The Department of State acknowledges the International Civil Aviation Authority Organization (ICAO) deadline, requiring all travelers have a machine readable passport by November 24, 2015.  Please note that under U.S. law a machine readable passport is NOT required for visa issuing purposes. So long as an applicant presents a valid passport, a visa can be placed in it.

Customer Service Statement to Visa Applicants

The Department of State manages the visa process strictly but fairly in order to best protect the United States.  We are committed to the essential openness for which the United States has always been known.  Travel to the United States is welcomed and encouraged.  
We promise to you, the visa applicant, that:   

• We will treat you with dignity and respect, even if we are unable to grant you a visa. 
• We will treat you as an individual and your case as unique. We will remember that, to you, a visa interview may be a new or intimidating experience and that you may be nervous. 
• We will use the limited time available for the interview to get as full a picture as possible of your travel plans and intentions. 
• We will use our available resources to fairly assist all applicants to get appointments to allow travel in time for business, study, and other important obligations. 
• We will post detailed and accurate information on visa requirements and application procedures on our website. 
• We will explain the reason for any visa denial to you.
  Furthermore, if you are a:
  •  Student, we will make every effort to ensure that you get an appointment and, if qualified, a visa in time to start classes.
  •   Medical and humanitarian emergency traveler, we will expedite processing for those dealing with life threatening emergencies.
  •   Business traveler, we will establish appropriate mechanisms to facilitate business travel and expedite cases of particular concern to American business. 

At the same time, we expect you, the visa applicant, to:

• Plan your travel and visa application as far in advance as possible. 
• Complete your application fully and accurately. 
• Be forthcoming about your purpose and plans. 
• Prepare for your interview by being able to clearly and concisely describe your intentions. 

Security Procedures and Prohibited Items

You will pass through several security checks.  To speed up the process, we encourage you to limit the amount of jewelry and metal items you bring with you.

You may not bring electronic devices into the U.S. Consulate. These include cell phones, audio and video players, laptops, pagers, MP3 players and portable gaming devices. The U.S. Consulate provides cubbies at the front entrance for the storage of electronic devices.  The U.S. Consulate will not be responsible for lost items. 

The following items are prohibited, and trying to enter the U.S. Consulate with any of them may result in the loss of your appointment: 

• Weapons, including items that may be confused for weapons, and replicas of weapons including firearms, knives, pepper spray, explosives, metal razors, nail clippers, and scissors.
• Lighters or other accelerants.
• Large bags (small bags that can be carried by hand are permitted).
• Liquids and food items, including perfumes, gels and aerosols.
• Sealed envelopes or packages. 

These lists are not exhaustive. Other items may be prohibited at the discretion of security staff.  There is no facility at the U.S. Consulate to store prohibited items. You must make arrangements to store these items before entering