Visas for Children

Q: Do children need a visa?
A: All travelers, including children, need a visa to travel to the United States or must qualify to travel without a visa through a special program, such as the Visa Waiver Program.

Q: Do children pay the same application fee as adults?
A: Yes, they do.

Q: Do children need to schedule an interview appointment?
A: Every applicant requires an appointment.

Q: Do all children have to come in person for their appointment?
A: No. Parents can appear at the appointment on the behalf of children under the age of 14. Please note that even if the child is not required to appear for an interview, the child must be physically present in the country where the visa application is submitted, at the time the interview takes place.

Q: I am qualified for the visa renewal Interview Waiver. Do I still need to schedule a regular appointment for my child under 14 years of age?
A: No. Parents who qualify for visa renewal through the Interview Waiver do not need to schedule a regular appointment for their children under 14 years of age (even if the child has never previously been issued a visa). They can simply pay the MRV fee and submit the completed application for each child under 14 at the same time they submit their own application. The parent must include the original birth certificate of each child, which will be returned along with the passport once the visa is issued.

Q: I am not renewing my visa through the Interview Waiver, but I have a visa to the United States.  How can I obtain a visa for my child?

A:  Parents with valid B1/B2 visas can apply for visas for their children via the Interview Waiver.  They do not need to schedule a regular appointment for their children under 14 years of age (even if the child has never previously been issued a visa).  They can simply pay the MRV fee and submit the completed application for each child under 14 at the same time they submit their own application.  The parent must include the original birth certificate for each child, which will be returned along with the passport once the visa is issued.  The parent must also submit his or her own passport with valid U.S. visa.  Please note that if the U.S. visa is not in the parent’s current passport, then both the current passport and the passport with the valid U.S. visa must be submitted