U.S. visa appointment system goes all electronic (03/07/04)

U.S. visa appointment system goes all electronic

Embassy of the United States

KYIV - An important change in scheduling interviews for U.S. non-immigrant visas begins next month. Starting March 15, the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy will accept requests for non-immigrant visa interviews only through the online appointment request system or e-mail. This means that written requests for appointments will no longer be accepted after March 15.

"The advantages of such a system for non-immigrant visa applicants are significant," said Consul Gen. MaryKay Carlson. "Not only will applicants be able to schedule interviews sooner, but also the security and reliability of the e-mail systems guarantee timely notification of appointments."

Over the past year, 70 percent of all requests received by the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, for non-immigrant visa interviews have been made through the online system or e-mail. "The use of electronic communication decreases the time it takes to respond to requests and improves the quality and efficiency of our services," said Consul Gen. Carlson. "With the wide availability of e-mail and with so many people using it effectively, we need to update our systems and bring the advantages of the information age to all of our applicants."

The new system will eliminate delays inherent in the postal system, allowing applicants to schedule appointments at a date and time convenient for them. Currently, when using the postal system, consular staff must schedule appointments at least three weeks in advance. This time delay allows for the response letter to reach the applicants within enough time for them to plan a trip to the Consular Section for the interview. With the new system applicants will have greater flexibility in choosing an interview date among those available.

To request an interview for a non-immigrant visa, applicants or their representatives should complete the online appointment request form at http://usembassy.kiev.ua/visa_appointment_eng.html or send an e-mail message to appointkiev@state.gov. Applicants may choose to have a relative or friend submit an appointment request on their behalf who then can notify the applicant of the date and time of the interview.

The non-immigrant visa interview will be scheduled for the first available date or for any other available date the applicant requests that is available. Applicants can expect to be notified of their interview date and time within two business days. Due to the limited number of interview appointments available on any given day, the Consular Section may not be able to honor a specific request, particularly during peak seasons. In such cases, the Consular Section will be able to contact the applicant by e-mail to determine another date that meets the needs of the applicant.

Access to the Internet is available at Internet cafés, libraries, post offices and many other places throughout Ukraine. The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy has opened 71 Internet centers in public libraries throughout Ukraine as part of the Library Electronic Access Project (LEAP). These U.S.-government-funded centers offer free Internet access to the public. A list of the Centers' locations is available on the Embassy's website at http://usembassy.kiev.ua/irc_leap_eng.html.

The U.S. government-funded Internet Access and Training Program also maintains 25 free Internet access centers around Ukraine. Their locations can be found at http://iatp.org.ua.

The Consular Section is open via appointment for non-immigrant visa interviews Monday through Thursday from 8:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The Consular Section is closed on all Ukrainian and U.S. holidays, and the last working day of each month.

Please note that this appointment policy is only for non-immigrant visas. For appointments or information regarding immigrant visas for fiancees, spouses or other types of immigrant visas, interested persons should contact the Embassy's Immigrant Visa unit at ivkiev@state.gov. Applicants for immigrant visas should visit the U.S. Embassy website at http://usembassy.kiev.ua for further information.

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