US visa - Expedited Appointment application

Introduction

This article introduces how to make an expedited appointment for a U.S. visa.

 

I recommend using it

if it is impossible to enter the U.S. on time

due to delayed reservations for the regular interview even though it is urgent.

 

In the case of woojoodream,

the earliest time of the regular interview was just around the corner

to meet the scheduled date for post-doctoral researchers.

 

As a result,

woojoodream applied for an emergency reservation,

so woojoodream was able to book a relatively relaxed interview.

 

 

Expedited appointment?

 

Expedited appointments can be made

only on certain conditions in case of urgent entry into the United States.

 

In general, applications can be made sometime earlier than regular interviews

 

However, it should be noted that expedited appointments are also limited in time,

such as regular interviews,

and that even emergency reservations may already be booked.

 

You can also apply for an emergency reservation only once,

so you have to thoroughly check

if it meets the requirements for emergency reservation and applies.

 

The US Embassy's explanation for the expedited appointments is as follows.

 

https://ustraveldocs.com/kr/kr-niv-expeditedappointment.asp

Apply for a U.S. Visa | Apply for an Expedited Appointment - South Korea (English)

 

Qualifications

 

The embassy limits the availability of expedited appointments to certain conditions,

and proof of this is necessary.

 

Expedited appointments are limited to 6 cases below.

 

1. ESTA Denied

2. Medical Need

3. Funeral/Death

4. Students or exchange visitors

5. Petition-Based Visas

6. Treaty Trader/Treaty Investor Visas (E Visas)

 

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. 

 

Essential documentation:

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

 

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

 

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.

 

Students or exchange visitors

 

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

This option is limited only to students and exchange students who are within two weeks of their start date. 

 

Essential documentation:

  Original Form I-20 or DS-2019 indicating start date of program. 

   If you are starting a new program and your start date will have already passed at the time of interview, you must ask your program sponsor to update the start date in the SEVIS system before coming to the visa interview.  

  Visas can only be issued when the new start date has been updated in SEVIS and the applicant can actually arrive in the United States by the start date.
  Evidence that you have paid the SEVIS fee (when applicable).
 

 

Petition-Based Visas

 

Purpose of travel is to attend to urgent matters in the United States.

Please provide a short justification as all requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Travel for the purpose of handling matters that can be resolved over a short business trip does not qualify for an expedited appointment. 

 

Essential documentation:

  Approved Petition (I-797 Approval Notice)

 

Treaty Trader/Treaty Investor Visas (E Visas)

 

Purpose of travel is to attend to urgent business matters directly relating to the business in the United States. 

Please provide a short justification as all requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. 

Travel for the purpose of handling matters that can be resolved over a short business trip does not qualify for an expedited appointment. 

 

Essential documentation:

  Complete application package must have been submitted electronically in advance.  

 

Where an expedited appointment is not possible

 

The expedited appointment is not possible as below.

 

Attending weddings and graduation ceremonies

Assisting pregnant relatives

Participating in an annual business/academic/professional conference

Enjoying last-minute tourism

 

Expedited appointment for J-1 visa

 

For J-1 visas,

you can apply urgently if there is no interview able date within 2 weeks of the program's start date.

 

For emergency applications,

first, complete the interview application on one of the available days for regular interviews.

 

When you complete the interview application,

the 'Reschedule appointment' column will be activated on the left side of the webpage.

 

Select this expedited application

to select the "student or exchange visitor" that corresponds to J-1 among the cases

where emergency reservations are available and to fill out the reasons for the emergency application.

 

Subsequently, upload and submit the offer letter, DS-2019 and SEVIS payment receipts as attachments.

woojoodream has submitted an article explaining that it is not possible to book an interview within 2 weeks from the start of the program as follows.

 

 

Dear whom may it be concerned,

I'm "My name" applying for J-1 visa interview.
My start date is "My start date", 2021, but the earliest available interview schedule is "My appointed interview date".

The interview schedule is not available within 2 weeks of the program's start date, 

so my case is suitable to Expedited Application requirements.

I'd like to schedule an interview as soon as possible.

I'm submitting the document that proves the above as an attachment.

'Filename1' are the DS-2019.
'Filename2' is my original offer letter.
'Filename3' is my amended offer letter.

I look forward to your generous decision.

Best,
"My name"

 

After woojoodream applied for an emergency reservation,

an emergency reservation approval email was sent within two hours of the same day (Fig. 1).

 

Fig. 1. Expedited Appointment Approval Notification

 

After expedited approval,

you can log in with your account on the embassy interview reservation site

and make an earlier reservation through "Reschedule Appointment".

 

Outro

 

If the interview schedule is delayed due to unavoidable circumstances,

and in case of emergency reservation conditions,

woojoodream recommends using the expedited appointment system as above.

 

Refer: pixabay