Apply for an expedited appointment
If you find yourself facing an unexpected need to travel urgently, you may be eligible for an expedited appointment at the Embassy or Consulate, subject to availability. It’s crucial to confirm that you meet all the specified criteria, as each applicant can only submit two requests for expedited appointments.

Qualifications
Eligibility Criteria Before proceeding with your request for an expedited appointment, ensure you have valid documentary evidence to support the urgency of your travel. Misrepresentation of the reasons for urgent travel during your visa interview may be noted in your case file, potentially impacting the outcome of your visa application. Additionally, all applicants seeking an expedited appointment must first pay the regular visa appointment fees.

• Medical needs

Reason for Travel: Seeking urgent medical treatment or accompanying a relative or employer for urgent medical care.

Required Documentation:

1. A letter from your Indian doctor detailing the medical condition necessitating treatment in the United States and explaining the urgency of the care.
2. A letter from the U.S. physician or hospital confirming their readiness to provide the required treatment and outlining the estimated treatment costs.
3. Proof of financial capability to cover the expenses associated with the medical treatment.

• Funeral/Death

Reason for Travel: Attending the funeral of or making arrangements for repatriating the body of an immediate family member (mother, father, brother, sister, child) in the United States.

Required Documentation:

1. A letter from the funeral director containing their contact information, details of the deceased, and the date of the funeral or repatriation arrangements.
2. Evidence establishing the relationship between the applicant and the deceased, confirming that the deceased is an immediate family member.

• Urgent business travel

Reason for Travel: Attending to an urgent business matter that couldn’t have been foreseen in advance.

Required Documentation Option 1:

1. A letter of invitation from the relevant company in the United States, affirming the urgency of the planned visit and describing the business nature. The letter should also outline the significant loss of opportunity that either the U.S. or local company would face if an expedited appointment is not granted.

OR

Required Documentation Option 2:

1. Proof of enrollment in a necessary training program in the United States lasting three months or less. This should include letters from both the local employer and the U.S. company providing the training. Both letters must detail the training program and articulate the substantial loss of opportunity that either the U.S. or local company would experience if an expedited appointment is not accommodated.

• Students or Exchange Visitors

Reason for Travel: Commencing or resuming a valid study program in the United States within 60 days when regular visa appointments are unavailable at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in India.

Required Documentation:

1. Original Form I-20 (for F-1 visa applicants) or DS-2019 (for J-1 visa applicants) showing the program start date within the next 60 days.

• ESTA denied

You are eligible to apply for an expedited visa appointment if you are a citizen of a Visa Waiver Program partner but have been informed that you are no longer eligible to travel to the United States under that program. This includes individuals who are dual nationals of Iraq, Iran, Sudan, or Syria, or who have visited Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Yemen, or Somalia after March 1, 2011. To qualify for an expedited appointment, your travel must be imminent. Please provide the date and purpose of your travel when making your request.

Required Documentation:

• A copy of the message from U.S. Customs and Border Protection indicating the change in your ESTA status.

Note: Expedited appointments are not given for things like weddings, graduations, helping pregnant family members, going to conferences, or last-minute trips. If your trip is for any of these reasons, it’s better to book a regular visa appointment well ahead of time.

How to Apply an expedited appointment

Step 1: Fill out the DS-160 form for your visa application.

Step 2: Sign up on the website:

• Click “Login” on the homepage.
• Then click “Sign up now.”
• Make a new Username and use a different email (not your main one). They’ll send a code to that email for verification.
• Enter that code and choose some security questions. Then click “Create” to finish.

Step 3: Pay the visa fee and book an appointment online. Try to get the earliest date possible. If you need it faster, fill out the Expedited Request Form, explaining why it’s urgent. Wait for an email reply before canceling any appointments.

Step 4: If they approve your request, they’ll email you to schedule your faster appointment online. Remember, you can’t do this over the phone. If they say no, keep your original appointment.

Note: Check your spam folder for emails from do-not-reply@usvisascheduling.com.

Step 5: Show up on time for your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Bring printed copies of your appointment letter, DS-160 form, a recent photo, and all your passports. They won’t accept your application if anything is missing.

For more information about expedited appointment, please click here