U.S. Embassy in The
Bahamas

[Last Updated October 2, 2020]

The Embassy of the United States in Nassau has begun offering limited appointments for student visa interviews. Interested applicants may begin the application process immediately at https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-bs/niv. Please read the following instructions carefully.

Instructions for Fall 2020 Student Visa Applicants

• Before your interview, you must fully complete your non-immigrant visa application (form DS-160) including information about your last five trips to the United States; any prior visa applications (whether the visa was issued or refused); any occasion on which you were denied entry to the United States; and any arrests for any reason, at any time, in any place.  If your application is inaccurate in any material respect, your visa will be refused.  Please note that visa facilitation services often do not ask all relevant questions in preparing an application, but it is your application, and you are responsible for its contents.
• You must bring the following documents to your interview:
  • Your valid passport with no significant damage (especially to the page with your photo and biographical information) and at least one blank visa page.
  • Your visa appointment confirmation letter (with your picture and barcode),
  • Two visa photos, taken within the last six months, meeting the requirements found at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/photos.html.  These are not the same requirements as for most passports, so please read the requirements carefully and note that you cannot simply use your passport photo as your visa photo,
  • A valid I-20 (for F or M students) or DS-2019 (for J exchange visitors) provided by your U.S. educational institution or program sponsor.  Your I-20 or DS-2019 may be an emailed copy or an original, but in either case it must bear the signature of the designated school official.  You must also sign the form (your parent must sign if you are under age 18),
  • Form I-901 proving that you have paid the required SEVIS enrollment fee ($350 for F or M visa students or $220 for most J exchange visitors) through www.fmjfee.com,
  • Proof of funding for your education.  This may include scholarship letters, proof of sponsorship including proof of the sponsor’s income and employment, proof of your own employment and salary, proof of prepaid tuition or student loans, and/or bank statements showing all transactions for at least the past six months,
  • If you have ever been arrested, police and/or court documents showing the nature of the charge and the final disposition of the case, and
  • Any other documents you believe may be helpful to your application.
• If your education for fall semester is 100% online (that is, no education of any kind will be conducted in person):
  • If you are continuing your studies at the same institution you attended previously, you may apply to renew your visa.
  • If you are a new student (in “initial” status) and your coursework is 100% online, your school is not able to issue you a valid I-20 for that purpose.  You should not apply for a student visa without a valid I-20.
• Embassy entry requirements:
  • Please arrive for your interview no more than 10 minutes before your scheduled appointment.
  • All persons must wear a face mask to enter the Embassy premises.
  • Only applicants and one parent or legal guardian (if the applicant is a minor) will be allowed entry.  Anyone accompanying an applicant must present photo ID to be admitted to the Embassy.
• Additional information is also available at https://bs.usembassy.gov/visas/nonimmigrant-visas