How to Apply

Foreign Affairs Passport Holder Expedite Program

All interview appointments for Foreign Affairs Office (FAO) passport holders are handled through your regional FAO. If you are a first time applicant, please contact your FAO for information on how to obtain an appointment. Please be aware that all visa laws and regulations also apply to FAO travelers. You will still need to provide proof that you do not intent to immigrate to the United States. Click here for more information on the different types of visas available and what you will be expected to bring to your interview.

If you are an FAO passport holder who has received a visa from the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai within the past 12 months and whose total stay in the United States was less than 90 days, you may apply through your regional FAO for an expedited appointment. You should submit all application materials (DS-156, DS-157, invitation letter, fee receipt as per FAO regulations) to the FAO, which arranges the appointment and will inform you of the appointment date and time. We must return all visas issued in FAO passports to the foreign affairs office that arranged the interview and submitted the passport to the Consulate. The U.S. Consulate makes every attempt to return passports to the FAOs within two days, but each FAO distributes these passports according to their own schedule. You should inquire at your FAO if you have questions about when your visa will be available.