An official website of the United States government

Worldwide Caution: The Department of State advises Americans worldwide to exercise increased caution.

Visa Notice
U.S. Visa Services
Visit the United States

NOTICE

Effective January 21, 2026, the Department of State paused all immigrant visa issuances to nationals of countries, including Libya, whose immigrants have a high rate of collecting public assistance at the expense of the U.S. taxpayer. Immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of impacted countries may submit visa applications and attend interviews, and the Department of State will continue to schedule consular appointments for visa interviews. Read more about the immigrant visa processing updates for nationalities at high risk of public benefits reliance.

Applicants for U.S. nonimmigrant visas should schedule their visa interview appointments at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their country of residence or nationality.  Visa application fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. For more information, visit travel.state.gov.

All individuals applying for an A-3, C-3 (if a domestic worker), G-5, H1-B, H-3, H-4 dependent of H-1B and H-3, F, M, J, K-1, K-2, K-3, Q, R-1, R-2, S, T, or U nonimmigrant visa are instructed to adjust the privacy setting on all social media accounts to “public” or “open” to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States under U.S. law. More information is available at travel.state.gov.

Pursuant to Presidential Proclamation 10998 on Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States, which takes effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on January 1, 2026, the United States is suspending or limiting entry and visa issuance to nationals of 39 countries as well as individuals applying using travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority.  Applicants who are subject to Presidential Proclamation 10998 may still submit visa applications and attend scheduled interviews, but they may be ineligible for visa issuance or admission to the United States. For additional details, visit travel.state.gov.

Effective immediately, the Department of State has paused all visa issuances to diversity immigrant visa applicants. For additional details, visit travel.state.gov here.

Visa Notice

Starting May 1, the barcode on your appointment confirmation must match the barcode on your DS-160 application confirmation. This requirement helps prevent appointment fraud and reduces the risk of cancellation.

For assistance, please email support-Tunisia@usvisascheduling.com or call +216 31 37 81 45.

Immigrant Visas

Immigrant Visa applicants who are physically present in Libya and who have an approved immigrant visa petition may elect to have the petition forwarded to the U.S. Embassy in Tunis, Tunisia for visa processing.  Once the petition is received, Embassy Tunis will contact the applicant or petitioner to schedule the immigrant visa interview.

Nonimmigrant Visas

Libyan citizens living outside of Libya may apply for nonimmigrant visas in their country of residence or at any U.S. embassy or consulate.  In general, applicants residing in Libya may travel to and apply at any U.S. embassy or consulate that processes nonimmigrant visas.  However, if you do not speak English or a language commonly spoken in the country where you plan to apply, you should be aware that the interviewing officers’ lack of familiarity with local conditions in your country may make it more difficult to demonstrate your qualifications for a visa.

Applicants should always check the website of the embassy or consulate at which they plan to apply for restrictions on third-country applicants, visa entry requirements, U.S. and local holidays, and other post-specific policies.  Visa applicants are required to pay the visa application fee and book an appointment in advance, according to the U.S. embassy or consulate website where the applicant plans to appear for the visa application.  Please see www.ustraveldocs.com for more information.

You can check the status of your visa application on ceac.state.gov.

 

What is a Visa?

A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler’s passport.

Certain international travelers may be eligible to travel to the United States without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program, which is administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).  The Visa section of this website is about U.S. visas for foreign citizens and nationals to travel to the United States. Visit Travel.State.gov for additional information.

Note: U.S. citizens do not need a U.S. visa for travel to the United States. When planning travel abroad a U.S. citizen may need a visa issued by the embassy or consulate of the country they wish to visit.

What Type of Visa Do You Need?

For short-term visits to the United States (for tourism, business, education, and more), you can go directly to the online application (form DS-160). For immigrant visas,  which are issued to foreign nationals who intend to live and work permanently in the United States, you can visit the U.S. citizenship and Immigration Services site for the relevant forms.  If you are unsure what type of visa you need, please use the Visa Wizard below.

Utah
Telluride
Colorado Sand Dunes