Interview Waiver & Visa Renewal

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Overview

If you have a valid U.S. Visa in a passport which has expired, you can still travel to the United States, as long as you have another valid passport, and your visa is not damaged and is the right visa for your purpose of travel and all the biographical data in both passports is the same.

Latvian Citizens are encouraged to use ESTA instead of applying for a U.S. visa if they are traveling to the United States for less than 90 days for tourism or some business reasons.  To learn about this option, please review the guidance on the Visa Waiver Program.

If you are a Latvian national or are resident in Latvia holding Latvian resident card or Latvian long-stay D visa, you may be eligible to apply for a U.S. visa without coming to the Embassy for an interview, if any one of the following is true:

We strongly encourage anyone who is eligible to select visa processing without an interview.  For clearly approved applicants, this is the fastest way to receive a visa without a personal visit to the Embassy. Please read the full information on interview-free processing below to see if you qualify prior to scheduling an appointment.

If you do not qualify for the visa-free program, mail-in service, or travel on two passports, please follow the standard instructions to schedule your in-person interview at the Embassy.

Qualifications

Qualifications for Interview Waiver

Qualification Based on Age:

In general, children under 14 and applicants over 79 may apply through the mail-in service if they live in Latvia and have no prior visa denials. Please see the section below on Supporting Documentation for information on required documents to use this option.

Qualification for Applicants Renewing their Visas:

You may be eligible to use the mail-in service if you are renewing your previous U.S. visa and meet the below conditions:

  • You live in Latvia and will be physically present in Latvia at the time of your visa application processing;
  • You are not a citizen of Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, or Yemen;
  • Your most recent U.S. visa request was approved and your visa is still valid or expired within past 48 months;
  • Your prior visa was issued to you after your 14th birthday and your 10 fingerprints were collected at the time of a visa interview;
  • You are requesting the same visa classification (type) that you had previously OR you are requesting other classification within 48 months of most recent visa’s expiration (unless your only prior visa was a  B1, B2, or B1/B2);
  • Your last visa does not include a visa annotation “waiver granted” or “clearance received”;
  • Your last visa has not been reported lost or stolen;
  • You have not received an ESTA denial for visa free travel to the U.S. after receipt of your last visa;
  • You have not been detained, arrested, prosecuted, or convicted after your last visa was approved; and
  • You did not apply for an extension of stay or adjustment of status in the U.S. after receipt of your last visa.

Qualifications for certain first-time applicants:

You may be eligible to use the mail-in service if you are a first-time applicant for H-2 non-immigrant visa for temporary workers and have not had prior U.S. visa denials.

You may also be eligible to use the mail-in service if you are a first-time applicant for student (F or M), exchange visitor (J), or temporary worker visa and were previously interviewed and fingerprinted by a consular officer and received a non-immigrant visa (other than B1, B2, or B1/B2) that is still valid or expired no more than 48 months ago.

 

Supporting Documentation

To request the mail-in service ALL applicants should prepare the below listed documents:

  • Valid passport
  • Prior passport containing the unexpired visa or visa that expired less than 48 months ago (if applicable)
  • Confirmation page on Visa Application Form DS-160 completion
  • One printed, high-quality photo (if an electronic photo is not attached to your Form DS-160)
  • Printed copy of your visa application fee payment receipt. Note: Applicants who are simultaneously applying for their C1/D and B1/B2 visas should pay only one application fee
  • Printed copy of your Latvian residence permit (if you are not a Latvian passport holder)
  • Printed copy of your Latvian long-stay D visa (if your Latvian long-stay D visa is not placed in the passport that you are using to apply for your U.S. visa)
  • An envelope with address label from SIA Velokurjers that will be used by the Embassy to return your documents to you (See below Step 4)

Crew members renewing their C1/D or B1/B2 visas should prepare the below listed additional documents:

  • Your current sea book (except for cruise line and airline employees)
  • A copy of your current work contract OR employment confirmation letter from your employer/crewing agency
  • A copy of U.S. Coast Guard authorization for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) employment, if it includes oil or gas activity on the OCS.

