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Rapid Renewal: Waiver of Interview Requirement for Certain Visa Applicants

Under the new Rapid Renewal Program instituted by the U.S. Embassy in Lima, certain applicants for U.S. business and tourism visas may no longer be required to appear for a personal interview at the Embassy.  These applicants are “Interview Exempt”. 

Interview Exempt applicants who have not had their ten fingerprints taken at a prior visa interview will have to appear at the Embassy to give their fingerprints, and will be able to leave after the fingerprints have been taken. Read on to find out more about the Rapid Renewal Program.

Rapid Renewal - Who is Interview Exempt?

Effective May 1, 2009, a Peruvian citizen who is living in Peru may be Interview Exempt for a renewal of a B1/B2 visa (which authorizes normal business travel and tourism to the United States) if:

  • The applicant currently has an unexpired, ten-year, B1/B2 visa or a B1/B2 visa that expired less than 12 months before the application date;
  • The applicant is applying for another B1/B2 visa;
  • The applicant has not been denied a visa since they received their current B1/B2 visa;
  • The applicant has not had their most recent B1/B2 visa lost or stolen; and,
  • The applicant has complied with the immigration laws and regulations of the United States in the use of his or her prior visas.

For example, an applicant who received a ten-year B1/B2 (business/tourist) visa on December 12, 1999 (expiring December 11, 2009), and who wishes to renew his B1/B2 visa on December 10, 2010, will not be required to appear in person for a visa interview, because his previous B1/B2 visa will have expired less than 12 months before his visa application. If the same applicant sought to renew his B1/B2 visa on December 12, 2010, he/she would need to appear for a visa interview because the application date was more than 12 months after the expiration of the previous visa. If the same applicant was applying for an F-1 (student) visa, he/she would have to appear for a visa interview since the visa classification would be different.

Applicants who meet all of the conditions listed above may not need to come in for an interview. However, they must come to the Embassy only to have their fingerprints taken after scheduling the appointment through the Visa Information Service.

For further information and/or scheduling an appointment click here.

Rapid Renewal – Applicants 80 years old or older

If you have complied with all the above requirements and are 80 years old or older you must present the following:

  • Your valid passport.
  • Banco Continental receipt for the $131.00 application fee, payable in local currency (Nuevos Soles) at Banco Continental. The current cost is S/.395.00. The application fee must be paid within one year of the appointment date.
  • The Electronic Visa Application Form (EVAF) completed, signed, and dated. Please remember to print all 3 pages of the form (EVAF) to bring to the appointment.
  • 5x5 cm (2x2 inch) photograph, glued or stapled to the application form. The photograph must have been taken within the last six months; should not have been retouched (photoshop), the face must occupy half of the photograph; the subject must be facing the camera directly; the photo may be in color but the background must be white. You can find additional information on photo requirements on the State Department Photo Information Page.

You may apply by dropping your passport and documents at any one of the following DHL Worldwide Express offices between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday:

  • Lima: Los Castaños 225, San Isidro.
  • Trujillo: Almagro 579, Cercado.
  • Arequipa: Santa Catalina 115, Arequipa.
  • Cuzco: Av. El Sol 627-A, Cuzco.

 

Updated: September 21, 2009