To request an expedited/emergency appointment, an applicant must first pay their MRV fee and schedule an appointment. Only after an appointment is scheduled can they request that the Embassy/Consulate grant an earlier appointment date based on emergency circumstances.
Step 1: Schedule an Appointment
The applicant must have already scheduled a regular appointment at a U.S. Consulate in South Africa. This must be done even if the appointment scheduled does not fit the need of the applicant.
Step 2: Request an Expedited Appointment
The applicant must send an e-mail requesting an emergency appointment to the appropriate Consulate.
The request must contain:
- Full name of the applicant requesting the emergency appointment
- Date of the previously scheduled appointment
- A description of the emergency travel.
Emergency Appointments will only be granted at the Consular Section’s discretion. The following is a list of typical circumstances that may merit favorable consideration. Please note that list is not all-encompassing.
- Medical Emergency: Travel to obtain emergency medical treatment in the United States, or to travel in support of another person receiving treatment. (Note: applicants must provide the name, relationship, place and description of the matter, and attending physician’s contact information.)
- Students/Exchange Students: Travel to return to the U.S. to attend classes or resume working in a timely manner. (Note: The I-20 or DS-2019 should show a start date that is earlier than the first available visa appointment.)
- Emergency Business Travel: Travel to attend to a business matter where the travel requirement could not be predicted sufficiently in advance.
- Family Emergency: Travel due to a family emergency, such as a death or illness of an immediate family member (mother, father, brother, sister, child, grandparent or grandchild) in the United States. (Note: applicants must provide the name, relationship, place and description of the matter, and attending physician or funeral home's contact information.)
- A lost or stolen visa.
- An unexpected visit that is of significant cultural, political, journalistic, or economic importance.
In all cases, the applicant will be expected to bring to the interview documentation which substantiates the emergency in addition to those forms and supporting documents normally required.
Applicants may send an e-mail including all of the above information to the appropriate consulate at:
Step 3: Consular Determination to Expedite
The Consular Section will strive to respond to the request as expeditiously as possible, generally within two business days by scheduling a new appointment. If the applicant's request for an expedited appointment is accepted, the applicant will receive a new confirmation e-mail with a specific date and time to appear at the Consular Section. If the request is not approved, the applicant should attend the original appointment.
Please be advised that the granting of an expedited appointment in no way guarantees visa issuance. U.S. law places the burden of qualifying for any visa solely on the applicant.
