Non-Immigrant Visas

Welcome to the Non-immigrant Visa Unit of the Consular Section at the U.S. Embassy in Athens. Our office processes visas for individuals traveling to the U.S. for a temporary period.

The following provides visa information for travelers to the United States who wish to visit, work or study for a temporary period. The type of visa required will depend on the purpose of your travel.

Who needs a visa?

Anyone who is not eligible to enter the United States visa free under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), or whose registration has been denied under ESTA.

ESTA Fraud Warning

Participation in the Visa Waiver Program, via ESTA, costs $14.00. This includes $10.00 collected pursuant to the Travel Promotion Act (TPA) and a $4.00 administration fee. There are NO other fees charged by the U.S. Government for ESTA. The only official ESTA website can be found at:

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov. Unauthorized web sites charge fees of up to $100 for information about ESTA and to submit ESTA applications on your behalf. Such businesses and web sites are not endorsed by, associated with, or affiliated in any way with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the U.S. Government. Travelers should be very cautious if they decide to use these services. The Embassy has no control over private companies who wish to offer such services for a fee, but the bottom line is, you don’t need them.

For more information regarding the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, please visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website at: www.cbp.gov/esta

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP)

Many travelers seeking to enter the U.S. for business or tourism (B-1/B-2 visa) for less than 90 days will be eligible to travel to the United States visa free under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). If you have yet to determine your eligibility to travel visa free, use our visa waiver wizard to help you decide.

Applying for the visa

Nonimmigrant visa applicants aged 14 to 79 are required to schedule an appointment for an interview with a U.S. consular officer. Applicants under the age of 14 or those aged 80 or over are generally not required to appear in person and may use our office’s DROP-BOX services to submit their application.

Before beginning the application process, you are required to determine which type of visa is appropriate for travel. Please click on the relevant link below for further information.

Visa Category	Description
A-1/A-2	Diplomats & Foreign Government Officials
A3	Domestic Employee of an A-1/A-2 visa holder
B1/B2	Business/Pleasure Visitors, Medical Treatment, Domestic Employees
C1/D	Crewmembers working on air or sea carriers
E-1/E-2	Treaty Trader/Investor
E3	Australian Professional
F/M	Students:Academic & Vocational
G-1/G-4	Employees of an International Organization
G-5	Domestic Employee of a G-1/G-4 visa holder
H-1/H-3	Employment based visas including the H-3 trainee visa
I	Representative of Foreign Information Media
J	Exchange Visitor
L	Intra-company Transferees
NATO-1/6	Foreign Military Personnel stationed in the U.S.
NATO-7	Domestic Employee of NATO-1/6 visa holder
O-1/2 or P-1/3	Aliens with Extraordinary Ability in Sciences, Arts, Education, Business, Athletics of Artists/Athletes
Q	Participant in an International Cultural Exchange Program
R	Religious Worker
TN & TD	NAFTA Professional & Spouse of Child of NAFTA Professional