Important Visa Information

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: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/05/01/the-biden-administration-will-end-covid-19-vaccination-requirements-for-federal-employees-contractors-international-travelers-head-start-educators-and-cms-certified-facilities/

The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Madrid is responsible for providing visa services to those seeking to enter the United States for a temporary period and for those wishing to take up indefinite or permanent residence in the United States.

Citizens of Spain and Andorra may be eligible to travel to the United States without a visa, through an authorization commonly referred to as ESTA. Click here for more information.

Payment Methods & Details

Payment for nonimmigrant visa services must be done through the Global Support Services (GSS) website when scheduling your appointment.

Payments for reciprocity fees or blanket L-1 fees are accepted at the time of the interview in cash (U.S. Dollars or Euros) or by credit card. Please note that we do not accept payment through cell phones or other electronic means, as these devices are not permitted inside the Embassy.

Appointments & Locations

To schedule an appointment for a nonimmigrant visa, please visit our Global Support Services (GSS) website for complete information on how to apply, including a directory of nonimmigrant visa categories .

Immigrant visas are scheduled either through the National Visa Center or the Kentucky Consular Center (for Diversity Visas).

Security Information-Interview Day

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

Visitors may not bring computers, cameras, video equipment and other electronic devices.

Only applicants with interview appointments can enter. Friends, family, lawyers, etc. will not be allowed in.

The interviews in Madrid are conducted in English or Spanish. If you need a translator, please contact us about their access to the embassy at least five days before your interview through here.

Other Information

Important Notice

The Consular Section is conducting as many visa interviews as possible. However, given the overwhelming demand for work and student visas and staffing limitations, we regret that we will not be able to interview all applicants before their desired travel dates.

For May, we can only approve requests for earlier visa appointments for medical emergencies, urgent student visas, and critical business travel. We will keep adding more appointments in the following months as capacity allows. We encourage applicants who need an earlier appointment to regularly check the appointment scheduling website.

Applicants for student and work visas who cannot find an appointment before their originally planned travel date should speak to their university or employer to discuss their situation and options as soon as possible. For those with a DS-2019 or I-20, this discussion should include requesting an updated report date on the DS-2019 or I-20 to a new, achievable date as we cannot issue a visa for a program report date that has already passed.

We hope this information allows applicants to make informed decisions about their travel plans.

Reasonable Accomodation

If you need reasonable accommodation for your appointment, we encourage you to request your accommodation immediately once you schedule your appointment. We make every effort to provide accommodations to persons with disabilities and medical conditions. Reasonable accommodations vary, depending on the situation and the person’s needs.

Examples of accommodations include, but are not limited to:

If you require a private appointment due to a medical condition or disability, we may schedule an alternative time for you to come in for your interview.
If you or your child has special needs that require a private appointment in a quiet space without distractions, we may schedule an alternative time for you or your family to come in for your interview.
If you are unable to speak, you may be allowed to respond to questions in an agreed-upon nonverbal manner such as using pen and paper.
If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may bring a sign language interpreter to translate during the interview if needed.
If you have low vision, we may provide you with communications in large print.

If you are unable to provide fingerprints because of a medical condition, including birth defects, physical deformities, skin conditions, you may qualify for a fingerprint waiver for certain fingers.