Steps & Guidelines For Obtaining A U.S. Visa

Step 1

To receive a letter of invitation from IDEA Health & Fitness Association, contact Steffi Habermann immediately at [email protected] or fill out the Letter of Invitation Form.

Step 2

Determine the type of visa you will need.

If you are traveling for less than 90 days from a qualified country, you may not need a Business (B-1) Visa. Currently, 38 countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). View a complete list of eligible countries.

Step 3

Schedule an interview appointment immediately with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate by telephone, mail, over the Internet or in person, depending on the circumstances in your country. Click here to locate the Embassy in your country.

Specific Visa appointment and processing wait times vary for each Embassy or Consulate. Click here to locate your city’s estimated wait time.

Step 4

Be sure to ask what fees are required and how they are to be paid. (Most fees are nonrefundable and must be paid prior to the appointment.)

Step 5

Get all your documentation ready:

• A valid passport
• Appropriate applications. Click here for a current list of forms.
• Documents to support the application: detailed employment, reason for travel and financial status
• Proof of payment of fees
• IDEA letter of invitation

Step 6

Submit your application, passport and supporting documents to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate on your scheduled interview date.

Step 7

In some cases, additional reviews will be required. Steps will vary from requests for additional interviews and information to official registration and fingerprinting. This may add at least 4–6 weeks to the processing time. Please plan accordingly and get the process started as early as possible.