How to Apply

(The following procedure is subject to change. If you reapply in the future please visit this web page for the new possible procedure to schedule your appointment.)

Dear non-immigrant visa applicant:

To schedule your non-immigrant visa appointment (e.g.: business, tourist, visitor, student, work, etc.), please follow the steps below:

• Diplomats and Albanian Government Officials, traveling to the United States on behalf of your national government to engage solely in official activities for that government, do not require an appointment. Please visit “Diplomats and Foreign Government Officials” for more information.
• Employees of International Organizations and NATO, do not need to schedule an appointment. Please visit “Employees of International Organizations and NATO” for more information.
• Expedited Visa Appointments.

1. STEP ONE: Complete the Online Application
   
   Complete the online nonimmigrant visa application form “DS-160” and print only the confirmation page with the barcode. (There will be a button that says “Print Confirmation.”) The barcode MUST be clear and legible on the printed page. In order to complete the online application, you will need to have a photo that conforms to the visa standards to upload. Please refer to the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs webpage “Digital Image Requirements” for detailed guidance on using a digital camera and requirements for scanned images.
   
   After you have completed the DS-160, you will be prompted to print the confirmation page containing the barcode for your application. This page must be presented when you appear at the U.S. Embassy in Tirana for your visa interview appointment.
   
   IMPORTANT: Please be very careful to complete all information accurately on the DS-160. Married women should enter their maiden names when the form asks about aliases or previous names. All applicants with incomplete information, incorrect information, or missing maiden and other former names may be required to resubmit a new form and this will delay their processing.
   
2. STEP TWO: Schedule your Appointment
   
   To schedule, change or cancel your appointment, please see our “NIV Appointment System.”
   
   To book your appointment, you will need the barcode number from your Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) Form DS-160 and a printer. If you do not have a printer, you will not be able to print out the confirmation page that permits you to enter the Embassy. You cannot reprint the confirmation page once you have exited the system. Your confirmation ID is not sent to you by e-mail, so please write it down if you experience any kind of problem with your printer.
   
   Please visit the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs webpage “Visa Wait Times” to learn about our office's waiting period for an appointment.
   
3. STEP THREE: Gather your Documentation
   
   For a list of documentation you need to bring at the time of your visa appointment, please see our webpage “Required Documentation to Apply for a Non-Immigrant Visa.” In addition to any documentation that you wish to present in support of your application, you must bring all current and expired passports, the DS-160 barcode confirmation page, and the Appointment Confirmation page.
   
4. STEP FOUR: Pay the Application Fee via the Intesa Sanpaolo Bank
   
   The fees will now be paid in advance, free of any surcharge, at any Intesa Sanpaolo Bank branch. Each applicant must pay the individual fee prior to their interview appointment and must present both receipts to the Consular office as proof of payment. For information regarding branch locations and hours, please consult the Intesa Sanpaolo website.
   
   Note: The current application fee is USD 160, and the rate of exchange used is ALL 110/USD.  This fee and rate are subject to change.
   

You must bring a copy of your Appointment Confirmation webpage to your interview in order to enter the consular section. The system will not send a confirmation e-mail. (Print the webpage using the print button on your browser.)

All applicants must bring all passports, current or expired, which they have in their possession. Invalid passports must be physically cancelled by the appropriate Albanian authorities.

Each visa applicant must have his/her own appointment. If you are applying as a family, each applying member must have an appointment regardless of age and each family member must complete his/her own online DS-160 application form.

If you have lost the ID number or if you did not print an interview appointment letter for your interview and need the ID number to reprint, please contact our office via e-mail at evisatirana@state.gov by providing your correct full name, date of birth, DS-160 barcode number and a phone number.

IMPORTANT: To prevent multiple bookings by the same person, the U.S. Embassy in Tirana reserves the right to cancel any appointments which do not appear to be valid reservations. Please spell your name correctly. Multiple name spellings with the same or similar passport numbers may be subject to cancellation.

Your appointment time printed on the confirmation letter is when you will be allowed to queue up outside of the Embassy's consular section gate to gain admission to the Embassy. It is NOT the time when you will be interviewed. Your appointment letter and the required documentation will be checked once you pay the application fee. Please make sure documents are placed in the specified order. Your interview will take place after the initial paperwork and processing are complete. Please be prepared to be at the Embassy until as late as noon for an interview. Reading material is permitted, but electronic devices (including mobile phones), food, beverages and large bags are not allowed into the Embassy. Electronic devices can be checked at the Embassy entrance.

Due to space limitations in our waiting room, the primary applicant will be the only person allowed into the building unless the applicant is a minor child (age 17 and under) accompanied by a parent or legal guardian or is disabled and requiring assistance. Other parties (including relatives, friends, co-workers, employers, lawyers, etc.) will not be allowed to enter the building unless requested to do so by a Consulate official.