A, C-3, G Official/diplomatic visa applications Applicants for official or diplomatic visas, specifically A, C-3, and G visas, must obtain and submit with their applications a diplomatic note from their employing/sponsoring Foreign Ministry, Embassy or International Organization.

Every applicant, without exception, must fill out the EVAF and attach a photo 2 by 2 inches with a light background. See Forms and What to Bring for more detailed information.

Completed applications and supporting documents, including the original diplomatic note, may be submitted in person or via courier Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., except U.S. and Bolivian holidays, at Window 1 at the Consular Section in La Paz.

Applicants for A-3 and G-5 visas must apply in person and present their supporting documents, including the corresponding diplomatic note as well as the employment contract that meets U.S. Department of State requirements. Please directly contact the Non-Immigrant Visa Unit at consularlapaz@state.gov to schedule such appointments. The visa application fee does not apply to official and diplomatic visa requests.

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B1/B2 Business & Tourism

The "visitor" visa is a nonimmigrant visa for persons who wish to enter the United States temporarily for business (B-1) or for pleasure or medical treatment (B-2). The visa allows a foreign citizen to travel to the United States port-of entry and request permission of the U.S. immigration inspector to enter the U.S. See How to Apply, Fees, Forms, What to Bring, and Supporting Documents for additional information.

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B2 Medical Treatment or humanitarian concerns

There is no special visa for medical treatment or other humanitarian concerns. Such applicants must still overcome the presumption in Section 214(b) of the INA that they are intending immigrants. Interviewing Consular Officers, however, will give applicants needing medical treatment or traveling for humanitarian reasons every consideration possible under the law. In order to help us better make a determination of eligibility for a nonimmigrant visa for travel to the United States to obtain medical care, the following documentation should be provided:

• A professional diagnosis of the illness and evidence that it cannot be treated in Bolivia;
• An official letter from the relevant U.S. hospital and treating doctors, accepting the patient for treatment and providing estimates of the cost and length of the proposed medical treatment;
• Evidence regarding ability to pay for the full course of treatment and all travel and accommodation expenses; and
• Proof of social, economic and professional ties in Bolivia that will compel the applicant to return to his/her home country following completion of the medical treatment.

Please obtain a PIN and call the appointment-scheduling center at 800-100-449 and inform the operator if there is an urgent need for you to travel. If your situation qualifies, the operators will assist you to obtain an emergency appointment for your visa interview. Remember to schedule interviews for any person(s) who will need to travel in support of the individual seeking medical treatment. See How to Apply, Fees, Forms, What to Bring, and Supporting Documents for additional information.

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B1 Domestic Employees

Domestic employees who wish to travel to the United States with their employers must qualify for a special type of B-1 (business) visa. Any B-1 visa issued to a domestic employee has a maximum validity of 12 months and will be annotated with the name of the employer. The employer named on the visa is the ONLY person authorized to employ the visa holder during his/her time in the United States, and the employee must depart the United States before or with the employer. Every nonimmigrant visa applicant, including domestic employees, must qualify on his or her own for a nonimmigrant visa, demonstrating strong ties to a country outside of the United States and a residence that they do not intend to abandon.

The only individuals that may bring a domestic employee to the United States with them are: 1) American citizens who live abroad full-time and are visiting the United States for a short period of time; 2) American citizens who live abroad as a condition of their work, but who have been assigned temporarily to the United States and will be transferred abroad again within four years; and 3) non-immigrant visa holders (B, E, F, H, J, and L) who are already in the United States or who plan to apply for admission in the future.

IMPORTANT NOTE: LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENTS ("GREEN CARD" HOLDERS) MAY NOT BRING DOMESTIC EMPLOYEES HOLDING NON-IMMIGRANT VISAS TO THE UNITED STATES TO WORK FOR THEM. GREEN CARD HOLDERS MAY NOT EMPLOY DOMESTIC EMPLOYEES TRAVELLING ON A NON-IMMIGRANT VISA IN THE UNITED STATES.

