How much does a US visa application cost?

For the most common categories — B1/B2 tourist/business, F1 student, and J1 exchange visas — the standard application (MRV) fee is $185, paid before your interview is booked.

Is there a minimum bank balance required to get a US visa?

No. There's no official minimum. An applicant with a healthy six-figure balance can still be refused, while someone with a comparatively modest but well-documented income can be approved — what matters is whether your finances plausibly and consistently support your stated trip, not a specific number.

What language is the visa interview conducted in?

Most posts offer an interpreter or accept the local language alongside English. In Turkey, both the US Embassy in Ankara and the Consulate General in Istanbul conduct interviews in Turkish or English, at the applicant's choice.

What's the most common reason a US visa gets refused?

A refusal under INA Section 214(b) — the consular officer wasn't convinced the applicant has strong enough ties to their home country to return after the trip. It's by far the most common outcome behind a refusal.

My B1/B2 visa is valid for 10 years — can I stay in the US that long?

No. The 10-year validity only describes how long the visa lets you request entry — not how long you can stay. A CBP officer sets your permitted stay at the border each time you enter, typically up to 180 days, recorded on your I-94.

Can I renew a US visa without a new interview?

In many cases, yes. If your previous visa expired within the last 12 months and you're applying for the same category, you may qualify for an interview-waiver renewal processed by mail. Eligibility isn't automatic and is decided case by case.

US Visa FAQ: Your Top Questions Answered

Q: Do official or service (green) passport holders still need a US visa?

Yes, for any nationality. Regardless of passport type — ordinary, official, or service — there's no passport-type exemption for standard nonimmigrant travel; Turkish citizens, like everyone else, need an approved visa.

Applying for a US visa raises a lot of the same questions, regardless of whether you’re planning a vacation, a family visit, or a business trip. This FAQ collects the ones we hear most often — organized by stage, from your first application to what happens if you’re refused — with links to our full guides wherever a question deserves more than a short answer, plus specifics for applicants from Turkey where the process is location-dependent.

Applying: The Basics

How do I actually apply for a US visa? Every nonimmigrant application follows the same three stages: complete the DS-160 form, pay the application fee and book your interview through USTravelDocs, and attend your interview at the consulate. See our full step-by-step application guide for the details of each stage.

What is the DS-160 form? It’s the free online application every nonimmigrant visa applicant must submit at ceac.state.gov — the only official site for it. It takes about 90 minutes on average and forms the backbone of your interview. Our DS-160 guide walks through it section by section.

Is my local US consulate currently accepting and processing applications? In almost all cases, yes — most posts worldwide continue normal operations. In Turkey specifically, both the Ankara and Istanbul posts continue to accept, process, and decide nonimmigrant visa applications. What actually varies over time is appointment availability, which shifts with demand throughout the year (more on that below).

How much does a US visa cost? $185 for the most common categories, including B1/B2 tourist/business, F1 student, and J1 exchange. Other categories run higher. See our full fee breakdown for every category and how to pay.

Do I need a minimum bank balance to qualify? No. There’s no official minimum you’re required to show. What’s actually assessed is whether your finances plausibly and consistently support your stated trip — a healthy balance with an unstable income can be refused, while a modest but well-documented and stable income can be approved.

Do official or service (green) passport holders still need a visa? Yes, without exception, for any nationality. An official or service passport doesn’t create a visa exemption — regardless of passport type, you need an approved visa to travel to the US for standard nonimmigrant purposes (Turkish citizens included).

Appointments and Interviews

How do I book my interview? Through USTravelDocs, the official appointment platform that replaced the older AIS system. You’ll register an account, pay the application fee, and select an available date.

How far out are appointments right now? It genuinely depends on the consulate and the season, and can range from under a month to considerably longer during high-demand periods. Rather than quote a number that will be outdated by the time you read this, check current availability directly through USTravelDocs — and see our guide on what “No Appointments Available” actually means if you’re running into that message.

What language is the interview conducted in? Most posts worldwide offer an interpreter or accept the local language alongside English — in Turkey, both posts conduct interviews in Turkish or English, at your choice. See our interview guide for what to expect and the questions that come up most.

Is a US visa hard to get? Procedurally, no — there’s no large document-collection burden. What determines the outcome is whether your profile and answers convince the officer you’ll return home. Our longer answer to this exact question breaks down which profiles tend to sail through and which struggle.

Can someone who doesn’t work still get a US visa? Yes, with a financial sponsor. A close family member can support the application financially, and the case is then evaluated on the strength of the applicant’s other ties and circumstances rather than their own income.

Refusals and Reapplying

What’s the most common reason for refusal? A refusal under Section 214(b) — the officer wasn’t convinced you have strong enough ties to your home country to return after your trip. It’s the outcome behind the large majority of US visa refusals worldwide, Turkey included.

Does a refusal or visa history from another country show up on my US application? It can, for a specific group of countries. The UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand share visa and immigration data with the US, so a refusal or pending case there can surface during your interview. Schengen (EU) visa applications and refusals generally do not appear on the US side.

Does having traveled to a country the US views as politically sensitive hurt my application? Not on its own. Which countries you’ve traveled to doesn’t disqualify you — what matters is being able to explain any travel consistently and credibly if it comes up.

How soon can I reapply after a refusal? There’s no mandatory waiting period, but reapplying immediately with an unchanged profile tends to produce the same result. How long it’s worth waiting depends heavily on what likely caused the refusal — our 214(b) guide covers this in more detail.

After Approval

How long after my interview until I get my passport back? Following the standard timeline, an approved visa is typically printed within 3 business days, with the passport reaching you in an average of 10 days. See our full processing time guide for what can extend this.

My B1/B2 visa is valid for 10 years — does that mean I can stay 10 years? No — this is one of the most common misunderstandings. The 10-year validity only describes how long the visa lets you request entry; a CBP officer decides your permitted stay each time you actually enter, typically up to 180 days, recorded on your I-94. Our B1/B2 guide covers validity versus permitted stay in full.

Can I renew my visa without a new interview? In many cases, yes — if your previous visa expired within the last 12 months and you’re applying for the same category, you may qualify for a mail-in, interview-waiver renewal. This isn’t automatic and is assessed case by case, so confirm your specific eligibility before assuming it applies.

Can I use ESTA instead of applying for a visa? Only if you’re a citizen of one of the roughly 41 Visa Waiver Program countries. Turkey isn’t part of that program, so Turkish citizens — like the large majority of nationalities — need a DS-160 and a full visa application no matter how short the planned trip is.

Do I need a consultant to apply? Not legally — you can complete the DS-160 and pay the fee yourself. Whether it’s worth having help depends on your situation; our honest breakdown of what a consultant actually does can help you decide.

Still Have Questions?

If your situation doesn’t fit neatly into the answers above, that’s normal — most real applications have some detail specific to the applicant’s own profile. Request a free pre-assessment and we’ll walk through your specific case directly.