Visa Services
Welcome to the Consular Section
Millions of foreign visitors travel to the U.S. each year. Others come to live here permanently. International visitors and immigrants add greatly to our nation's cultural, education and economic life. We welcome them. At the same time, we need to do everything we can to keep everyone here, safe. We believe in secure borders and open doors.
What is a visa?
A visa is issued by a U.S. Embassy or Consulate. A visa entitles the holder to travel to the United States and apply for admission; it does not guarantee entry. An immigration inspector at the port of entry determines the visa holder's eligibility for admission into the United States.
What type of visa do I need?
Nonimmigrant visas
You should apply for a nonimmigrant visa if you are a resident of Bahrain and would like to go to the United States for a temporary visit. Travelers going to the US for tourism, business, official government purposes, education, exchange programs, and temporary work should apply for a nonimmigrant visa. The Consular Officer at your embassy or consulate will decide what kind of visa you need at the time of your interview.
Immigrant Visas
Individuals who wish to live or reside permanently in the United States should apply for an immigrant visa. In general, to be eligible to apply for an immigrant visa, a foreign citizen must be sponsored by a U.S. citizen relative(s) or by a prospective employer. Additionally, the Diversity Visa Program provides a certain number of permanent resident visas annually. These visas are drawn from countries with low rates of immigration to the U.S.
It's Important to Apply Early
Interest in travel to the United States continues to grow and generally peaks during the summer. We look forward to welcoming qualified visitors to our country for tourism, business, education, cultural exchange and other purposes. As you plan for your trips to the United States, we encourage you to plan ahead to allow us enough time to process your visa before your trip. We recommend that travelers begin the visa application process by scheduling your appointment as early as possible. This will ensure that we have plenty of time to conduct your interview, review your application, and determine whether we can issue a visa. Thank you for your cooperation, and for your interest in visiting our country.
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