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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
DOES A VISA GUARANTEE THAT I CAN ENTER THE UNITED STATES?No. A valid visa permits you to apply for admission to the United States when you arrive at the airport (or other port of entry) in the United States. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) makes the final decision as to whether you may be admitted to the United States. MY VISA IS VALID FOR 10 YEARS. DOES THAT MEAN I CAN STAY IN THE UNITED STATES FOR 10 YEARS?No. DHS will decide at the airport on how long you may stay in the United States during any one visit. The visa's validity period represents the time period during which you may apply for admission to the Untied States as a visitor for business or pleasure. I AM A STUDENT AND NEED A VISA URGENTLY.If you have to travel urgently and are unable to obtain an appointment, please advise the Visa Hotline (Tel.: 0900-510300) that you are a student visa applicant. I UNDERSTAND THAT AS OF APRIL 1, 2008, THE VISA APPLICATION FEE IS 89.08 EURO. IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT I MAY NEED TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL FEE IF THE VISA IS ISSUED?Yes. The United States charges visa issuance fees to citizens of certain countries in addition to the application fee. This fee, if applicable, must be paid before a visa can be issued. The fee must be paid in cash (US$ or Euro) at the Consular Section. The reason for this is that those countries charge U.S. citizens additional fees. To determine whether your nationality is subject to an issuance fee, please check the chart at http://travel.state.gov/visa/reciprocity/index.htm. I APPLIED FOR A VISA BUT MY APPLICATION WAS REFUSED. CAN I GET MY MONEY BACK?The application fee is for processing and security checks and therefore not refundable. I JUST RETURNED FROM THE UNITED STATES AND DISCOVERED THAT I DID NOT TURN IN MY I-94 DEPARTURED RECORD (USUALLY A GREEN FORM STAPLED INSIDE THE PASSPORT) BEFORE DEPARTURE. WHAT SHOULD I DO?If you are not traveling to the United States soon, mail the card to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090 Vienna. If you plan to return to the United States in a few days, take the form with you and give it to the DHS inspector at the port of entry. Regardless, be sure to complete the four questions on the back of the form. If you lost the I-94 Departure Record, you may be asked to complete a new form to replace the lost document the next time you attempt to enter the United States. MY PASSORT IS NOT VALID FOR SIX MONTHS, CAN I TRAVEL?The requirement that a passport be valid for longer than six months of the holder's departure from the United States is waived in the case of an Austrian passport holder. Therefore, your passport needs only be valid for the period of time you will remain in the United States. If you are traveling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program and your passport is not valid for 90 days, you will be admitted into the United States until the date on which your passport expires.
When will my visa be ready?Processing of applications normally takes 2 days from the date they are received. However, during the busy Christmas and summer seasons normal processing time may be as long as four days. Longer processing time may also be required in the following situations: (1) in cases where the applicant has failed to submit all the required elements of an application; (2) in cases where the Embassy requires additional information from the applicant; and (3) in cases where the Embassy has to conduct additional security checks. We recommend prospective travelers send in their applications well in advance. Applicants should refrain from calling the Embassy merely to inquire about the status of their application until the full processing time has expired. We also strongly recommend that applicants not purchase airplane tickets or make nonrefundable travel arrangements until they have actually received their visa; visa applicants should never assume their application will be automatically approved. Can I enter the United States on my student (F-1) or (M-1) visa, or exchange visitor (J-1) visa before school/ the exchange program begins?U.S. Department of Homeland Security regulations state that holders of F, M and J Nonimmigrant visas will not be admitted to the United States until a date 30 days or less prior to the beginning of your program date, or start date, as given on your form I-20 (for F or M visas) or DS-2019 (for J visas). Please consider that date carefully when making your travel plans to the United States. Can I take a holiday after I have completed my studies/exchange program?If you have an F-1 visa you may remain in the United States for up to 60 days at the end of your studies; if you have an M-1 visa you may remain for up to 30 days, or in total one year from your date of admission, whichever is shorter. Holders of J-1 visas may remain for up to 30 days. If you wish to remain longer, you will be required to apply for an adjustment of status from F-1/M-1/J-1 to B-2 with the Department of Homeland Security having jurisdiction over your place of residence. I have not yet received my I-20 or DS-2019 form, but my classes begin in just a few days. It doesn't look like I will receive the I-20/DS-2019 form prior to my scheduled departure from Austria. What should I do?Please note that students may no longer begin studies at a U.S. school while awaiting adjudication of a change of status application. Students who have not yet received their I-20 or DS-2019 form simply have to wait until they
have received all their documents from their school, along with a letter from the school stating that the student may start classes late, then apply for a regular F-1, M-1, or J-1 visa. Once you apply, we will make every effort to get you the visa in time for you to make your scheduled start of classes. I have been studying in the U.S. and will shortly be going to the U.S. to start or resume my one-year of post-school Optional Practical Training. I have received an Employment Authorization Card from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Do I still need a student visa to do my Optional Practical Training?Yes. If your original student visa has expired you will need a new student visa to enter the U.S. to begin or resume your Optional Practical Training, even if the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has already issued you an Employment Authorization Card. I have a visa; do I also need a return ticket?If you hold a visa of any classification, including a B-1/B-2 visa, you are not required to hold a return ticket; you may enter the United States on a one-way ticket. All travelers should carry with them for presentation to U.S. officials, if required, evidence of funds sufficient for their visit