2006 Press Releases

Important Change to the American Visa Application Process

The U.S. Embassy in Belarus is pleased to announce an important change to the visa application process which is intended to streamline the application process and reduce application time.

The U.S. Department of State will soon require that all visa applications worldwide be completed and printed using the Internet-based Electronic Visa Application Form (EVAF). The EVAF has been available for several years, and most Belarusian applicants are already using it. Effective October 16, 2006, all applicants for non-immigrant visas in Belarus must complete their visa application forms using the EVAF.

The EVAF allows applicants to complete their application form online, and then print it out. In doing so, the form creates a third page with a barcode containing the data in the application. The barcode will then be scanned at the Embassy on the day of the visa interview, thus reducing processing time. This saves time both for the applicant and consular personnel because no further data-entry is required.

The EVAF is available online at http://evisaforms.state.gov. The EVAF may also be found on the Embassy website at http://minsk.usembassy.gov along with detailed instructions in Russian on how to complete the form, as well as suggestions for applicants without Internet access at home or work.

FREQUENTLY-ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EVAF