U.S. Embassy Requires Use of Electronic Visa Application Form

The United States Embassy in Kampala, Uganda announces that beginning Monday, October 16, 2006, all applicants for visitor and other nonimmigrant visas must use the Electronic Visa Application Form (EVAF). 

The form (DS-156), which can be accessed at the internet site http://evisaforms.state.gov/, must be completed on-line.  Use of the EVAF will speed up the processing of visa applications and better ensure that the information submitted by each visa applicant is correct.

When completed, the entire form, including the bar code sheet, must be printed and brought with the applicant to the visa interview at the U.S. Embassy (Plot 1577 Ggaba Road, Kampala).  The bar code, which contains all of the applicant’s biographic information, substantially reduces the amount of information that previously had to entered into a database manually.  Applicants should ensure that the EVAF is printed on quality white paper so that the bar code is legible, and so that there are no ink smudges.

Beginning October 16, 2006, applicants who appear without a properly completed EVAF will be asked to return for their visa interview on another day with a correctly completed EVAF. It is important that all questions on the visa application forms be answered and all fields on the form be completed.  Applicants may write N/A if a specific question is not applicable.

In addition to the EVAF, the Embassy continues to require that all male applicants between the ages of 16 and 45, regardless of nationality, must also complete and submit the Supplemental Nonimmigrant Visa Application Form (DS-157).  In addition, all student visa applicants are still  required to complete and submit the Contact Information and Work History Form (DS-158).  It is not required that the DS-157 or DS-158 forms be completed on-line, but applicants are strongly encouraged to do so.  These two forms and other types of visa forms can be found on the internet site http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/forms/forms_1342.html. 

Applicants who do not have internet access at home, or who do not have computers with software compatible for EVAF completion, may wish to seek the services of public internet cafes readily available in Kampala and other cities throughout Uganda.   

All visa applicants are encouraged to apply for visas at least several weeks in advance of their anticipated dates of travel.  The U.S. Embassy accepts nonimmigrant visa applications Monday through Thursday (except on most Ugandan and American holidays).  Applicants must be present at the Embassy before 7:30 AM.

In addition to the required completed forms, applicants should also bring a passport, valid for at least six months beyond the date of travel, two photos 2 X 2 inches square on a white background, and the visa application fee of $100 (or equivalent in Ugandan Shillings). 

For additional information on the U.S. visa process, forms required, and eligibility criteria, prospective applicants should review the information contained on the U.S. State Department internet site www.travel.state.gov or the U.S. Embassy Kampala internet site http://kampala.usembassy.gov/.