The domestic employee must be present in person at the interview. In principle, the employer does not need to come to the interview. However, in some cases the Consular Officer may request to speak with the employer personally.

Any domestic employee who solicits a visa should 1) demonstrate that he or she has at least one year of experience working as a domestic employee; 2) prove that he or she has been employed by the current employer prior to applying for the visa; 3) present a work contract in English and Spanish signed by both the employer and the employee, which guarantees that the employee will receive the minimum or prevailing wage for domestic employee services in the state in which such services are to be performed in the United States during their time working in the United States. Minimum wage laws are posted online for your reference at http://www.dol.gov/esa/minwage/america.htm. For a better understanding of the prevailing wages in the United States, go to www.flcdatacenter.com and choose the state you will be traveling to and the type of job to be performed. For example:

• 37-2012 Maids & Housekeeping Cleaners
• 39-9011 Child Care Workers
• 39-9021 Personal & Home Care Aides

If a domestic employee abandons his or her job once in the United States, the employer must report this event to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and to the U.S. Embassy where the employee's visa was issued. By promptly reporting the employee's disappearance, employers can prevent any future difficulties that may be associated with their sponsorship of the delinquent employee.

See How to Apply, Fees, Forms, What to Bring, and Supporting Documents for additional information.

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C1 Transit

Bolivians are required to hold C1 transit visas in order to transit through the United States to a destination in a third country. We recommend that you schedule your appointment several weeks in advance of any planned travel. Travelers should not purchase non-refundable airline tickets or make unalterable travel plans until a visa has been issued. Applicants for this visa category are subject to Section 214(b) of the INA. See How to Apply, Fees, Forms, What to Bring, and Supporting Documents for additional information.

C1/D Crewmember

Air or ship crewmembers are required to present a letter from a shipping company or airline certifying that the applicant is either a crew member, is traveling to or through the United States to join a vessel or aircraft, or is arriving aboard a vessel on which they are an essential crew member. Applicants for crew visas are subject to Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. See How to Apply, Fees, Forms, What to Bring, and Supporting Documents for additional information.

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E1/E2 Treaty Trader and Treaty Investor

The U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act provides for visa status for nationals of countries that maintain an appropriate treaty of commerce and navigation with the United States or that is considered to be a treaty country under U.S. law. The applicant must be coming to the United Sates to carry on substantial trade or to develop and direct the operations of an enterprise in which the national has invested, or is actively in the process of investing, a substantial amount of capital. Treaty Trader and Investor visas are nonimmigrant categories. They do not confer permanent residence in the U.S. nor do they lead to U.S. citizenship, although they permit the applicant and qualified family members to live in the U.S. for an extended period. For permanent residence in the United States, there is a separate program based on investment.

To qualify as a Treaty Trader (E1):

• The firm in the U.S. must have the nationality of a treaty country.
• The applicant must be a national of the treaty country.
• The international trade must be substantial; there must be a sizable and continuing volume of trade.
• The trade must be principally between the U.S. and the treaty country, which is defined to mean that more than 50% of the firm's international trade involved must be between the U.S. and the country of the applicant's nationality.
• Trade means the international exchange of goods, money, services, or technology. Title of items must pass from one party to another.
• The applicant must be employed in a supervisory or executive capacity, or possess highly specialized skills essential to the operation of the firm.

The term "trade" is defined to include commercial intercourse in goods and trade in services and technology. This includes banking, insurance, transportation, tourism, communications, data processing, advertising, accounting, design and engineering, management consulting, technology transfer, and other measurable services that can be traded.

The spouse and minor children (under age 21) of the principal applicant are eligible to apply for visas as dependents (Note: de facto marriages are not accepted for U.S. visa purposes). Each dependent must complete a separate application, and submit separate processing and other visa fees.

