satisfaction of the interviewing consular officer.

Visa Specific Information and Documentation:

• "B-1" VISA: The B-1 visa is intended for temporary business travel. This includes such travel as negotiating contracts, attending exhibitions and conferences, short-term training, and consultations with suppliers and customers. The B-1 visa is not valid for employment in the United States. Applicants for B-1 visas may wish to bring to their interviews information regarding their anticipated business activities in the United States, including letters from the U.S. business partners indicating the purpose of the trip, and documentation establishing the applicants personal status, such as marriage certificates, letters confirming employment, bank statements, pay slips, etc.
• "B-2" VISA: The B-2 visa is intended for tourist activities, such as sight-seeing, visiting friends and relatives, obtaining medical treatment, and attending conferences and meetings. Visitors are not permitted to accept employment during their stay in the U.S. Applicants for B-2 visas may wish to bring to their interviews letters of invitation from friends or relatives in the United States, information confirming participation in a tour group or conference, and documentation demonstrating the applicants ability and intention, or that of friends or relatives in the United States, to support his or her travel and other expenses. Documentation establishing the applicants personal status, such as marriage certificates, letters confirming employment, bank statements, pay slips, etc. is also useful.

Student Visas
(F-1, M-1 Visas)

Applicants for U.S. student visas should be aware that they must apply for their visas no earlier than 90 days before the date when they must report to the school in the United States. Student visa applications received more than 90 days before the report date to the new school will not be processed by the Consulate. All applicants for "F-1" and "M-1" visas must present a valid I-20 form from the school which has accepted them.

To obtain a visa to study in the United States, applicants must demonstrate that the sole (not just "primary") purpose of their travel is to pursue a program of study; they have the ability and intention to be a full-time student in the United States; they possess adequate funds to cover all tuition, living and anticipated incidental expenses without taking unauthorized employment; they have sufficiently strong social, economic, and other reasons to compel their departure from the United States upon completion of the projected program of studies.

Applicants must bring proof that they have been unconditionally accepted to an accredited academic program. The school must provide a completed I-20 form and an acceptance letter. Applicants should also bring proof that they have the skills and background necessary to successfully complete the course; this generally includes their diploma, transcripts listing courses they have taken and grades received, and results from tests or exams normally required for admission to U.S. schools (GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, etc.).

Applicants must show that they have the intent to depart from the United States after the completion of their studies. This may be done in a variety of ways. They may show us that they have the talent to succeed in fields that are in demand in China. Often these are students from the top schools in China that will be able to compete for the best jobs when they return.

Exchange Visitors
(J-1)

General Information:

The "J" exchange visitor program is designed to promote the interchange of persons, knowledge, and skills in the fields of education, arts, and sciences. Participants include students at all academic levels; trainees obtaining on-the-job training with firms, institutions, and agencies; teachers of primary, secondary, and specialized schools; professors coming to teach or do research at institutions of higher learning; research scholars; professional trainees in the medical and allied fields; and international visitors coming for the purpose of travel, observation, consultation, research, training, sharing, or demonstrating specialized knowledge or skills, or participating in organized people-to-people programs.

Special Requirements:

Scholastic Preparation

The "J" exchange visitors must have sufficient scholastic preparation and knowledge of the English language to enable the applicant to undertake a full course of study in the institution of learning or other place of study at which you the applicant has been accepted. If the applicant's knowledge of English is inadequate to enable the applicant to pursue a full course of study, you must submit documentation that special arrangements have been made by the accepting institution for English language tutoring.

Medical Education and Training

Exchange visitors coming under the "J" program for graduate medical education or training must meet certain special requirements. They include having passed the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination in Medical Sciences, demonstrating competency in English, being automatically subject to the two-year foreign residence requirement (later), and being subject to time limits on the duration of their program. Physicians coming to the United States on exchange visitor programs for the purpose of observation, consultation, teaching, or research in which there is little or no patient care are not subject to the above requirements.

Required documentation:

• Two completed DS-156 and DS-157 and DS-158 application forms
• CITIC application fee receipt
• Passport valid for travel to the United States and with a validity date at least nine months beyond the applicant's intended period of stay in the United States.
• Two American passport-sized photos each applicant
• For the "J" applicant, a completed Form DS-2019. Participants in the "J" program must present a Form DS-2019 prepared by a designated sponsoring organization. For the "Q" applicant, a notice of approval, Form I-797. Participants in the "Q" program must have the designated sponsoring organization file Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The DHS will notify the sponsor on Form I-797 when the petition is approved. It should be noted that the approval of a petition does not guarantee visa issuance to an applicant found to be ineligible under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
• Evidence of sufficient scholarship or personal funds to cover the applicant's expenses, or evidence that other arrangements have been made to provide for the applicant's expenses. Possession of "sufficient funds" means you the applicant is neither likely to become a public charge nor likely to engage in unauthorized employment in order to support his or herself while in the United States.

Other Documentation:

• Evidence establishing the applicant's intention to depart from the United States upon completion of his or her stay. This means you have residence in a foreign country that you have no intention of abandoning; and social, economic, and other ties that would compel your return after a temporary and lawful visit.

Visas for Work in the United States
(H, L, O, P, Q Visas)

H, L, O, P, and Q visas entitle the holder to work in the United States. All require the company or other organization in the United States to first submit a petition to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for permission to hire a foreign worker. If the petition is approved, the company will be issued a form I-797 enabling you to apply for a visa.

"H" VISA: The H visa is intended for temporary employment in the United States.

