FAQs
Completing My Application
I have booked an appointment and noticed an error on my DS-156 form, so I filled in a new one. Do I have to book a new appointment?
No. Your appointment is not bound to one specific DS-156 form.
Interviews
Who may attend my visa interview with me?
Generally, people applying for visas are the only ones allowed into the Embassy for the interview. The most common exception for this is translators for people that don’t speak English, Finnish, or Swedish. Arrangements for people other than the scheduled interviewee to attend the interview must be made in advance and approved with the consular section before the interview date. You may bring your children to the interview with you, but it is not recommended or required if they are less than 14 years old.
How long should I plan to be at the embassy for my interview?
Although the actual visa interview only takes a few minutes, you should plan to go through a security screening, have your documents reviewed, and wait for other customers to be served. The amount of time varies depending on how busy the interview and how complicated your application is, but it would be unrealistic to plan to be at the embassy for less than 45 minutes for your interview.
Refusals and Reapplying
If I have been denied a visa, how long do I have to wait until I am allowed to reapply for a visa?
If you have been denied a visa, you may reapply for a visa at any time. Please bear in mind, though, that unless something significant has changed in your professional, economic, and other ties to Finland, you are likely to have the same decision in your application as before.
My application was refused under Section 214(b). If I send in more documents will I receive a visa?
Applying for a non-immigrant visa is not primarily a document-based process. The main issue in determining if an applicant qualifies for a visa is intent, and documents alone cannot establish intentions. In some cases, documents can help establish an applicant’s intent to return to Finland by showing that the applicant is well established here. In other cases, the circumstances are clear enough that documents are unnecessary. If your visa application has been refused it is highly unlikely that any document you could provide would alter the consular officer’s decision unless the consular officer asked that you provide such documents.
What does a consular officer look for when determining an applicant's entitlement to nonimmigrant status?
In making that determination the consular officer considers the applicant’s personal circumstances, employment status, travel plans, financial resources and ties outside of the United States that will ensure his/her departure after a temporary visit.
I’m temporarily living in/visiting Finland, so why couldn't I get a visa here?
The consular officer who evaluated your application is accredited in Finland and is only able to assess your ties to Finland. It is not possible for consular officers here to be experts about all other countries, or to understand any social or economic ties you may have to another country. Nevertheless, even though your application has been refused in Finland, if you are here temporarily you may be able to qualify for a visa if you apply at home. Consular officers in your home country are better able to assess your situation there.
I am a legal resident of Finland. Why don’t I qualify for a visa?
Some immigrants to Finland cannot demonstrate sufficiently strong ties here to qualify for a non-immigrant visa to the United States. There is no magic formula that will work in each case. In general, you must be able to show that you have settled in Finland and that this is, and will remain, your permanent home. In reviewing your application, the consular officer considered many aspects of your residence, such as: How long have you been residing in Finland and living at at your current address? How long have you been at your current job? Are you, or are your children enrolled in school? What commitments do you have here that would compel you to return to Finland? What social ties do you have in Finland? Often it is a question of time, and the best way to qualify for a visa is to reside in Finland for a longer period of time and to build further social and economic ties here.
Why didn’t they tell me when I called that I would not get a visa?
Each visa application is thoroughly examined and evaluated on its own merits. Since it is impossible to obtain all relevant facts without seeing your passport and completed application, we are unable to tell you by phone whether you will or will not receive a visa. However, in no circumstances is someone able to guarantee in advance that you will receive a U.S. visa.
Why can’t I get my money back?
The fee that you paid is an application fee. Everyone who applies for a U.S. visa anywhere in the world must pay this fee, which covers the cost of adjudicating your application. As the application form states, this fee is non-refundable regardless of whether you are issued a visa or not. If your application was refused under Section 214(b) and you choose to reapply for a visa, whether at this Embassy or elsewhere, you will be required to pay the application fee again.