Apply for an Expedited Appointment

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Overview

If you have an unforeseen travel need as per one of the criteria listed below, you may qualify for an expedited appointment depending on availability at the American Institute in Taiwan. It is important to ensure you meet one of the criteria below and that you provide the essential documentation/information in your request. Applicants are only allowed to create one expedited appointment request. 

Expedited appointments are reserved for U.S. travel.  Expedited appointments will NOT be approved to facilitate travel to other countries that recognize U.S. visas.  Expedited appointments are facilitating travels to the U.S.  For urgent travel to other countries, please obtain the appropriate visa from that country.

Qualifications

Before you apply for an expedited appointment, please confirm whether you need to apply for a visa. You may not need to apply for a new U.S. visa if you already hold a valid U.S. visa, or are a citizen of a Visa Waiver Program (VWP) partner (including Taiwan), or are qualified to Travel Without a Visa.  If a visa is needed, please also review the instructions here to see if you qualify for Drop-off service (Interview Waiver) which is faster and more convenient than interview service.

To apply for an expedited appointment, you must ensure that you have documentary evidence to prove the urgency. Failure to provide the essential documentation/information will result in denial of your request. If it appears during your visa interview that you misrepresented the reasons for urgent travel, such facts will be noted on your case file and may adversely influence the outcome of your visa application. Except for certain applicants who are not required to pay a visa application fee and can apply for a visa without scheduling an appointment, all applicants requesting an expedited appointment are required to first pay visa fees for a regular visa appointment. If you have not paid the visa application fee and you wish to request for an expedited appointment, we recommend that you pay your fee via ATM or EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) in order for the system to quickly verify your payment.

Medical Treatment

Purpose of travel is to obtain urgent medical care, or to accompany a relative or employer for urgent medical care.

Please include the below essential documentation/information in your request:

  • A letter from your doctor describing the medical condition and why you are seeking medical care in the United States.
  • A letter from the physician or hospital in the United States indicating that they are prepared to treat the case and providing the approximate cost of the treatment.
  • Evidence of how you will pay for the cost of the treatment.
  • If you are a citizen of a Visa Waiver Program partner (including Taiwan) or are qualified to Travel Without a Visa, please specify why you are unable to travel by ESTA under the VWP and/or why a visa is needed.
  • If a visa is needed, please specify why you are not qualified for Drop-off service (Interview Waiver).
Family Emergency: Funeral/Critical Illness

Purpose of travel is to visit an immediate relative who is critically ill, OR to attend the funeral of or make arrangements for repatriating the body of an immediate relative in the United States.

Please include the below essential documentation/information in your request:

  • A letter or other documentation from the U.S.-based physician or hospital, or
  • A letter from the funeral director stating the contact information, the details of the deceased, and the date of the funeral.
  • You must also present evidence showing your relationship to that immediate relative.
  • If you are a citizen of a Visa Waiver Program partner (including Taiwan) or are qualified to Travel Without a Visa, please specify why you are unable to travel by ESTA under the VWP and/or why a visa is needed.
  • If a visa is needed, please specify why you are not qualified for Drop-off service (Interview Waiver).
Urgent Business Travel

Purpose of travel is to attend to an urgent business matter where the travel requirement could not be predicted in advance.

Please include the below essential documentation/information in your request:

  • A letter of invitation from the corresponding company in the United States attesting to the urgency of the planned visit, describing the nature of the business and why the U.S. company will suffer a significant loss of opportunity if an expedited appointment is not available.
  • If you are a citizen of a Visa Waiver Program partner (including Taiwan) or are qualified to Travel Without a Visa, please specify why you are unable to travel by ESTA under the VWP and/or why a visa is needed.
  • If a visa is needed, please specify why you are not qualified for Drop-off service (Interview Waiver).
Students or exchange visitors

Students and exchange visitors (F, J, and M visa applicants) who cannot arrive at school before their program starting dates.

Please include the below essential documentation/information in your request:

  • A scanned copy of your Form I-20 or DS-2019.
  • Evidence that you have paid the SEVIS fee (when applicable).
  • Please specify why you are not qualified for Drop-off service (Interview Waiver).
E visa applicants with urgent travel need

If after you have scheduled an appointment you believe that your appointment may not meet your travel need, you can submit an expedited appointment request with the following information and documents.

Essential information/documentation:

  • Name of U.S. enterprise, business, or company:
  • Name of the parent company (if any):

    o Has anyone from this U.S. company ever been issued a treaty E-1 or E-2 visa?
    If yes, please provide name and date the most recent E visa was issued.
    o Are you applying as the principal applicant or as the family dependent?