To qualify as a Treaty Investor (E2):

• The investor (either a real or corporate person) must be a national of a treaty country.
• The investment must be substantial. It must be sufficient to ensure the successful operation of the enterprise. The percentage of investment for a low-cost enterprise must be higher than the percentage of investment in a high-cost enterprise.
• The investment must be a real operating enterprise. Speculative or idle investment does not qualify.
• The investment must not be marginal. It must generate significantly more income than needed to provide a living to the investor and family, or it must have a significant economic impact in the United States.
• The investor must have control of the funds, and the investment must be at risk in the commercial sense. For the purpose of measuring the investment, loans secured with the assets of the investment enterprise are not counted.
• The investor must be coming to the U.S. to develop and direct the enterprise. If applicants are not the principal investors, they must be employed as a supervisor, executive, or as the possessor of highly specialized skill.

If you are applying for an E1 or E2 visa, you will need to send an e-mail to consularlapaz@state.gov to schedule an appointment. E1 and E2 visas are not required to schedule a visa appointment through our Visa Information Service.

In addition to the standard fees, forms and supporting documentation required of all visa applicants ( See How to Apply, Fees, Forms, What to Bring, and Supporting Documents), you must also bring a completed Form DS-156A to your visa interview if you are applying for an E1 or E2 visa. Please also be prepared to provided extensive information and documentation regarding your proposed E1 or E2 trading/investment activities.

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F or M Student or Practical Training

Applicants for F or M student or practical training visas must be prepared to submit with the appropriate supporting documentation, including an approved Form I-20 from the educational institution in the United States. All student visas are subject to Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Naturalization Act, which requires that the applicant demonstrate strong ties to a country outside of the United States before receiving a nonimmigrant visa. Additionally, F or M applicants must prove they have the ability to pay the estimated fees and expenses for their educational program, which are detailed on the Form I-20. All applicants (including dependents) aged 16 and above who are seeking F or M visas are required to submit Form DS-158.

Please be aware of your educational institution's start date for the beginning of the term, and plan your visa interview well in advance of that date. Applicants for F and M category visas must have paid the nonrefundable SEVIS fee prior to the visa interview. More information about the SEVIS fee is available at http://www.ice.gov/graphics/sevis/. Payment of the SEVIS fee may be made at any DHL office offering Western Union services in Bolivia, or via credit card at https://www.fmjfee.com/index.jhtml. Please bring your SEVIS receipt with you to the visa interview.

All practical training visa applications must be submitted with the appropriate supporting documentation, including an approved I-20 form from the sponsoring institution in the United States. All practical training visas are subject to Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Naturalization Act, which requires that the applicant demonstrate strong ties to a country outside of the United States before receiving a nonimmigrant visa.

See How to Apply, Fees, Forms, What to Bring, and Supporting Documents for additional information.

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H, L, O, P Temporary Workers

In order to be considered as a nonimmigrant under one of the above classifications, the applicant's prospective employer or agent must file Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, with the United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Once approved, the employer or agent is sent a notice of approval, Form I-797. The approval of a petition by DHS does not guarantee visa issuance to an applicant found to be ineligible under provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

These, as well as other temporary work petitions approved by DHS, require the original Notice of Action, Form I-797.

Applicants for “H1B” Temporary Worker Visas and “L1” Intra-Company Transferee Visas must bring to their visa interviews an original copy of the Notice of Action Form (Form I-797), as well as a copy of the original petition filed with the Department of Homeland Security (Form I-129), the Department of Labor Form ETA 9035E (for L1 visas only), and any other supporting documents. Please note that the Consular Officer may request additional documents or evidence of education or work experience bearing a reasonable relationship to the visa application.

Dependants of H1B and L1 visa applicants or visa holders should also submit their passports with an original copy of the approved Form I-797. Spouses of H1B and L1 visa applicants or visa holders must include an original copy of their marriage certificate. Children of H1B and L1 visa applicants or visa holders must include an original copy of their birth certificates.

See How to Apply, Fees, Forms, What to Bring, and Supporting Documents for additional information.

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I Journalist visas

Applicants are required to have official accreditation as a journalist, identification from a known news organization and a letter from the employing media institution stating in detail the journalistic purpose of travel to the U.S.

