Boston College invites from time to time visitors to participate in conferences on campus. Certain prospective conference attendees will require visas for entry into the U.S. The following provides a high-level process overview for individuals seeking to apply for U.S. non-immigrant, visitor visas (B-1/B-2) for participation in Boston College conferences and other events.
Please note that prospective attendees who already hold a valid B-1/B-2 Visitor Visa, or qualified citizens of countries eligible for the Visa Waiver Program (also known as ESTA) may not need to apply for a visa for travel to the U.S. and participation in a particular Boston College event. The information presented in this document is not exhaustive. It does not, and is not intended to provide immigration or other legal advice. All prospective attendees from outside the U.S. should be sure to consult with their immigration attorney or other advisors in connection with planned travel for specifics relating to their jurisdiction, circumstances and visa application process. This information is subject to ongoing review and change.
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General Overview
For those requiring a visa, the first step in applying for a U.S. non-immigrant visa is to submit a DS-160 Form for a B-1/B-2 Visitor Visa. Applicants must then pay applicable visa fees before they can schedule in-person interviews at the relevant embassies or consulates. Some embassies and consulates will waive the in-person interview requirement for a limited number of qualifying visa renewal applications. Others may also waive the interview requirement for applicants based on their age. Where the interview requirement has not been waived, non-immigrant visa applicants will be required to take part in an in-person interview at the applicable embassy or consulate as part of the visa application process.
Due to COVID-19, embassies and consulates are experiencing significant backlogs and delays in scheduling visa application interviews. In a number of instances, wait times for visa interview appointments exceed 12 months. After an interview, if an application is approved, an applicant’s passport containing the visa will typically be returned within one week. As further detailed below, the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the U.S. Department of States provides estimates of visa appointment wait times at various embassies and consulates here. These estimates are approximations only, do not guarantee appointment availability, are subject to change, and may vary from week to week. Applicants must be sure to apply far enough in advance for non-immigrant visas to allow sufficient processing time prior to their scheduled travel.
Expedited Visa Interview Appointments
Certain embassies and consulates may expedite visa interview appointments for urgent business travel and other qualifying needs. Where applicable, in exigent circumstances, a visa applicant seeking to participate in a Boston College business conference might consider requesting an expedited visa interview appointment from the applicable embassy or consulate, on the basis of an urgent business travel need. Applicants must be aware however that the U.S. Department of State and U.S. embassies and consulates have not historically considered travel to conferences to be grounds for expedited appointments for urgent business travel. In all cases, visa applicants must first submit the online DS-160 form, pay the application fee, and schedule the first available interview appointment. Only then may they submit a request to their consular section for an expedited appointment where possible, following the specific guidance and instructions provided by the relevant embassy or consulate.
If you request an expedited visa interview appointment, please contact us at bc.global@bc.edu with that information.