Diplomatic and Official Visa Application

The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy Caracas would like to provide the diplomatic community with the required information in order to process your visa requests expeditiously.  Our Diplomatic Window is open between 14:00 and 15:00 on business days.  Following is the Consular Calendar listing of all holiday and administrative days when Consular Offices are closed: http://caracas.usembassy.gov/hours-of-operation.html

Below are the general requirements for Foreign Missions accredited in Venezuela when requesting a visa for official or diplomatic travel to the United States.

Applicant must be a diplomat accredited by the Venezuelan government to a Mission in Venezuela. 

Applicants must submit the following:

• Diplomatic, official and/or regular passport
• All applicants must provide a 2x2 inch (5x5 cm) photograph, full face frontal view against white background.
• Applicant must have completed the DS-160 form online and present a printout with the Diplomatic Note
• Present a Diplomatic Note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or from a diplomatic mission within Embassy Caracas’ Consular District. The Diplomatic Note needs to list the Principal Applicant, any accompanying family members, and must include the following information:
  • The exact travel dates or length of tour;
  • Applicant’s specific destination in the U.S.;
  • Job title of applicant;
  • Brief job description of the applicant (duties and responsibilities);
  • Applicant’s specific purpose of travel.

We kindly thank you in advance for helping us to serve you efficiently with the above-referenced information provided.

Diplomatic Visa types:

A1: This classification includes individuals who are accredited by a USG-recognized government, assigned to a diplomatic mission or a consular post established in the United States.

• Does not pay consular fee.
• Does not need fingerprinting

A2: This classification covers a range of other foreign official government personnel.  Most of these individuals fall into two general categories:  Full-time staff employees at embassies, consulates, or miscellaneous foreign government offices (MFGOs), and individuals traveling on short-term (less than 90 days) official business on behalf of the national government.  Full-time employees at embassies or consulates who do not have diplomatic or consular officer titles and are primarily engaged in administrative or technical staff duties are also eligible for A-2 status. (Comment: Under some circumstances, military personnel may be eligible for an A-2 to undergo training at a U.S. military facility).

• Does NOT pay consular fee.
• Does NOT need fingerprinting.

A3: Personal employees of individuals in A-1 or A-2 status are classifiable as A-3

• Does NOT pay consular fees.
• Fingerprinting is required.
• A personal interview is required.
• See final note.

G1: This classification covers members of a government's permanent mission to a designated IO (for example, the Venezuelan mission to the United Nations or the Bolivian mission to the Organization of American States). A peculiar feature of G-1 classification is that it applies to members of any rank, so it goes from government mission secretaries and drivers all the way to the Ambassador of a government's mission to an IO, all of them could be eligible for G-1 status.

• Does NOT pay consular fees.
• Does NOT need fingerprinting.

G2: This classification covers representatives of recognized governments who are sent temporarily to attend meetings at a designated IO (for example, to attend the UN General Assembly on behalf of a recognized government) or who are sent as TDY officers to a government's mission to an IO.

• Does NOT pay consular fees.
• Does NOT need fingerprinting.

G4: This classification covers personnel of any rank appointed to a designated IO based in the United States, traveling temporarily to the United States on official business on behalf of a designated IO, or transiting the United States on behalf of an IO.  G-4 applicants are full-time employees of the designated IO, rather than officials or employees of a particular government.

• Does NOT pay consular fees.
• Does NOT need fingerprinting.

G5: Personal employees of individuals in G-1 through G-4 status are classifiable as G-5

• Does NOT pay consular fees.
• Fingerprinting is required.
• A personal interview is required.
• See final note.

C3: An accredited official of a foreign government, the official’s immediate family, and his or her attendants, domestic employees or personal employees seeking solely to pass through the United States on official business should be classified as C3.

• Does NOT pay consular fees.
• Does NOT need fingerprinting.

B1/B2: Additional requirements for diplomats applying for a tourist visa:

• All tourist visas require fingerprinting.
• A tourist visa on a Diplomatic Passport does not pay consular fees.
• A tourist visa on an regular passport must pay consular fees (applicant must show the DS-160 confirmation page in order to make the $140 payment at Banco Provincial).

Final Note: U.S. Law (22CFR/9 FAM 41.22 N4, Aliens Entitled to A-3 or G-5 Classification, CT: VISA-1438; 06-02-2010) requires that domestic workers be properly registered with the Office of Foreign Mission Management Information System (TOMIS) of the Department of State before applying for an A3 or G5 visa. Hence, the foreign mission to the U.S./U.N. and other international organizations, such as the World Bank Group must complete and send the following notifications to the Protocol Office of the Department of State for action:

• Pre-notification of Employer at foreign mission (foreign officials or diplomats who will be assigned to the U.S.),
• Pre-notification of a Domestic Worker.

An A3 or G5 visa applicant can apply only after TOMIS registration. It is the employer's responsibility to ensure that TOMIS registration is complete and all other aspects of U.S. immigration, labor, and wage laws, are satisfied before seeking an A3 or G5 visa for a domestic worker. Consular officers must confirm compliance with TOMIS registration and other requirements of US. law before approving any visa.