What is the VisaPoint service?

Most applicants applying for a U.S. nonimmigrant visa must appear in person for an interview. To schedule an interview, applicants must use the VisaPoint service. The service provides general information on nonimmigrant visas, including a list of required application materials for each nonimmigrant visa classification. Applicants can schedule, reschedule, and cancel an interview for a specific date and time for up to five immediate family members.

Do I need to attend an interview?

Most applicants between the ages of 14 and 79 (inclusive) must appear in person for an interview at a U.S. Consulate. Applicants younger than 14 or older than 79 who are neither citizens nor permanent residents of the country in which they are applying must also appear in person.

Children under 14 years of age and adults over 80 years of age who are also Australian citizens or Permanent Residents, and official and diplomatic visitors may not need to appear in person.

If you are applying for the same visa classification within 12 months of the expiration of your previous visa, and you have previously provided a full set of 10 fingerprints at a Consulate, you may be eligible for a waiver of the personal appearance/interview. Please see the Department of State’s new Fingerprint Reissue/Reuse Program to see if you qualify.

Do I need a visa?

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables nationals of certain countries, including Australia, New Zealand and the UK to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. Further information may be found on the Visa Waiver Program page.

If you do not meet the requirements of the VWP you must obtain a visa for travel to the United States.

How do I purchase the Visa Information Service PIN?

Applicants must pay a fee of A$14.00 in order to access the service. Purchases can be made online using either a Visa or Mastercard, credit or debit card. The Visa Information Service PIN is nonrefundable and in the event it is lost or stolen the applicant will have to obtain a new one.

Can I access the website more than once using the same PIN?

Your PIN will allow you to access the website multiple times. You can continue to access the website until two days before your scheduled appointment. If the appointment is rescheduled, the PIN expires two days before the new appointment. If no appointment is scheduled, or the appointment is cancelled, the PIN will expire 90 days from the date of purchase.

I need to schedule appointments for my whole family. Do I need a PIN for each person?

No, you may schedule an appointment for yourself and up to four immediate family members who reside in the same household using the same PIN. “Immediate family members” means husband, wife, mother, father, child, brother or sister.

What happens if I cannot attend the interview on the appointment date? Can I give the appointment to someone else to attend instead?

If it is impossible to attend the interview on the date you scheduled you can cancel and/or reschedule your appointment through Visa Information Service. Another person cannot attend your appointment. The appointment is applicant-specific and non-transferable. Only the person(s) scheduled will be allowed to enter the Consulate.

What happens if I need an urgent appointment and the earliest appointment available on the VisaPoint system is too late for my needs?

If after attempting to schedule an appointment through our online system you find that there are no appointments available before your intended dates of travel, please schedule an appointment for the first available slot, and then send an e-mail with your name, the reason for your travel, your intended travel dates, and the date and time of your scheduled appointment to SydneyInterviews@state.gov, MelbourneInterviews@state.gov or PerthVisas@state.gov, depending on where you booked your interview. We will attempt to accommodate all reasonable requests for emergency appointments, but are not always able to do so. The best way to ensure that you can get an appointment before your travel dates is to schedule your appointment well in advance.

I am experiencing technical difficulties using the VisaPoint service.

Unfortunately the U.S. Consulate is unable to offer technical support for the VisaPoint service. If you continue to experience difficulties, please refer to the “Help Desk” portion of the VisaPoint website which is located in the upper right hand corner under “Contact Us”.

Where else can I find information about nonimmigrant visas?

The U.S. Embassy and Consulate General websites and the U.S. Department of State website at www.travel.state.gov are the most comprehensive sources of information on U.S. nonimmigrant visas. We also have a number of public email addresses which are listed on our contact page.

A user-pays call center is available for those who would like to speak with a customer service agent regarding the U.S. application process (1902-941-641 or 1800-687-844). Please note: the call centre operators are unable to assist with scheduling an appointment for a nonimmigrant visa interview. To schedule an appointment for an interview, you must use the VisaPoint service.