United States announces new requirements for visa

Embassy of the United States

KYIV - Beginning on March 15, non-immigrant visa applicants to the United States must use a new Non-Immigrant Visa Application form and follow new photo requirements.

The new form, which asks for more information from visa applicants, is to assist the State Department and other U.S. government agencies in maintaining U.S. national border security.

The new form, called version 02-2003, can be found on the Embassy website at http://usembassy.kiev.ua/visa_download_eng.html. Applicants can also obtain the forms from the guards at the Consular Section. The form will also be mailed to each visa applicant together with the invitation for a scheduled visa interview.

In conjunction with the new application form, new photograph requirements also have been implemented. Photographs must be unmounted, full- faced and taken within the past six months. A full-face photo is one in which the applicant is facing the camera directly. The applicant should not be looking down or to either side, and the face should cover approximately 50 percent of the area of the photograph. It is preferable that the ears be exposed.

The photograph should measure 50 mm square and the head should be centered in the frame. The head (measured from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin) should measure between 25 mm and 35 mm with the eye level between 28 mm and 35 mm from the bottom of the photograph. Photographs may be either in color or black and white and must be taken against a white or off-white, background. Photographs should be printed without borders.

Please note: after April 1 applications using the old Non-Immigrant Visa Application form, version 08-2001, and applications with non-standard photographs will not be accepted.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, March 16, 2003, No. 11, Vol. LXXI

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