Apply for an Expedited Appointment

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Note:

  • You are not eligible to submit an emergency appointment request if you are currently outside of Japan or have not completed the quarantine period set by the Japanese government after entering or returning to Japan from overseas. 
  • All expedited appointment request should be made in English. Japanese translation may be added. (Optional)
  • If you are one of a group of more than 10 applicants who are travelling together for the same purpose and applying in Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka, please do not request an emergency appointment. Please submit a  group appointment request instead. For details of how to request a group appointment, please see here.

Overview

If you have an unforeseen travel need as per one of the criteria listed below, you may qualify for an expedited appointment depending on availability at the Embassy/Consulate. It is important to ensure you meet all the criteria, because applicants are only allowed to create one expedited appointment request.

Qualifications

Before you apply for an expedited appointment, you must ensure that you have documentary evidence to prove the urgency. If it appears during your visa interview that you misrepresented the reasons for urgent travel, such facts will be noted on your case file and may adversely influence the outcome of your visa application. All applicants requesting an expedited appointment are required to first pay visa fees for a regular visa appointment. Applicants who are granted an expedited appointment but subsequently refused a visa at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate will not be allowed to utilize this option to obtain another expedited appointment.

Note: Travel for the purpose of attending weddings and graduation ceremonies, assisting pregnant relatives, participating in an annual business/academic/professional conference, or enjoying last-minute tourism does not qualify for expedited appointments. For such travel, please schedule regular visa appointment well in advance.

Medical Needs

Purpose of travel is to obtain urgent medical care, or to accompany a relative or employer for urgent medical care.

Essential documentation:

  1. A letter from your doctor in Japan describing the medical condition and why you are seeking medical care in the United States.
  2. A letter from the physician or hospital in the United States indicating that they are prepared to treat the case and providing the approximate cost of the treatment.
  3. Evidence of how you will pay for the cost of the treatment.

Funeral/Death

Purpose of travel is to attend the funeral of or make arrangements for repatriating the body of an immediate family member (mother, father, brother, sister, child, grandparent, or grandchild) in the United States.

Essential documentation:

  1. A letter from the funeral director stating the contact information, the details of the deceased and the date of the funeral.
  2. You must also present evidence that the deceased is an immediate relative.

Urgent Business Travel

Purpose of travel is to attend to an urgent business matter where the travel requirement could not be predicted in advance.

Essential documentation:

    1.  A letter of invitation from the corresponding company in the United States attesting to the urgency of the planned visit, describing the nature of the business and that either company will suffer a significant loss of opportunity if an expedited appointment is not available.

        Or

    2.  Evidence of a necessary training program in the United States of three months duration or less, to include letters from both the Japanese employer and the U.S. company providing the training. Both letters should include a detailed explanation of the training and explain why either company will suffer a significant loss of opportunity if an expedited appointment is not available.

        Or

    3.  E visa applicant must submit DS-156E, Part 3

 

Students or exchange visitors  

Purpose of travel is to begin or resume a valid program of study in the United States within 30 days when no regular visa appointments are available. This option is limited only to students and exchange students who are within 30 days of their start date. It is also limited only to applicants who have not been refused a visa within the last six months at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Please note J1  visa applicants who are participating in an intern, trainee, teacher, camp counselor, au pair, or summer work travel program, and their family members are not eligible.

Essential documentation: You must send following documents with your request. Failure to submit these documents will cause significant delay of the process. Attachments must not exceed 2MB.

  1. Original Form I-20 or DS-2019
  2. Evidence that you have paid the SEVIS fee (when applicable).

Special instructions to applicants who will have a visa interview in Sapporo or Fukuoka:

If your travel date to the U.S. is within six weeks and your I-20 (or DS-2019) has not arrived, please schedule your visa interview appointment without the I-20 (or DS-2019).  To complete a DS-160 application form, you may enter "N0000000000" in a required field of your I-20/DS-2019 information.  You may bring or mail us your I-20 (or DS-2019) later before or after your visa interview to complete your visa application.

ESTA Denied  

You may request an expedited visa appointment if you are a citizen of a Visa Waiver Program partner but have received notice that you are no longer eligible to travel to the United States under that program. Such travelers include those who are dual nationals of Iraq, Iran, Sudan or Syria, or those who have travelled to Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Yemen, or Somalia after March 1, 2011.  Your travel must be imminent to qualify for an expedited appointment. Please include in your request the date and purpose of your travel.

Essential documentation:

  1. A copy of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection message you received regarding your ESTA status.

How to Apply

Note:

  • All expedited appointment request should be made in English. Japanese translation may be added. (Optional)
  • If you are one of a group of more than 10 applicants who are travelling together for the same purpose and applying in Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka, please do not request an emergency appointment. Please submit a  group appointment request instead. For details of how to request a group appointment, please see here.

Step 1
Complete the Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application (DS-160) form.

Step 2
Pay the visa application fee.

Step 3

Schedule an appointment online for the earliest available date. Please note that you must schedule an appointment before you can request an expedited date. At the time you schedule your appointment, you will see an onscreen message showing the earliest available appointment date, which includes expedited appointments. Accordingly, you may find that it is not necessary to request an expedited appointment because there are no earlier dates available. If you wish to proceed with requesting an expedited appointment, then send the Expedited Request through the option which will appear on your Dashboard once regular appointment is made. Please be sure to note the type of urgency you believe qualifies you for an expedited appointment. All expedited appointment request should be made in English. Once you have submitted your request, please wait for a response from the Embassy or Consulate, which will come via email.

Step 4

If the Embassy or Consulate approves your request then you will receive an email alerting you to schedule your expedited appointment online. Please understand that the call center cannot schedule your expedited appointment for you, but agents are able to assist you if questions arise. Should the Embassy or Consulate deny your request for an expedited appointment, you will be notified of the denial by email and you should keep your existing appointment.

Note: The email confirming or denying your request will come from no-reply@ustraveldocs.com. Some email applications have rules which filter unknown senders into a spam or junk mail folder. If you have not received your email notification, please look for the message in your junk and spam email folders.

Step 5

Visit the U. S. Embassy or Consulate on the date and time of your visa interview. You will need to bring a printed copy of your appointment letter, your DS-160 confirmation page, one recent photograph, and your current and all old passports. Applications without all of these items will not be accepted. *Please note applicants are not permitted to wear eyeglasses in photos.