Update on Change to U.S. Travel Policy Requiring COVID-19 Vaccination for nonimmigrant travel

Last Updated: May 4, 2023

The Administration will end the COVID-19 vaccine requirements for international air travelers at the end of the day on May 11, the same day that the COVID-19 public health emergency ends. This means starting May 12, noncitizen nonimmigrant air passengers will no longer need to show proof of being fully vaccinated with an accepted COVID-19 vaccine to board a flight to the United States. CDC’s Amended Order Implementing Presidential Proclamation on Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic will no longer be in effect when the Presidential Proclamation Advancing the Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic is revoked.

Please see the White House statement.

What is a Visa?

A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler’s passport, a travel document issued by the traveler’s country of citizenship or nationality.

Certain international travelers may be eligible to travel to the United States without a visa if they meet the requirements for visa-free travel under the Visa Waiver Program. The Visa section of this website is all about U.S. visas for foreign citizens to travel to the United States. If you cannot find what you are looking for here, please visit Travel.State.gov for additional information.

Note: U.S. citizens do not need a U.S. visa for travel to the United States, but when planning travel abroad a U.S. citizen may need a visa issued by the embassy or consulate of the country they wish to visit.

Do You Already Know What Type of Visa You Need?

For nonimmigrant visas, you can go directly to the online application for the DS-160; or for immigrant visas, directly to the USCIS site for the relevant forms. If you are unsure, please use the Visa Wizard below to help you determine your visa type.

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Visa Types

Nonimmigrant Visas

Diplomatic, Official & International Organization Visas Treaty Trade & Investor Visas Students, Exchange Visitor & Sponsored Exchange Visas The Interview Waiver Program

Diplomatic, Official & International Organization Visas

Detailed instructions for applications for visas for official travel to the United States (visa categories A, G and NATO) or for diplomats for non-official travel (e.g B1/B2 visas for tourism).

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Treaty Trade & Investor Visas

Treaty Trader (E-1) and Treaty Investor (E-2) visas are available for citizen of countries with which the United States maintains treaties of commerce and navigation, including Spain, who work for companies that trade or invest in the United States.

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Students, Exchange Visitor & Sponsored Exchange Visas

Complete information on applying for a Student, Exchange Visitor and Sponsored Exchange Visitor visa.

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The Interview Waiver Program

The Interview Waiver Program (IWP) allows qualifying visa applicants to mail-in their visa applications without an appointment.

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Immigrant Visas

Medical Examination Diversity Visa Fraud Warning

Medical Examination

Before arriving to your interview for an immigrant visa, you should complete the medical examination, which is performed in Madrid.

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Diversity Visa Fraud Warning

Complete information on the Diversity Visa and how to protect yourself from fraud.

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U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident

Boarding Foil / Returning Resident

If your LPR card has been lost, stolen, or destroyed, you may be able to obtain a “Boarding Foil” to facilitate your return to the United States. If you have been outside the United States for a reason beyond your control, you should review the information on the returning resident process.

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Contact the Visa Unit

Contact Form

Thank you for contacting the Visa Unit of the U.S. Embassy in Madrid. Due to the high volume, it may take up to five business days for us to answer non-urgent requests. If your question is answered on our website, you will not receive a separate reply. Before contacting us, review the list of Frequent Asked Questions and Topics.

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Our Locations

U.S. Embassy Madrid

On the day of your visa interview, do not bring any luggage, backpacks, or bags of any kind to the Embassy. You will not be allowed to enter with them and there is no place to store them.

Address:

Calle de Serrano, 75 28006 Madrid, Spain

Phone:

(+34) 91-587-2200

Fax:

(+34) 91-587-2303

Website:

https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-ES/niv/information/contact_us

Hours:

We encourage all applicants to be mindful of the constraints and apply early. Appointments will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis as capacity allows.

Additional Information

DS-5535 Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers Rights and Protections for Immigrant Visa Applicants More Information

DS-5535

It may be necessary to provide additional information to process your application for a nonimmigrant or immigrant visa. If requested, the DS-5535 can be found here.

Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers

The pamphlet linked below informs you of your rights as a nonimmigrant visa holder in certain employment- and education-based categories.

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Rights and Protections for Immigrant Visa Applicants

The pamphlet informs applicants applying for K-1 visas, K-3, IR-1/CR-1 immigrant visas, and F2A immigrant visas of their legal rights relating to domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse.

Select Your Pamphlet

More Information

Visit travel.state.gov visas website for additional information on Immigrant and Nonimmigrant visas.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Due to the volume of inquiries we receive, we are only able to respond to individual questions that are not answered on this page or elsewhere on our website. Please carefully review these FAQs to find the information you require.