If you are living in Saudi Arabia and plan to visit the United States soon, you will need to apply for a visa at the U.S. embassy in Riyadh or at the consulates in Jeddah or Dhahran. The required documents and types of visas to the U.S. are many and might get confusing. Therefore, here is a comprehensive guide to everything you need to know about applying for a U.S. visa in Saudi Arabia.
Definition and explanation
There are several types of U.S. visas individuals in Saudi Arabia can apply for. The most notable type is the visitor visa, which is divided into three types – the B-1, the B-2, and the B-1/B-2 visitor visa.
Generally, the B-1 visa is for business travelers consulting with business associates, attending scientific, educational, professional or business conventions or conferences, settling an estate, or negotiating contracts.
Meanwhile, the B-2 visa is for travel that is recreational, including tourism, visits with friends or relatives, medical treatment, and activities of a fraternal, social or service nature.
The United States also offers a third visitor visa which is the B-1/B-2 visitor visa for people traveling for both business and tourism purposes.
Types of U.S. visas and their validity period
The United States offers several types of visas for individuals in Saudi Arabia, including the following:
Business/Tourist visa:
The U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia has increased the validity of visitor visas for Saudi citizens from five to 10 years, effective August 1, 2022. Individuals who are 13 years of age or younger or above 80 years old generally do not need an interview. However, applicants who are between the ages of 14 and 79 will need to attend a visa interview with some exceptions for visa renewals.
Work visa:
The purpose of a work visa is for individuals wanting to travel to the U.S. for employment that is for a fixed period of time. There are 11 temporary worker visa categories for different fields of work. Applicants must hold a bachelor’s or higher degree in the specific specialty for which they seek employment. This visa allows the holder to stay in the U.S. for the same length as their employment contract, or up to six years in total.
Student visa:
There are two types of student visas: general student visas (F or M) for academic and vocational studies, and exchange visitor visas (J) for participation in an approved exchange program. If you are planning to travel using a student visa, you will not be allowed to enter the U.S. more than 30 days before the start date of your course of study. Moreover, foreign students in the United States with F visas must depart the United States within 60 days after their program end date. For the exchange visitor visas, visitors are not permitted to enter the U.S. earlier than 30 days before their program start dates. At the end of the exchange program, visitors must return to their home country for two years.
Religious worker visa:
The R visa type is for individuals seeking to enter the United States to work in a religious capacity on a temporary basis. The U.S. grants this visa for an initial period of admission for up to 30 months and subsequent extensions for up to an additional 30 months.
Domestic employee visa:
Personal or domestic servants who are accompanying or following an employer to the U.S. may be eligible for the B-1 visas. This category includes cooks, butlers, chauffeurs, housemaids and nannies, among others.
Journalist and media visa:
The media (I) visa is a nonimmigrant visa for representatives of the foreign media temporarily traveling to the U.S. to engage in their profession while having their home office in a foreign country. This visa’s validity depends on the duration of the work contract. Therefore, if your work contract states that you will need to be in the U.S. as a journalist for six months, then your visa will be valid for only six months.
Visa application process in Saudi Arabia
To apply for any U.S. visa from Saudi Arabia, you do not need to be a citizen or resident. You may apply for a visa in any country where you are present. You also need to keep in mind if you need a visa to the U.S. or not. To check if you do not require a visa to enter the country you need to check if your country is in the Visa Waiver Program.
Required documents
If you apply for a business/tourist visa, you will need to submit the following documents:
- Nonimmigrant visa electronic application (DS-160) form.
- Passport valid for travel to the U.S. with a validity date of at least six months beyond your period of stay in the U.S.
- One 5cmx5cm photo that you took in the last six months.
- Receipt showing payment of your non-refundable nonimmigrant visa application processing fee paid in the local currency.
Steps to apply
There are several steps you need to take to apply for any type of visa to the U.S. from Saudi Arabia:
Step 1: DS-160 application
Fill out the DS-160 application. The DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application form, is for temporary travel to the U.S. You can access the online DS-160 application using the Consular Electronic Application Center website.
Step 2: Update your profile
Log in to the online applicant system to create a profile. Make sure that all your personal and contact information on your profile is correct, otherwise you may face delays in your visa application process.
Step 3: Make your payment
Now, you can pay the visa application (MRV) fee using the payment options available in your country of application.
