Our consular services cover the whole process—start to finish. We’ll help you schedule your appointment, organize all the required paperwork, walk you through what to expect at your specific U.S. consulate, and support you if any extra security checks come up.

A visa stamp (also called a boarding foil) lets you travel to the U.S., but it doesn’t guarantee entry. You’ll usually need extra documents—like a 797 Approval Notice—along with the visa to be admitted at the border.

Make sure to bring all required documents to your appointment. If you have an interview, be ready to talk about your trip—how long you’ll stay, how you’ll support yourself, and why you’re visiting. The interview process can vary depending on the type of visa you’re applying for.

Yes, most U.S. consulates require you to schedule your visa stamping appointment ahead of time. If you’ve done this before, you might qualify for an interview waiver—meaning you won’t need to go in person, but you’ll still need to submit a document packet to the consulate or a designated drop-off spot outside the U.S. They’ll review everything and usually return your passport with the new visa stamp in about 7–9 business days.

If you do have an interview, be ready to explain why you’re traveling, how long you’ll stay, how you’ll support yourself, and where you’ll be staying.

You can generally request visa stamping at any U.S. consulate, but some are more experienced with certain visa types than others. If it’s your first time, it’s best to go to a consulate in your home country to avoid extra scrutiny.

The documents you’ll need can vary depending on the type of visa, but generally include things like a valid passport, 797 Approval Notice, endorsed I-129S, employment verification letter, recent pay stubs, educational records, and your resume.

It’s best if your family can book their visa stamping appointments on the same day as yours, especially if they’re getting dependent visas. If their appointments are on different days, they should still be able to join you for your appointment.

For example, if your H-1B (primary visa) appointment is on Monday and your family has H-4 (dependent visa) appointments on Thursday, they can usually join you on Monday to process everything together.

Your family should bring their passports and any documents that show their relationship to the main visa holder. For spouses, this is usually a marriage certificate, and for kids, it’s typically a birth certificate.

If your visa is approved, your passport will be held and you’ll be informed when and where to pick it up with the new visa stamp—usually within 7–9 business days.

If your visa is denied, you’ll get your passport back right away and be told why it was denied. It’s up to you to fix those issues before applying again.