Students and their dependents applying for F1/F2 or M1/M2 visas should prepare the below listed additional documents:

  • Your original, approved Form I-20 Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status from your U.S. educational institution
  • Form I-901 to show payment of SEVIS fee which funds Student and Exchange Visitor Program Exchange
  • Printed copies of your financial documents showing that you have the ability to pay all educational, living and travel costs
  • Printed copy of your approved Employment Authorization Card or Form I-797 indicating that your application for Optional Practical Training (OPT) is pending (if applicable)
  • Printed copies of your school transcripts of your previous studies in the U.S. (for the principal applicants only, if applicable)
  • Copies of birth certificates (only for minor children requesting F2 or M2 visas)
  • Copy of marriage certificate (only for F2 or M2 visa applicants who are spouses of F1 or M1 visa holders/applicants)

Exchange visitors and their dependents applying for J1/J2 visas should prepare the below listed additional documents:

  • Your original approved and signed Form DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status
  • Form I-901 to show payment of SEVIS fee which funds Student and Exchange Visitor Program
  • Printed copy of your Form DS-7002 Training/Internship Placement Plan (if a trainee/intern exchange visitor)
  • Statement on current full time student status from your post-secondary educational institution (if summer work travel exchange visitor). Note: Your statement should specify whether you pursue a classroom or an online program;
  • Printed copies of your school transcripts (if summer work travel exchange visitor)
  • Copies of birth certificates (only for minor children requesting J2 visas)
  • Copy of marriage certificate (only for J2 visa applicants who are spouses of J1 visa holders/applicants)

Temporary workers applying for H, L, O, P, Q, R, etc. visas should prepare the following additional documents:

  • Copy of Form I-797 Notice of Action indicating the work petition approval
  • Copies of birth certificates (only for minor children requesting H4, L2, O3, P4, R2 visas)
  • Copy of marriage certificate (only for H4, L2, O3, P4, R2 visa applicants who are spouses of the principal visa holders/applicants)
  • Three copies of Form I-129S (only for L1 visa applicants with approved blanket L1 visa petitions)

Treaty traders and investors requesting E visas should follow this guidance: https://www.ustraveldocs.com/lv/lv-niv-typee.asp

How to Apply

Step 1 – Complete Application

Complete your Visa Application Form DS-160.

Step 2 – Create Account

Create your account at ustraveldocs.com. When you have your own account, choose Schedule appointment. As you go through the process you will answer a list of questions that will help you to establish whether you may use the mail-in service or require an in-person visa interview. You will also use this account to pay your visa application fee and schedule your interview appointment, if required.

Step 3 – Pay Fee

After you answer the questions, you will be prompted to pay your visa application fee. If you are eligible to apply for a visa without an interview, your ustraveldocs.com account will generate instructions for you on the mail-in process and required documents (Mail-in Service Confirmation Letter). See the official guidance above on supporting documentation for submission to the embassy.

Step 4 – Obtain Mail-in Labels

When you are ready to mail in your application and other documents to the Embassy, please use SIA Velokurjers e-services page or contact SIA Velokurjers by e-mail at velokurjers@velokurjers.lv or tel. +371 200 00041 to arrange document collection for delivery to the Embassy AND delivery of the documents back to you. The subject line of your e-mail should be -  U.S. visa application delivery request. 

SIA Velokurjers will provide guidance on payment options for the delivery services and send you an e-mail with two address labels. Print these labels and glue them on two different envelopes. The first envelope, with the Embassy address, should be used to transport the visa documents including the return envelope to the Embassy.  We will use the second, enclosed, envelope to return your documents to you.  

Please note!

  • ALL visa applicants are asked to use only SIA Velokurjers services for sending and receiving their documents to/from the Embassy.
  • Each application/individual MUST have a separate address label. The courier's security and safety rules require separate tracking of each passport.
  • Groups of applicants and family members may NOT use one envelope, address label, or tracking number for all their application documents.

Step 5 – Mail in Documents and Return Envelope

Mail in your application and other documents to the Embassy via SIA Velokurjers. You should use the address labels that SIA Velokurjers will provide.  SIA Velokurjers will contact you to arrange document collection from your address.

Step 6 – Receive Documents Back

After the application has been adjudicated, SIA Velokurjers will return your documents to you using the return envelope. It normally takes several business days to process a visa application.   Return delivery takes another 2-4 business days depending on your address.  In some rare cases the Embassy may require an in-person interview. In these cases, the Embassy will contact you to help schedule your interview.