Scheduling and Preparing for Your Interview

The U.S. Embassy in Ankara and the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul offer nonimmigrant visa interviews by appointment only.  All visa applicants with the exception of Iranian nationals should follow the instructions below to schedule an appointment either in Ankara or Istanbul.  Iranian applicants please click here to learn how to schedule an appointment in Turkey.

To schedule your interview appointment in Ankara:

Step 1:   You must go online to fill out and submit the Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application Form (DS-160).  Please print the confirmation page that includes your biographical information and a bar code with your confirmation number.  You must bring this confirmation page to the Embassy for your visa interview.

Step 2:  After you completed the DS-160,  please contact the Visa Information Service at +90 212-340-4444 to schedule the first available appointment. You will need to provide the Information Service Agent your passport number and the bar code number from your confirmation page.

Step 3: If you are applying for a Treaty Investor (E) or Intra-company Transfer (L) visa, you must mail all of your application documents, along with your DS-160 confirmation page, to the Embassy at least ten (10) business days prior to your interview.

If you have ever been arrested and/or convicted of an offense, you must mail the Embassy court records from the court(s) in which you were tried. You must mail these records to the Embassy, along with your DS-160 confirmation page, no less than five (5) business days prior to your interview.  Your court record must show the nature of the offense(s) committed, or which are currently pending against you.  Your records also must show the section(s) of law contravened and the actual penalty imposed. If the arrest did not result in a conviction, you may not send the documents relating to your arrest.  You also must send a police certificate from your current country of residence. Turkish nationals must provide archived police report (Arşivli Sabıka Kaydı).

To schedule your interview appointment in Istanbul:

Step 1:  You may contact the Visa Information Service at +90 212-340-4444 and schedule an interview by providing your passport info.

Step 2: After scheduling your interview, at least two (2) business days prior to your interview date, you must go online to fill out and submit the Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application Form (DS-160). You must print the confirmation page that includes your biographical information and a bar code with your confirmation number.  You must bring this confirmation page to the Consulate General for your visa interview.

Step 3:  If you are applying for a Treaty Investor (E) or Intra-company Transfer (L) visa, or if you have any prior arrests or convictions, you are required to bring all the required documents with you to the Consulate on your appointment date. 

If you have ever been arrested and/or convicted of an offense, you must bring with you the court records from the court(s) in which you were tried.  Your court record must show the nature of the offense(s) committed, or which are currently pending against you.  Your records also must show the section(s) of law contravened and the actual penalty imposed. If the arrest did not result in a conviction, you may bring the documents relating to your arrest.  You also must bring a police certificate from your current country of residence. Turkish nationals must provide archived police report (Arşivli Sabıka Kaydı).

General rules for applying nonimmigrant visa at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara and the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul:

Selecting the Proper Visa Class:  It is very important that you select the proper visa category corresponding with your purpose of travel.  Regrettably, we cannot interview you if you have selected the wrong visa category on your DS-160 form.  If you select the wrong visa category on your DS-160 form, you will have to return home to correct your application, and schedule a second visa appointment.  Please click here to see  visa classifications.

DS-160 Application Form: You must fill out the DS-160 form completely and accurately.  Failure to do so may delay your interview and visa processing.  If you would like more information on the DS-160, click here.   

Paying the correct fee:    It is important that you pay the correct nonimmigrant machine-readable (MRV) visa application fee.  Visa application fee is payable at any TEB Bank (Türk Ekonomi Bankası) branch.  The bank will give you a receipt for your payment, and you must include the receipt as part of your application. (Please make sure to bring original customer copy only, copies – even certified bank copies – or other type of receipts will not be accepted.) This is an application fee; it is not refunded if you do not receive a visa.  Please click here for visa application fee.

Passport Validity:  To be eligible for a U.S. visa, your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your interview date. If your passport has less than six months’ validity, please extend its validity before your interview.

When to apply:  You should apply for your visa at least 6-8 weeks in advance of your desired travel date.

Embassy and Consulate Closure Dates:  The U.S. Embassy in Ankara and the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul will be closed on the following days in 2012! 

Location and Contact Information:

Ankara: The U.S. Embassy is located at 110 Atatürk Bulvarı, 06100 Kavaklıdere.  If you are coming for a visa interview, you must enter the Embassy through the consular gate, which is located on Paris Caddesi.

If you have questions regarding nonimmigrant visas in Ankara, please send an e-mail to Ca-Ankara@state.gov.  You also may call the Embassy’s Consular Section Monday through Thursday between 11:00 AM and 12:00 PM (Noon).  To call the Consular Section, you should dial +90-312-455-5555, and press 1 for Consular Services.

Istanbul: The Istanbul Consulate General is located at İstinye Mahallesi, Ucsehitler Sokak No.2, İstinye, 34460. 

If you have questions regarding nonimmigrant visas in Istanbul, please call the Consulate General at +90 212-335-9000 Monday through Friday between 14:30 and 16:00.