Non-Immigrant Visas

Information about Visas for Medical Treatment

The United States has some of the best medical care in the world, and we encourage qualified applicants to travel to the United States for medical treatment.  This flyer addresses the most common questions about visas for medical treatment in the United States.  If you still have questions after reading this flyer, please feel free to e-mail us at ConsularDakar@state.gov.

Is there a special medical visa? United States immigration law does not set aside a specific type of visa for medical treatment.  Eligible applicants will receive a B1/B2-class visa.  Visas can only be issued at a United States Embassy, and only a consular officer of the United States may determine visa eligibility. 

How do I schedule an appointment? To schedule a visa interview at the United States Embassy in Dakar, Senegal, applicants call the United States Visa Information Service (USVIS) at (+221) 869-63-00.  This is a user-pays service and the charge is 7,800 CFA for 9 minutes.  Unused minutes can be reused at a later time.  Pre-paid PIN cards are available at venders throughout Senegal.  For a complete list of vendors, please visit the United States Embassy website at: http://usembassy.state.gov/dakar.   Telephone charges for domestic or international long-distance calls, including cell phone charges, are solely the responsibility of the caller.  USVIS also offers information about the visa application process.  When scheduling an appointment, applicants must provide biographic information from their passport.  Applicants who do not appear for their interview will need to reschedule the interview.

What documents do I need? Each applicant must complete his or her visa application forms before the interview.  Applicants who appear for their interview without the required documents will not be permitted to enter the consular section and will need to reschedule their appointment.  Visa application forms are available at http://travel.state.gov/visa/tempvisitors_types_visitor2.html.  We strongly encourage applicants to use the Electronic Visa Application Form (EVAF) version of the application form online and to print out the completed form and a barcode that appears on the third page.  EVAF helps to ensure information is recorded accurately and helps the Embassy process cases more quickly.

Required documents for all non-immigrant visa applicants:

• A completed DS-156 or EVAF DS-156 application form.
  
• A completed DS-157 form (only for male applicants aged 16 to 45 years).
  
• A current passport valid for six months after the appointment date.
  
• One 5cm x 5cm photograph with a white background.  If your photo does not meet certain requirements, it may take longer to process your application.  For more information, see http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/info/info_1287.html.
  
• Receipt for payment of the $100 processing fee at ECOBANK.

What else is required for applicants seeking medical treatment? Foreign visitors are permitted to enter the United States for medical treatment if they can demonstrate their ability to pay for the full course of treatment.  Medical treatment includes giving birth.  They are not permitted to enter the United States for medical treatment if they intend to use public funds or are unable to pay for their treatment.  Visa applicants who intend to obtain medical treatments in the United States must state this on their visa application; failure to do so could be result in being permanently ineligible for a United States visa.  Applicants must demonstrate their treatment plans and financial ability to pay for this treatment during an interview with a consular officer.  They must also demonstrate their intent to return home rather than stay permanently in the United States. 

Applicants who have had medical treatment in the United States in the past, may be asked to demonstrate that they paid for their medical treatment when they apply for a later visa.  If they did not, the consular officer can refuse the visa if they believe the applicant is not credible or intends to obtain medical treatment without proper payment.

How long does it take to get an appointment? Appointments for visitor visas are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.  The backlog varies during the year according to seasonal demands, and you may check current wait times at http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wait/tempvisitors_wait.php.  We recommend that applicants apply as far in advance as possible.

Where do I pay the fee? Prior to the interview, applicants must pay a $100 processing fee at ECOBANK.  The applicant does not need to pay the fee in person, and the receipt is valid for one year.  There is no refund of the fee even if the visa is denied.