  • Please specify why you are not qualified for Drop-off service (Interview Waiver).
  • A scanned copy of your DS-160 confirmation page.
  • A scanned copy of a letter from your company specifying the urgency of your travel.
Holders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel Card

Please include the below essential documentation/information in your request:

  • Please include in your request the date and purpose of your travel. Provide relevant supporting documents, such as invitation letter.
  • APEC Business Travel Card.
  • If you are a citizen of a Visa Waiver Program partner (including Taiwan) or are qualified to Travel Without a Visa, please specify why you are unable to travel by ESTA under the VWP and/or why a visa is needed.
  • If a visa is needed, please specify why you are not qualified for Drop-off service (Interview Waiver).

Members of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham)

If you are a member of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) and would like to apply for a B1/B2 visa for business travel purposes, you may qualify to apply for an expedited appointment for your visa interview. Please contact the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei on information regarding applying for a U.S. Visa.

Please include the below essential documentation/information in your request:

ESTA Denied

You may request an expedited visa appointment if you are a citizen of a Visa Waiver Program partner but you are no longer eligible to travel to the United States under that program. Such travelers include those who are dual nationals of Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Sudan or Syria; or those who have traveled to or been present in North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, or Yemen  on or after March 1, 2011; or those who have traveled to or been present in Cuba on or after January 12, 2021. Your travel must be imminent to qualify for an expedited appointment. 

Essential documentation:

  • Please include in your request the date and purpose of your travel.  Provide relevant supporting documents, such as invitation letter.
  • A copy of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection message you received regarding your ESTA status.
  • Please describe why you believe your ESTA application was denied.

Note: Expedited appointments are reserved for U.S. travel.  Expedited appointments will NOT be approved to facilitate travel to other countries that recognize U.S. visas.  Expedited appointments are facilitating travels to the U.S.  For urgent travel to other countries, please obtain the appropriate visa from that country.

Travel for the purpose of attending weddings and graduation ceremonies, assisting pregnant relatives, or enjoying last-minute tourism does not qualify for expedited appointments. For such travel, please schedule a regular visa appointment well in advance.

Applying for an Expedited Appointment

Step 1

Complete the Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application (DS-160) form.

Step 2

Create your profile and pay the visa application fee.  If you have not paid the visa application fee and you wish to request for an expedited appointment, we recommend that you pay your fee via ATM or EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) in order for the system to quickly process and verify your payment.  After your payment is made, please wait for the system to process your payment.  Wait times vary from several hours to two business days- depending on when and how your payment is made.  You can then go back to your online profile to register your payment by entering your 11-digit reference number listed on your receipt (ignore the first three digits: 136).

Step 3

Schedule an appointment online  for the earliest available date. Please note that you must schedule an appointment before you can request an expedited date.

If you wish to proceed with requesting an expedited appointment, then complete the Expedited Request. The option to request for an Expedited Appointment is located on the left side of your dashboard and this option is only available after you have already scheduled an appointment. Please select the Emergency Request option to proceed with the submission of your emergency appointment request.

At the time you request an expedited appointment, you will see an onscreen message showing the earliest available appointment date, which includes expedited appointments. Accordingly, you may find that it is not necessary to request an expedited appointment because there no earlier dates available.

Please be sure to note the type of urgency you believe qualifies you for an expedited appointment and to attach the essential documentation/information as listed above. Failure to provide this information will result in denial of your request. Once you have submitted your request together with documents in support of your request, please wait for a response from the American Institute in Taiwan, which will come via email.

Step 4

If the American Institute in Taiwan approves your request then you will receive an email alerting you to schedule your expedited appointment online . Please understand that the call center cannot schedule your expedited appointment for you, but agents are able to assist you if questions arise. Should the American Institute in Taiwan deny your request for an expedited appointment, you will be notified of the denial by email and you should keep your existing appointment.

Note: The email confirming or denying your request will come from no-reply@ustraveldocs.com. Some email applications have rules which filter unknown senders into a spam or junk mail folder. If you have not received your email notification, please look for the message in your junk and spam email folders.

Step 5

Visit the American Institute in Taiwan the date and time of your visa interview. You will need to bring a printed copy of your appointment letter, your Form DS-160 confirmation page, one photograph taken within the last six months, your current and old passports, and other required supporting documents for your visa type. Applications without all of these items will not be accepted.