Holders of this visa type are foreign government diplomats, international organizations officials and employees, their immediate family members and their domestic workers.
Diplomats
Diplomats and other foreign government officials traveling to the United States to engage solely in official duties or activities on behalf of their national government must obtain an A visa prior to entering the United States.
IMPORTANT: Local government officials traveling on behalf of their state or province do not qualify for A visas.
International Organizations
Government officials and employees who will work for international organizations in the United States must obtain a G visa.
Further information may be found in the link below:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/other-visa-categories/visas-diplomats.html
How to apply
The applicant must:
- Complete the online Form DS-160
- Submit to BNS-officialvisas@state.gov the following information, in order to schedule an appointment for the visa interview, in which the required documentation must be delivered:
- Full name of the principal applicant (Position and Title)
- Full name of dependants (if any)
- Date and purpose of travel (these must be the same as the ones included in the Diplomatic Note).
- Type of visa requested
- Upon receipt of the e-mail, an appointment will be scheduled, and the applicant will receive a response with the time and date in which he or she must attend said interview.
- During the interview the applicant must deliver:
- DS-160 Form confirmation page: https://ceac.state.gov/GenNIV
- Valid passport (and in good conditions)
- Photo (size: 5cm. and 5cm., taken recently in a white background, without eyeglasses)
- Diplomatic Note issued by Foreign Affairs Department, Embassy or international organization. This note must include: full name, date of birth, and passport number; Position/title/office; Purpose, date, place, and length of travel and a brief description of the applicant’s duties and personal information of the dependants, if any.
- Fee payment receipt, if the official is applying for a B1/B2 visa. (Diplomats in exercise of their duties, applying with Diplomatic passports may be exempt from the visa fee).
- Employment contract (drafted in English and Spanish), should the applicant be a domestic worker.
- Additional information
Holders of diplomatic passports are exempt from any visa fees. Holders of official passports are exempt only from official visa fees. However, should the applicant need a non-official visa, application and reciprocity fees must be paid, if applicable.
Type of passport | Type of visa | Fee |
Diplomatic | A or G | No fee |
B1/B2 | No fee | |
Official | A or G | No fee |
B1/B2 | Fee* | |
Regular | A or G | No fee |
B1/B2 | Fee* | |
*Depending upon nationality, there may be an additional reciprocity fee. |