What if I have a medical emergency? Applicants requiring urgent medical treatment are not required to schedule an interview through the USVIS.  Instead, applicants should request an emergency appointment from the consular receptionist posted at the entrance to the United States Embassy.  A consular officer will review the applications and supporting documents to determine whether there is a medical emergency that warrants a visa interview on the same day.  Applicants must present an original letter from a treating physician in Senegal explaining the nature of the illness and why urgent treatment in the United States is required.  Applicants should also present a letter from the hospital in the United States explaining under what circumstances and at what cost the hospital will provide the required treatment and hospitalization. 

Will I be issued a visa? According to United States immigration law, applicants for tourist and business visas must prove that they are eligible for a visa.  They must show they will return to Senegal at the end of their trip and that they will not engage in prohibited activities during their trip.  Applicants should be prepared to discuss their reasons for travel, previous international trips, and their social, economic, professional and financial ties to Senegal.  Submitting all required documents does not automatically make an applicant eligible for a non-immigrant visa.  Rather, eligibility is established by the applicant and his or her demonstration of ties outside the United States.  Consular officers can consider visa eligibility only during the visa interview.  Therefore, applicants should bring with them to the interview any additional information which may help to establish eligibility, such as medical statements, employment letters, financial information, previous passports, etc.  Any documents sent directly to the Embassy will be destroyed. 

What activities are permitted on a visitor’s visa? Eligible applicants will receive a B1/B2-class visa, which allows temporary visits to the United States.  In addition to medical treatment, authorized activities include tourism, family visits, personal shopping, buying merchandise, taking orders for shipment, and business meetings with potential partners and clients.

What activities are not allowed on a visitor’s visa? According to American law, temporary visitors may not engage in certain activities, including working (whether formally or informally), producing artwork, selling items, and performing.  Violation of visitor status or failure to pay for medical treatment may result in ineligibility for future visas.

What will happen on the day of the interview? Applicants appear at the Embassy early in the morning for security screening.  After the security procedures, applicants submit their applications for prescreening.  At prescreening, Embassy staff will confirm the application is complete and prepare the file for the interview.  After prescreening, applicants will be called for the interview with the consular officer.  The typical interview lasts between three and five minutes.  Individual experience in obtaining a visa can therefore range from relatively short interviews for simple cases to longer interviews for more complex cases. 

What happens after the interview? Qualified applicants will be issued visas.  In most cases, visas will be ready the next day at 3 p.m.  In some cases, administrative processing may be required.  This processing may take several weeks; so we encourage applicants to plan their travel and apply for a visa well in advance.  Applicants who are not eligible will be given a letter explaining the reasons for the refusal.

How long will my visitor’s visa be valid? In most cases, eligible Senegalese applicants are issued multiple entry visas valid for ten years.  A visa only allows a person to travel to a United States port of entry (airport, seaport or land border crossing), where an immigration officer will decide whether to admit the traveler.  If admitted, the immigration officer will also authorize the length of stay in the United States.  Therefore, a 10-year multiple entry visa does not allow a 10-year stay in the United States.

May I wear a scarf in my visa photograph? If you normally wear a headcovering for religious or cultural reasons, you do not need to remove it for a visa photograph, provided the photograph meets all other photo requirements and clearly identifies you.

Where can I learn more? For additional information about travel to the United States, please visit the website of the Citizenship and Immigration Services at http://www.uscis.gov.  For additional information about the visa application process, please visit the website of the Department of State at http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html.  If you have further questions, you may e-mail us at ConsularDakar@state.gov.

Do you have any advice for applicants? Some applicants may not be eligible for a visa now, but they can become eligible if their situation changes.  However, an applicant who presents false information or conceals information during a visa interview can be found permanently ineligible.  Applicants who have received medical treatment or given birth in the United States in the past, may be asked to demonstrate that they paid for their medical treatment when they apply for a second visa.  If they did not, the consular officer can refuse the visa if they believe the applicant will misuse United States public funds again.  If an applicant who intends to give birth or obtain medical treatment in the United States does not state this purpose on the application or during the interview, the applicant risks being found ineligible for life.  Therefore, applicants should always be honest and provide accurate information during the interview.