U.S. Embassy Bern is offering appointments for nonresidents of Switzerland and Liechtenstein, however prioritizes services for those who are citizens and residents of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Nonresident applicants should expect significant wait times..

All receipts for payment of Machine-Readable Visa (MRV) fees issued before October 1, 2022, will expire September 30, 2023. There will be no extensions of fee validity. Applicants must schedule an appointment or submit an interview waiver application before September 30, 2023 to avoid paying a new fee. Please note that the interview itself does not need to take place before September 30, 2023, but an interview appointment needs to be made in the system, even if it is scheduled months into the future. Furthermore, applicants using MRV fees paid before October 1, 2022 to book an appointment are cautioned not to attempt to change their appointment dates on or after October 1, 2023. Doing so will result in forfeiture of both the original appointment slot and the MRV fee receipt. The applicant will be required to pay a new fee and submit a new application package.

Select here to learn more about certain individual petition-based visa applicants who are now eligible for waiver of interview.

All nonimmigrant visa application fee (also known as the MRV fee) payments made on or after October 1, 2022, are valid for 365 days from the date a receipt is issued for payment of the MRV fee. Applicants must schedule an interview appointment or submit an interview waiver application during this 365-day period. Please note applicants must only schedule their interview or submit their waiver application within the 365-day period. There is no requirement the interview must occur during the 365-day period. All receipts for payment of MRV fees issued before October 1, 2022, were extended until September 30, 2023, and remain valid until this date..

As a result of the worldwide reciprocity review, there have been substantial changes to the reciprocity fees and visa validity periods for nationals of many countries, including Switzerland (E1, E2, certain F1 and F2, H1-B, H4, I, L1, L2, R1, and R2) and Liechtenstein (F1, R1, and R2). For more information about reciprocity fees and validity periods, please visit the Department of State’s website. These fees must be paid at the time of the visa approval by credit card, U.S. dollars, or Swiss francs at the Embassy.