• Petitions must first be approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the United States.
• Visas cannot be processed until the applicant or the Consulate has received an approved I-797.
• If the applicant adjusted status within the United States, the applicant must bring the original I-797 to the interview.
• It is also advised that all applicants bring to the interview a certified copy of the I-129 application material.

"L" VISA: The L visa is intended for individuals who are being transferred from their company in China to a branch or related company in the United States. Applicants must intend to fill a managerial or executive position, or have specialized knowledge, and have been continuously employed by the same employer or a related company for one year within the three years immediately preceding the visa application.

Two types of L1 and L2 visas are available.  The single-entry, six-month validity visa is available for no additional charge.  Applicants can also receive a multiple-entry, two-year validity visa for an extra fee of US$120/per person.  If you would like to receive the multiple, two-year visa, please bring sufficient funds with you to the interview.  You may pay the fee in Chinese yuan at the current exchange rate.

The U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou conducts interviews for L1 and L2 visas on Thursday afternoons.  Family members of L1 visa holders (L2) must provide proof of their relationship to the principal alien.  Such proof could include marriage certificates, family photos, birth certificates, etc.

"O","P" or "Q" VISA: These visas are for performers or trade workers possessing unusual or extraordinary skills who plan to perform, teach, coach, or participate in cultural exchange in the United States.

Dependents
(F-2, J-2, L-2, H-4 Visas)

To obtain a visa to join a spouse or parent for a short-term stay in the United States, the applicant must be able to demonstrate that he or she is the spouse or minor child of an F-1, J-1, M-1, H-1, H-2, or L-1 visa holder who wishes to enter the United States solely to accompany or follow to join the principal visa holder.

Visa Specific Information:

• The F-2 visa is intended for dependents of students (F-1).
• The J-2 visa is intended for dependents of exchange visitors (J-1).
• The M-2 visa is intended for dependents of students at vocational or other recognized non-academic institutions (M-1).
• The H-4 visa is intended for dependents of temporary workers (H).
• The L-2 visa is intended for dependents of intracompany transfers (L).

Required Documentation:

• Applicants should provide documentation which establishes their relationship to the principal visa holder, such as original marriage certificates, birth certificates, and photographs.
• CITIC Bank fee receipts
• Applicants should also provide documentation which establishes the visa status of the family member in the United States, such as photocopies of the passports and U.S. visas, and form I-20 for students, form DS-2019 for exchange visitors, or form I-797 for temporary workers.
• Applicants should also provide documentation which indicates that they or the principal visa holder has sufficient funds available so that the family member is not likely at any time to become a public charge or have to seek unauthorized employment in the United States.

U.S. Visas for Performers, Entertainers, and Their Technical Assistants

All foreign performers, entertainers, and their technical assistants require employment authorization from the Department of Homeland Security prior to applying for visas to engage in live performances or production of recorded entertainment material (films and video productions). The process for filing visa petitions for performers, entertainers, and their technical assistants is complex. The U.S. Consulate recommends that the promoter, sponsor, or producer of performances or entertainment productions in the United States seek expert counsel from an attorney who has experience in obtaining visa petition approval for members of the entertainment professions. Depending on the circumstances of the project at hand, H, L, O, P, or Q visa petitions may be appropriate.

Caution: Many American and Chinese organizations mistakenly believe that advance petition approval is not required if the sponsoring organization has non-profit status, if no tickets will be sold, or if the performers will not be remunerated. This is not correct. There are only three circumstances under which foreigners may perform in the U.S. without an approved petition:

• Amateur performers do not require petitions from DHS and are free to perform while in B visitor status. Amateur performers will generally have a type of principal employment, occupation, or studies which is unrelated to their side interest in performing. Amateurs by definition must not be remunerated beyond expenses for their performances. Please note that in many cases children must be considered as professional performers, especially if they are full time students at schools that are funded in large part through ticket sales.
• Cultural propaganda performances do not require petitions from DHS if the performances are completely funded by the central government of a foreign country for the purpose of introducing its culture to audiences in the United States. For B-class visitor visas to be used, the performers must not be remunerated from any U.S. source, no U.S. sponsor, facilitator, or promoter can be involved in the production, no tickets can be sold, and 100 percent of the expense must be borne by the central government of the sending country. If the production has an American co-sponsor, then this exception does not apply and a petition from DHS is required.
• Foreign musicians may record audio performances at U.S. recording studios staffed by U.S. citizens and residents as B-class visitors without any DHS petition.

U.S. Visas for Press and Broadcast Media

Press and broadcast media require different types of nonimmigrant visas depending on the purpose of travel.

• Employees of magazines, newspapers, television and radio networks, and other media organizations who will go to the U.S. in order to report on actual current events as they occur and develop can be issued I (Media Representative) visas. No petition is required, although evidence that the applicant is an accredited media representative may be required.
• Media representatives who will travel to the U.S. in order to participate in the production of artistic media content (in which actors are used) require a petition approved in advance by DHS before applying for visas. Depending on circumstances, H or P classification is most common for this type of activity, but O, L, and Q petitions may be appropriate in some circumstances. Television, radio, and film production companies may wish to seek expert counsel from an immigration attorney who specializes in media work for specific advice tailored to the project at hand.
• Media representatives going to the U.S. to attend meetings as ordinary participants or to purchase or sell media equipment or broadcast rights are considered ordinary business visitors and can travel using B-class visitor visas.

For additional information please visit the Department of State's web site at www.travel.state.gov, call the Visa Information Call Center at 4008-872-333 (For caller in Mainland China) or
86-21-3881-4611 (For caller outside Mainland China)*

* The Department of State wishes to advise callers that the charges for international calls are solely the responsibility of the caller. Currently, callers are experiencing significant wait times before reaching a live operator.