The US Embassy in Accra has explained which applicants may seek an expedited nonimmigrant visa interview and outlined the process they must follow.
On Friday, November 6, the Embassy said urgent appointments may be considered for emergency medical treatment, the death of a family member or unexpected, pressing business travel.
Applicants must provide a detailed explanation of their circumstances and submit documents supporting the request. The number of expedited appointments is limited, and the Embassy said it could not guarantee an interview before the applicant’s intended travel date.
The Embassy’s nonimmigrant visa page lists one additional qualifying situation not included in Friday’s post: admission to an exchange or academic programme at a university with under 15 per cent international enrolment, where the programme is due to begin soon.
However, the State Department’s appointment guidance says several reasons do not qualify for an expedited interview. These include attending a wedding or graduation ceremony, assisting a pregnant relative, travelling to an annual conference and making a last-minute tourism trip. Applicants in those circumstances must arrange a normal appointment in advance.
An approved expedite changes only the interview date. It does not mean the visa application itself has been approved.
How to apply
Applicants must first have a regular appointment before the Embassy will consider an emergency request.
They should complete the online nonimmigrant visa application, form DS-160, pay the visa fee and book the earliest available regular interview through usvisaappt.com.
After signing in, applicants should open My Dashboard, select My Appointment Requests and then choose View Details.
The next step is to select Create Emergency Request. The form requires the applicant to state the reason for the request, give the travel date, describe the emergency and upload the relevant supporting documents.
If the request is approved, the Embassy will send an email. Applicants must then sign in again, open My Dashboard, select Reschedule under My Appointments and choose an available date and time from the calendar.
If the request is refused, an email will also be sent, but the original appointment will remain active. Applicants should take all documents required for their visa category to that interview.
Warning over visa agents
The Embassy has warned applicants not to pay fixers or visa consultants.
In a post dated June 17, 2025, it said: “We wish to emphasize that you do not need the services of a fixer or visa consultant to apply for a U.S. visa! This can be done directly through our official website at no extra cost.
“It is important to note that no fixer or consultant can guarantee a visa. Any such promises are deceptive and intended to defraud you!”
Appointment-related questions should be sent to the Embassy’s published address, ghana@usvisaappt.com, rather than to a private agent.
The warning follows the rescue in Nigeria of 11 Ghanaians who had each paid GH¢40,000 for promised Canadian and Spanish visas.
VFS Global has also said agents cannot sell an earlier appointment or guarantee a visa decision for the countries it serves. US interviews are booked only through usvisaappt.com.
