Outline of Steps Required to Apply for a Visa to Attend a Workshop in the U.S.

In the last two years it has generally become much more difficult to obtain a visa to visit the United States from many parts of the world. This outline is a summary of information useful in applying for a U.S. visa. This outline does not provide complete information needed to be successful in your visa application. Detailed information on each point below can be found in another paper "Suggestions on Applying for a Visa to the United States."

Usually the following steps (at a minimum) are required to obtain a visa:

1. Contact the U.S. Consulate in your country for visa application requirements and procedures.
   Get all the necessary forms and instructions for completing the forms.

2. Get an appointment for an interview, if an interview is required.
   In your first contact with the U.S. Consulate, find out whether a personal interview is required to get a visa. If a personal interview is required, apply to get an appointment for the interview as soon as possible.

3. Prepare any supportive documents.
   Every visa applicant will need to convince the U.S. Consulate of the following:

   • that you are coming to the U.S. in order to attend the RC workshop or conference, and not intending to stay permanently in the U.S.
   • that you have a specific date on which you will leave the U.S., and
   • that you have a residence outside the U.S. and other binding ties (family, job, children) which will insure your return home at the end of your visit to the U.S.

   You will want to supply the consulate with documents that support these three facts.

   1. Provide documentation that you are coming to the U.S. in order to attend an RC workshop or conference.
      A formal invitation to the workshop may be necessary or helpful. One can be sent to you by the workshop organizer or the staff at Re-evaluation Counseling Community Resources Incorporated in Seattle.

   2. Provide documentation of any leadership role that you play in RC.

   3. Provide documentation that you have a specific date on which you will leave the U.S.
      To show that you will stay in the U.S. for a limited time, you can show your travel booking. Other documentation will also be necessary.

   4. Provide documentation that you have a residence in your home country and of other binding ties (family, job, children), which will insure your return home at the end of your visit to the U.S.
      This is usually the most difficult step and a lot of documentation may be required.

   5. Provide documentation that you have sufficient financial resources to be able to support yourself financially while you are in the U.S.
      If RC Outreach will be paying for any of costs of the workshop, travel, etc., the Re-evaluation Foundation will send (at your request) a notarized letter stating their commitment to cover the costs of your travel and workshop.

4. Complete and submit the written visa application, with all necessary documents.

5. Prepare for your interview.
   Have sessions on any part of the visa application process that has been restimulating. Read over the separate document, also posted at this site, called "Discharging About the Visa Application Process."

Good luck.
The RC Communities hope you will be successful.