Step 4: Schedule an appointment
After you enter your MRV fee payment receipt on your profile you will have access to the appointment calendar. Select a convenient appointment date and time.
Step 5: Attend the interview
Attend your interview. Take with your appointment confirmation letter the DS-160 confirmation page, MRV fee receipt, current and previous passports, photo, and a letter explaining your travel purpose and itinerary. Depending on the visa category, you may require additional documentation and a reciprocity fee.
Step 6: Retrieve your passport
If your visa is ready, the U.S. embassy will return your documents and your passport to you at your document delivery address in your profile. You will also receive an email and SMS once your documents are ready for pickup at the courier location you selected.
Visa validity extension and renewal in Saudi Arabia
Visa extension
If you want to extend your stay in the U.S., you need to file Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status request with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) before your stay expires. Check the date in the lower right-hand corner of your Form I-94, Arrival-Departure Record to check the date your stay expires. The USCIS recommends that you apply to extend your stay at least 45 days before your stay expires.
Visa renewal
If you want to renew your visa, make sure you meet the criteria to become eligible for visa renewal by mail. To renew your visa by mail you need to be residing in Saudi Arabia. You must have never been arrested or convicted of a crime, deported from the U.S., or denied entry to the U.S. You must also answer all the sections of the DS-160 online application completely and accurately. Visa renewal by mail can take up to two weeks and during that time your passport will be with the embassy or consulate.
For visa renewal you will need the following documents:
- A copy of the Interview Waiver Confirmation Letter.
- The DS-160 application confirmation page.
- One colored photograph (51mm x 51mm) taken within the last six months against a white background.
- Current passport and passport with the most recent U.S. visa.
- Copy of your visa application fee receipt.
- Non-Saudi applicants will also need a printout or screenshot of their iqama from absher.sa.
Steps for U.S. visa renewal
Step 1: Fill out your DS-160 application
Step 2: Update your profile with all the correct personal and contact information. In this step, you will also need to answer the interview waiver questions which will evaluate your eligibility to apply for a visa without an interview. You will also need to select the courier location where you will drop off and pick up your documents.
Step 3: Make your payment. You will need to pay the visa application (MRV) fee using the payment options available in your country of application.
Step 4: Print the interview waiver confirmation letter. After you make the payment, you will have access to the Interview Waiver Confirmation Letter if you qualify to renew your visa. Otherwise, you will have to book an interview on the interview appointment calendar. You can now prepare all the document requirements on the interview waiver confirmation letter, including your DS-160 confirmation page, MRV fee receipt, current and previous passports, photo, and a letter explaining your travel purpose and itinerary.
Step 5: Go to one of the courier locations the embassy specifies with your documents. The courier will then deliver your documents to the U.S. embassy.
Step 7: Retrieve your passport. The U.S. embassy will return your documents and your passport to you at the chosen document delivery address in your profile. You will receive an email and SMS once your documents are ready for pickup at the courier location you selected.
How to check visa status online
To check the progress of your U.S. visa application, visit the Consular Electronic Application Center. Select your visa application type then add your location and application ID or case number. Fill in the passport number section and write the first five letters of your surname and submit.
Read: How to check UAE visa status, validity with passport number
FAQs
How can I check my visa validity in Saudi Arabia?
The visa expiration date is shown on the visa itself along with the visa issuance date. The time between visa issuance and expiration date is called your visa validity.
Can I extend my visa validity online?
If you want to extend your stay in the U.S., you need to file Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status request with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) before your stay expires.
What are the penalties for overstaying my visa?
Overstaying a U.S. visa, even if by just a day, triggers an automatic void of that visa. This means the person cannot use the same visa to re-enter the U.S. in the future. If you overstay your U.S. visa for more than 180 days but less than a year, you will face a ban from returning to the U.S. for three years. If you overstay by more than a year, that ban extends to 10 years.
Different visas come with different sets of rules and it’s important to understand them fully. For instance, the consequences of overstaying a work visa might differ from those of a tourist visa. However, the consequences are still significant.
Who should I contact for help with visa issues?
For any emergencies or inquiries about your U.S. visa, you can reach the embassy and consulates general at +966 (11) 835-4000 in Riyadh, +966 (12) 220-5000 in Jeddah, and +966 (13) 839-5700 in Dhahran.
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