Although the COVID-19 pandemic is not over, the travel restrictions imposed in the United States have been relaxed. In this way, the paperwork at embassies and consulates has been restored for people who want to travel to that country temporarily, either for “tourism, business, work, study or medical treatment,” according to the Department of State.
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Since the end of December, the United States embassy in Mexico re-enabled the procedures for the issuance of visas of any kind, which had been suspended due to travel restrictions and confinement. For this reason, we review the types of visas available, their prices, how to request it, and who can obtain it without going through the interview at the consulate.
visa types
If it is the first time that you travel to the United States, you should know that the processing of the visa is essential to be able to enter the country. A poorly done procedure can result in the denial of the permit. Likewise, there are several types of visa, and these depend on the reason for your trip:
- B-1: Business visitor
- B-2: tourist visitor
- E-1: Merchants
- E-2: Investors
- F-1: Academic student (with permission to work in the United States)
- J-1: Exchange student (with permission to work)
- M-1: Vocational student (without permission to work in the United States)
- H-2: Temporary work in the United States
- K-1: For those who will get married
Each of these visas has a different cost, and all people who apply for one must pay the assigned price, including children. It is also worth mentioning that a refund cannot be requested if the visa is denied.
“All visa applicants, including children, must pay a non-immigrant visa (MRV) application fee, which is non-refundable and non-transferable,” says the website of the Department of State.
Prices of the different types of visa
- B-1/B-2, for children under 15 years of age: $15 dollars (300 Mexican pesos approx.)
- B-1/B-2/F-1/J-1/M-1, for those over 15 years of age: $160 dollars (3,200 Mexican pesos approx.)
- E-1/E-2, for traders and investors: $205 dollars (4,100 Mexican pesos approx.)
- H-2, for temporary workers: $190 dollars (3,800 Mexican pesos approx.)
- K-1, for fiancés in marriage: $265 dollars (5,300 Mexican pesos approx.)
It must be considered that, depending on the visa they request, students must pay a cost additional which corresponds to the SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Program).
How do I apply for a visa to enter the US?
To apply for a visa, you must first fill out the Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application form (DS-160) from the official website of the US consulate and fill in the fields with your personal information.
Then, you must schedule an appointment with the Visa Applicant Service Center (CAS), make the application payment and go to your interview at the consulate. You should keep in mind that the authorities have warned that there is a long waiting time to process a non-immigrant visa.
Who is exempt from an interview at the consulate?
People whose visa expired less than 48 months ago
According to the website of the United States embassy and consulate in Mexico, “applicants who are applying for the renewal of a nonimmigrant visa within the same category, and whose visa expired in the last 48 months, may be eligible for interview waiver.
This renewal without interview is available for visas: FM2, FM3, BC, BBCCV, B1/B2, C1/D, F, I, J, M, O, P, R, and TN. It is also important to mention that the consular staff will consider the information previously placed on the form (DS-160) and will decide whether to definitively exempt the applicant from the interview.
Applicants under 6 years old
Children under 6 years of age are exempt from an interview when their parents are Mexican and at least one of them has a current and valid visa.
Applicants over 80 years of age
Typically adults over the age of 80 qualify for the visa waiver. So, to do so, they must live in Mexico, never have been arrested or convicted of a crime, much less have been deported from the United States or have a history of problems with Customs and Border Protection trying to enter the country.
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