Apply for US visas well in advance of travel date – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Commerce advises the general public that individuals applying for a non-resident/tourist visa to the United States of America and Canada; for recreational, business and other purposes should do so well in advance of their proposed date of travel.

The Ministry is cognizant of the fact that the number of persons applying for visas has increased, especially during the summer vacation. The Ministry would continue to facilitate the necessary assistance to the public particularly in cases of extreme emergencies. However, the Embassies to which persons are applying would need sufficient time to facilitate the processing of an application; this also includes scheduling the required interview for visa appointments, where necessary.

In this connection, the Ministry takes this opportunity to reiterate to the general public that preparation of the requisite application is the responsibility of the applicant, and hereby appeals to the public to plan ahead and prepare at least 2-3 months in advance of their travel to avoid any delays. To avoid any impediments, keen attention must also be given to the requirements, documents that are needed as well as stipulated fees for processing of all applications. These fees and requirements are published on the websites of the US Embassy in Barbados and Canadian Embassy in Trinidad.

The basic requirements for non-resident/tourist visa are as follows:

l A complete application form (which must be done online);

l The application and processing fee for most US visa classes (B1, B2, C1, C1/D, F, M, J) is US$160.00;

l Canadian non-resident visa form (IMM 5257) fee + biometric fee are $100CDN & $85 CDN respectively. Everyone who applies for a visitor visa, a work or study permit (excluding U.S. nationals), permanent residence, or refugee or asylum status will need to provide fingerprints and photo (biometrics) to the Canadian Embassy. This also applies to temporary residents who are transiting in Canada.

– A valid passport along with two (2) passport sized photos (see specifications on the embassies’ website). A scanned copy of your passport is needed for processing the application online;
– Proof of your financial support such as a Bank Statement(s), proof of pension or investments;

– Letter of employment which should indicate occupation, position, salary or allowances, years of employment and please provide contact information for your employer;

– Letter from your invitee to whom you will be staying in the US and Canada (this must include the name and address and contact no. of your host);

– Provide information for your reasons for travelling;

– For students, proof of current studies such as letter from academic institution confirming your registration and year of studies; and

– A copy of your visa previously granted (for persons renewing their Visa).

For more information about the non-resident/tourist visa and other Visa as well as scheduling appointments, kindly visit the website of the US Embassy in Barbados website at
https://bb.usembassy.gov/visas/nonimmigrant)-visas or call the visa Information Center in Barbados at 1 (246)-620-3399.

Information about the Canada resident/tourist visa is available at https://www.canada.ca/en.html or persons can contact their office directly at 1 (868) 622 6232. The Canadian High Commission is located in Port of Spain Trinidad.

For further information, please contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Commerce at telephone number 456 2060.