How do I pay for my visa application?

Start your visa process and then come back to VFS Global with your reference number to take advantage of the services on offer.

Apply nowALERT: Until April 20, 2022 visa applicants are responsible for payment of mail-in and return of visa related documents by courier service. This cost is not included in the visa fee. The Department of State assumes no legal responsibility for passport delivery in cases of delay or lost or stolen passports. After April 20, 2022 applicants will no longer be responsible for courier service costs.The U.S. Consulates General in Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town have non-immigrant visa appointments available.  Please continue to monitor the online appointment schedule, https://ais.usvisa-info.com/ , for appointments as they become available.

New appointments are sporadically opened, but may get taken quickly.  Approximate wait times for appointments can be found by visiting https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/wait-times.html .  Third country nationals are eligible to apply for a U.S. visa if they are present in South Africa.

 The U.S. visa application process in South Africa is two-fold:  

1. Complete visa application form (DS-160) at https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/ .
2. Pay and schedule your U.S. visa appointment at https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-za/niv .

You won’t be able to pay until an appointment is available.  If available appointments do not suit your schedule, please consider submitting your U.S. visa application through the interview waiver program.  Third country nationals are not eligible.  You may be able to submit your U.S. visa application without needing to appear for an interview based on age (under age 14 or over age 80) or if you are renewing a visa of the same classification.  To qualify for the latter, your U.S. visa must have been issued in South Africa to a South African passport and expired no more than 48 months ago; you must have provided 10 fingerprints at your last interview; you must have been previously issued a full-validity U.S. visa; your visa has not been lost, stolen or revoked; your visa was not annotated with “Clearance Received,” and have the same SEVIS number (for student visas).  Please note that L-1 applicants are not eligible for interview waiver if they are renewing their applications with a Blanket L approval.  Eligibility is determined based on the answers provided to questions during the appointment scheduling process on https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-za/niv .  However, consular officers reserve the right to request an interview for any visa applicant.  Applicants who qualify for mail-in visa renewals or interview waiver applications should note that processing takes about two weeks (about 7-10 working days, not including weekends and holidays) from the time the applicant drops off the application materials with DHL to the time we return the passport and printed visa to DHL for delivery to the applicant.

All expedited appointment requests must be made online at https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-za/niv .  Applicants needing expedited appointments must first booking the next available appointment at any of the consulates general on the website and then request an expedited appointment at the consulate general of their choice through the website.