The U.S. Embassy Outlines Temporary Visa Application Procedures for the Peak Summer Period

July 21, 2011

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U.S. Embassy Nassau wishes to announce that currently, the next available appointment for a B1/B2 tourist visa is in mid-September 2011. The U.S. Embassy is currently processing and will continue to process tourist visa applications for those people who already have an appointment.

Thanks to the long-standing arrangement between the Bahamas and United States, Bahamian citizens may travel to the U.S. on a current police record after processing through pre-clearance facilities at the Nassau and Freeport airports.   Applicants who wish to travel on a cruise that requires entry to the United States at a port other than the pre-clearance facilities in Nassau or Freeport, or from a third country with no pre-clearance facility, will require a visa.

In order to accommodate students who plan to study in the United States and reside in our consular district, the U.S. Embassy has reserved over 1,000 appointments in the month of August for applicants seeking an F1 or M1 visa. 

The next available appointment for students is early August.  Students do not need to have their I-20 form from their prospective school at the time of their interview.  By applying for an interview as early as possible, students can improve their chances of being at school on time for the beginning of their courses.

The U.S. Embassy has not suspended and will not suspend tourist visa processing during the peak season for student visa applications – rather, all appointments for tourist visa applicants have been booked through late September.

The U.S. Embassy does take an applicant’s travel needs into consideration, and will attempt to accommodate for some emergencies.  Expedited appointments will be considered by the U.S. Embassy for the following situations:  applicants requiring urgent medical treatment in the United States, students whose classes start before the next available appointment, exchange visitors whose program starts before the next available appointment, applicants claiming urgent business travel that could not have been previously planned, temporary workers whose job starts before the next available appointment, and applicants applying for tourist visas who are traveling for life or death emergencies. Unfortunately, the U.S. Embassy does not consider cruise travel an emergency.  

The U.S. Embassy encourages all applicants to apply for a visa well in advance of making their travel plans to the United States and to take advantage of the non-peak season, between February and April, when the appointment wait time is just a few days. 

When a traveler is ready to apply for a U.S. visa, the best source of information is the step-by-step guide available on the U.S. Embassy Nassau’s website (http://nassau.usembassy.gov) under the “Non-Immigrant Visa” tab at the top.  This easy-to-read guide provides information on scheduling an appointment, a link to the visa application form, and suggestions on the types of documentation applicants should be prepared to present the day of the appointment.