Non-Immigrant Visas
Emergencies/Urgent Business Travel
The Consular Section will provide expedited attention to visa applicants who need to travel to the United States because of a death in the immediate family, a medical emergency, or because of urgent business travel needs, such as business meetings or training scheduled on short notice that cannot be postponed. In each case, it is recommended that the applicant first try to schedule an appointment online at https://evisaforms.state.gov/default.asp?postcode=BGN&appcode=3. If no appointment is available prior to the date the applicant must travel, call the NIV appointment hotline at (246) 227-4226 (Monday-Friday 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.), send a fax to (246) 431-0179, or send an e-mail to consularbridge2@state.gov to request an emergency appointment.
On the day of the appointment, the applicant must be able to present proof of a genuine emergency. In the case of a death in the family, acceptable proof would include a death certificate or letter from a funeral director, plus proof of relationship to the deceased (birth or marriage certificate).
For medical emergencies, the applicant must present a letter from the treating physician confirming a medical condition that must be treated in the U.S., plus a letter from the doctor or hospital in the United States that will provide the treatment, including the projected cost of the treatment and how much time the treatment will require. For urgent business travel, a letter from the applicant’s employer and/or the company organizing the event in the United States is required. The applicant will not be interviewed unless proof of a genuine emergency is presented. Please note that even in case of an emergency, the Consular Section cannot guarantee that the visa will be ready the same day of the interview.
Group Travel
If you plan to submit applications for group travel (to include sports teams, church and school groups, hotel workers), please call the NIV appointment hotline at (246) 227-4226 (Monday-Friday 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.), send a fax to (246) 431-0179, or send an e-mail to consularbridge2@state.gov.