Frequently Asked Questions

1. My Passport has expired, but there's a valid U.S. visa in it. Is it possible to transfer the visa to my new passport? You may continue to use your valid visa in your old passport when you present your new passport. Howevere, if the visa is damaged in anyway it will not be accepted. Often when expired passports are cancelled other pages with valid visas are also damaged.

2. My Diplomatic/Service passport has a valid U.S. visa in it. Is it possible to transfer the visa to my ordinary passport? No, visas cannot be transferred from a special status passport to a regular passport. Usually, such visas are issued for a specific reason and the category of visa is determined by the special status; diplomatic or official. In fact, no visa can be transferred from any category expired passport to any category valid passport.

3. How long does it take to obtain an American Visa? Normally, a visa is issued on the same day as the application is adjudicated, after the personal interview and verification and clearances with appropriate U.S. agencies. Applications are normally submitted the day before. However, there are times when clearances may take longer, when computer based systems fail due to power shortages and equipment falters. By and large, the process works smoothly; deliver your application on Wednesday and pay the fee; receive an appointment for Thursday for an interview. If the application is approved, the visa will be ready in the late afternoon.

4. I will be traveling with friends. Do all of us need to have an interview? Everyone, including children, need to appear for a personal interview. Everyone above the age of fourteen is required to be fingerprinted. The only exceptions are diplomats and government officials at a certain level who are in possession of a letter from a government ministry and going on an official government mission.

5. Why does the application fee amount to $100 or equivalent in Rwanda francs? Is this a fee paid only by Rwandans? The visa application fee is applied universally, in every embassy and consulate in every country. It contributes to the cost of processessing the application.

6. Do I have to use the courier service or can i pick up my passport and visa the afternoon after the interview? It is rare that visa applicants in Rwanda use a courier service. Most visas are collected in person. With an appropriate letter of permission someone other than the applicant can collect a visa.

7. Can I reschule my interview? Yes, if you cannot keep the initial appointment, you can reschedule.

8. Can I apply for a visa through a travel agency? It is not possible to apply for a visa through a travel agency or any other intermediary. You must apply in person.

9. How much money do I need to have in my bank account to get a visa? There is no set amount of money you must have to qualify for a visa. You must be able to document strong ties to Rwanda that support your intention to return. The criteria of proof might include your employment history, present employment, business ownership, salary, other income, property ownership, marital status, family membership, previous travel outside of Rwanda.

10. Can I work and/or study in the U.S. if I have a tourist visa? A "tourist" or temporary visa (B visas) is for the purpose of business or pleasure or both. Business does not imply gainful employment. There are specific visas for study and employment.

11. If I am from a country other than Rwanda, can I apply a U.S. visa in Kigali? A citizen of another country may apply for a visa in Rwanda if it can be shown that there is justifiable reason to be residing in Rwanda. However, it is usually in the interest of the applicant to apply in the consular district in which he or she resides. Due to the large international community working for international NGOs and agencies of the United Nations it is not unusual for citizens of other countries to apply and be approved for a visa in Kigali.

12. I am died a visa, will my fees be returned? The application fee covers the costs of the application and the processing necessary to adjudicate the visa application. No money is refunded if the visa is deniec.

13. How long it takes to reapply for a visa, if I am denied a visa? It is recommended that a reapplication after refusal wait until changes have occurred which now prove that the applicant's ties are sufficiently strong to warrant his return to Rwanda. Occasionally a refusal is due to the lack of specific documentation. The refusal is provisional and the applicant can return with the requested information and documentation without paying an additional fee for reconsideration.

14. I found a mistake in my visa, can it be fixed? Yes. If the error is in printing incorrect data on the visa, it will be replaced with corrected information without an additional fee.

15. I have gotten married and changed my name. Do I need a new visa? The name of the visa conforms to the name on your passport at the time of issuance. If you amend the passport it should still contain the name that appears on the visa. Any request for a change of name will require a new visa with the appropriate fee and cancellation of the old visa. In general, it is not necessary to obtain a new visa until the expiration date.

16. I wish to marry a Rwandan. What is the fastest way for my spouse to join me in the U.S.? If I marry in Rwanda will s/he be able to return with me immediately? There are two possibilities. One is to file a petition for a fiancee which is known as a K1 visa. If your fiancee has children they can be included in the petition. I cannot tell you the length of time it takes INS (Immigration) to approve the petition. Once approved your fiancee will be issued a visa (as long as the interviewing officer deems it bona fide) and can enter the U.S. The marriage must take place within 90 days. After that your spouse must apply to change her status to a permanent legal resident.

The other option is to marry in Rwanda. Your spouse will not be able to enter the U.S. until you file a petition for her and it is approved. Obviously there is a certain amount of documentation required. I cannot tell you how long this process takes. It is certainly not weeks and may be many months, possibly even a year.

The U.S. Embassy in Kigali does not process immigrant visas. Both of these are considered as such and are processed in Nairobi. Your fiancee/spouse will have to be interviewed in Nairobi for either option you choose.

17. Do I need a visa to travel through the U.S? You need a visa to enter the United States which implies that you will have one as you travel through the country. If you are transitting, that is entering only for a brief period to transfer to another flight or to a ship, a transit visa may suffice. However, the same application and fee and personal interview are required.

18. Who needs to have their fingerscans taken? Everyone is required to be finger printed except those under the age of fourteen and certain diplomatic, government and NATO officials.

19. What about my kids? Do they need to come for the interview? Yes, all children, regardless of age must appear in person.