See How to Apply, Fees, Forms, What to Bring, and Supporting Documents for additional information.

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J Exchange Visitor

International educational and cultural exchanges are one of the most effective means of developing lasting and meaningful relationships. They provide an extremely valuable opportunity to experience the United States and our way of life. Foreign nationals come to the United States to participate in a wide variety of educational and cultural exchange programs.

All exchange visitor visa applications must be submitted with the appropriate supporting documentation, including an approved DS-2019 form from the sponsoring institution in the United States. All exchange visitor visas are subject to Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Naturalization Act, which requires that the applicant demonstrate strong ties to a country outside of the United States before receiving a nonimmigrant visa. Additionally, exchange visitors must prove they have the ability to pay the estimated fees and expenses for their program, which are detailed on the Form DS-2019. All applicants (including dependents) aged 16 and above who are seeking J visas are required to submit Form DS-158.

See How to Apply, Fees, Forms, What to Bring, and Supporting Documents for additional information.

Summer Work/Travel

Through the Summer Work/Travel program, foreign college/university students enter the United States to work for a maximum of four months during their summer vacation. Students attending vocational schools are not eligible for the Summer Work/Travel Program unless they can demonstrate that their studies will ultimately lead to a degree from an accredited post-secondary institution. Vocational students are still eligible for the Au Pair program. More information.

Au Pair

Through the Au Pair program foreign nationals between 18 and 26 years of age participate directly in the home life of a host family by providing limited childcare services for up to 12 months. More information.

Alien Physician

Through this category, foreign medical graduates may pursue graduate medical education or training at accredited schools of medicine or scientific institutions. Program participants in this category are sponsored solely by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). More information.

Academic and Government Programs

More information about post secondary student, college/university student, professor, research scholar, short-term scholar, specialist, teacher and Government Visitor and International Visitor categories is available via the Academic and Government Programs division.

Please be aware of your program's start date, and plan your visa interview well in advance of that date. Early application is encouraged.

Most J-1 visa applicants must also pay a nonrefundable SEVIS fee prior to the visa interview. More information about the SEVIS fee can be found at http://www.ice.gov/graphics/sevis/. Payment of the SEVIS fee may be made at any DHL office offering Western Union services in Bolivia, or via credit card at https://www.fmjfee.com/index.jhtml/. Please bring your SEVIS fee receipt with you to the visa interview.

Two-Year Foreign Residency Requirement (Section 212(e))

An exchange visitor is subject to INA 212(e) requirement, if the following conditions exist:

• The program in which the exchange visitor was participating was financed in whole or in part directly or indirectly by the United States government or the government of the exchange visitor's nationality or last residence;
• The exchange visitor is a national or resident of a country designated as requiring the services of persons engaged in the field of specialized knowledge or skills in which the exchange visitor was engaged for the duration of their program (Exchange Visitor Skills List 9 FAM 41.62, Exhibit II);
• The exchange visitor entered the United States to receive graduate medical education or training.

If the exchange visitor is subject to INA 212(e) requirement, he or she cannot change his or status to that of H, L, K, or immigrant lawful permanent resident (LPR) until he or she has returned to his/her home country for at least two-years or received a waiver of that requirement. Such waivers can be obtained under five separate basis: No Objection Statement, Exceptional Hardship or Persecution, Conrad Program, or Interested Government Agency. For information, see Waiver of the J Visa Two-Year Foreign Residence Requirement 212(e).

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R Temporary Religious Worker

All temporary religious worker visas must be submitted with the appropriate supporting documentation, including evidence that the sponsoring religious organization in the United States is recognized by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a tax-exempt religious organization and that the recipient of the petition is going to the United States to perform approved services for the sponsoring religious institution. Temporary Religious Workers are not subject to Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Naturalization Act. See more information about this visa type.

See How to Apply, Fees, Forms, What to Bring, and Supporting Documents for additional information.

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Indefinite Visas

A U.S. visa currently has a maximum validity of up to ten years. If you possess a visa with “indefinite” validity, you must obtain a new visa for future travel to the United States.

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