and, with the exception of H and L visa holders, evidence that they have a residence abroad to which they intend returning at the end of their stay. Examples of such evidence include: traveler's checks; return tickets; copy of latest bank statement; letter from parents saying they will support you; evidence of current employment; evidence of enrollment at an academic institution. Do I need any vaccinations?Vaccinations are no longer required for temporary travel to the United States. However, if you are intending to study or work, you should contact the school or prospective employer as they may have specific requirements. What do I do about health insurance?Visitors and temporary residents are required to pay their own medical costs. As a result it is advisable to take out health insurance. Temporary visitors to the United States can obtain accident and sickness insurance before departing Austria. Most local insurance brokers as well as many travel agents can arrange such coverage with insurance firms in Austria. Those planning on remaining in the United States for any length of time or permanently may obtain health insurance after arrival there. Sometimes it is available through an employer, as many companies arrange group insurance for their employees. I have a holiday home in the United States; how long can I remain there?If you travel to the United States visa free under the Visa Waiver Program, you may remain for up to 90 days. This period cannot be extended. If you travel to the United States on a visitor (B-2) visa, the period of time you will be allowed will be determined by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at the port of entry. Initially they can grant a stay of six months which can be extended for a further six months at their discretion. The U.S. Customs & Border Protection has sole jurisdiction over such matters. Can I take my medicine to the United States?If you take medicines containing habit-forming drugs or narcotics (e.g. cough medicine, diuretics, heart drugs, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, depressants, stimulants, etc.) you should: have all drugs, medicine and similar products properly identified; carry only the quantity that might normally be used by an individual having a health problem requiring such drugs or medicine; have either a prescription or written statement from your personal physician
that the medicine is being used under a doctor's direction and is necessary for your physical well-being while traveling. Can I drive while in the United States?Bearers of Austrian drivers' licenses may drive in the U.S. for a short period of time on their valid Austrian driver's license. (Exact length depends on the individual state.) When renting a car, some rental agencies may insist on seeing an international driver's license. Those taking up temporary residence must obtain driving licenses from the appropriate State Authority upon their arrival at their destination. The Embassy does not have any information concerning the laws of the various States on requirements for issuance of driving licenses. For more information about obtaining a U.S. driving license, please see http://www.dmv-department-of-motor-vehicles.com. Can I bring a pet to the U.S?No special documentation or vaccinations are required for dogs or cats traveling directly from Austria to the United States. A "Health Certificate" from your veterinarian is recommended. Always check with your airline before departure. For further information we refer to the U.S. Department of Agriculture at http://www.aphis.usda.gov. Note:
Different rules may apply to Hawaii, see http://www.hawaiiag.org. How long is a visa good for?You may use your visa to travel to the United States until the date it expires under "expiration" or "expiry" on the right side of the visa. I have a visa in my old passport. Can I just transfer it over?It is not possible to transfer a visa from one passport to another without making a new visa application. Please note that the Embassy no longer issues visas valid "indefinitely". If you are issued a new visa it will have a maximum validity of ten years. My passport containing a valid visa has expired. I've obtained a new passport; do I need a new visa?If the passport in which your visa has been endorsed has expired, the visa in the old passport still can be used, provided that you also carry a valid passport of the same nationality. Note: If, when canceling your old passport, the passport authority has clipped the corners of the passport, and, in so doing, has damaged the visa in any way, that visa is no longer valid and cannot be used for travel to the United States. Why was my B-1/B-2 "indefinite" visa cancelled when I recently traveled to the United States?Since February 1, 1995, indefinite validity visas have been considered valid for a maximum of ten years from the date of issuance. Consequently travelers may continue to use an "indefinite" validity visa for ten years from the date of issuance. Travelers who enter the United States with visas, which are more than ten years old, will have the visa cancelled by the immigration officer. The visa is cancelled "without prejudice" and will not affect future travel to the United States. Before you next travel, however, you will be required to either apply for a new B-1/B-2 visa, or travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program, if eligible. My passport will expire soon; do I need to get a new passport or visa?While visa regulations state that a passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the date of the holder's departure from the United States, the United States has an agreement with many countries (including Austria) automatically extending the validity of a passport for six months past the passport's expiration date. The result is that a Austrian passport need remain valid only for the duration of the holder's stay in the United States. If you are traveling visa free and your passport is valid for 90 days or less, you will be admitted only until the date the passport expires. How long can I stay in the United States?The period of validity of a visa relates only to the length of time during which the holder may travel to the United States and apply for admission at a port of entry. It does not determine the length of stay which is a matter decided by U.S. immigration authorities at the port of entry. If, while you are in the United States, you find that you need to stay there longer than the period of time initially granted to you, you must contact the nearest office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to apply for an extension of your stay. The USCIS has sole jurisdiction over such matters. It is not possible to extend your stay if you entered visa free under the Visa Waiver Program. e-mail: embassy@usembassy.at |
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