Visa Procedures Booklet

Iberoamerican Leadership Congress 2011

Hosted by AIESEC Puerto Rico
March 18th to the 24th, 2011

Please read thoroughly.

Reference: www.travel.state.gov
 About Puerto Rico

Hey AIESECers!

It’s with great pleasure and excitement that AIESEC Puerto Rico brings you the
Iberoamerican Leadership Congress 2011. This is our first ILC 2011 delegate
booklet and one of our main concerns is the visa procedure for Puerto Rico and
we want for this area to run smoothly for every delegate. This is why it’s
important that you read this booklet and clear any doubts at the webpage of the
embassy you are applying.

Puerto Rico is a self-governing unincorporated territory of the United States

located in the northeastern Caribbean Sea, east of the Dominican Republic and
west of the Virgin Islands. Puerto Rico has been under U.S. sovereignty for over
a century and Puerto Ricans have been U.S. citizens since 1917.

Both Spanish and English are the official languages, the local currency is the
U.S. dollar, and no visas or passports are required to enter Puerto Rico from the
United States. This means that you have to apply for the visa appointment in the
U.S. embassy of your country or the country you are currently in. There’s no
Puerto Rican embassy and all these procedures are done through the United
States.

For United States citizens or people traveling directly from the

United States:
No passport is required for traveling to the island if you’re
coming from the U.S. It’s considered a domestic flight so
you only will need a valid ID.
 Visa Information for the United States
YOU MUST APPLY FOR THE B-1/B-2 VISA/combination of both (B-1/B-2)purposes.
This falls under the category: Visitor Visa.
(B-1)Business Visitor Visa If the purpose for your planned travel is to consult with business associates, travel for a
scientific, educational, professional or business convention, or conference on specific dates, settle an estate, or negotiate a
contract.
(B-2) Pleasure, Tourism, Medical Treatment Visitor Visa If the purpose of your planned travel is recreational in
nature, including tourism, amusement, visits with friends or relatives, rest, medical treatment, activities of a fraternal, social,
or service nature, and participation by amateurs, who will receive no remuneration, in musical, sports and similar events or
contests.

Qualifying for a Visitor Visa
There are specific requirements, which must be
met by applicants to qualify for a visitor visa
under provisions of the Immigration and
Nationality Act. The consular officer at the
embassy or consulate will determine whether
you qualify for the visitor visa.
The presumption in the law is that every
visitor visa applicant is an intending
immigrant. Therefore, applicants for
visitor visas must overcome this
presumption by demonstrating that:
1. The purpose of their trip is to
enter the U.S. for business,
pleasure, or medical treatment;

1. That they plan to remain for a

specific, limited period;

1. Evidence of funds to cover

expenses in the United States;

1. Evidence of compelling social and

economic ties abroad; and

1. That they have a residence

outside the U.S. as well as other
binding ties that will insure their
return abroad at the end of the
visit.
 Applying for a Visitor Visa
Applicants for visitor visas should generally
apply the U.S. Embassy or Consulate with
jurisdiction over their place of permanent
residence. Although visa applicants may
apply at any U.S. consular office abroad, it
may be more difficult to qualify for the visa
outside the country of permanent residence.

Visa applications are now subject to a

greater degree of review than in the
past so it is important to apply for your
visa well in advance of your travel
departure date for ILC 2011.
As part of the visa application process, an
interview at the embassy consular section is
required for visa applicants from age 14
through 79, with few exceptions.

Making your appointment for an

interview is the first step in the visa
application process.

The waiting time for an interview

appointment for applicants can vary, so
early visa application is strongly
encouraged. Visa wait times for interview
appointments and visa processing time
information for each U.S. Embassy or
Consulate worldwide is available on the
department of State’s website at
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wait/wait_
4638.html and on most embassy websites.

During the visa application process, usually at the interview, an

ink-free, digital fingerprint scan will be quickly taken. Some visa
applications require further administrative processing, which takes
additional time after the visa applicant’s interview by a Consular
Officer.
 Required Documentation

Each applicant for a visitor visa must submit these forms and
documentation as explained below:

1. Online Nonimmigrant Visa

Electronic Application, Form DS-
160. Visit the Department of State
page at DS-160 webpage
(http://travel.state.gov/visa/forms/for
ms_4230.html) to learn more about
the DS-160 online process.

2. A passport valid for travel to the

United States and with a validity
date at least six months beyond the
applicant's intended period of stay in
the United States (unless country-
specific agreements provide
exemptions).

3. One (1) 2x2 photograph. See the

required photo format explained in
Nonimmigrant Photograph
Requirements at the Department of
State page
(http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/info
/info_1287.html) or the embassy page
 Visa Wait Times
(Retrieved August 31, 2010)

Remember that not necessarily it’s going to be this

amount of days. To check for updated day
estimates and other countries waiting times enter:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wait/wait_463
8.html or your embassy or consulate webpage.
 Visa Waiver Program
Travelers coming to the U.S.
for tourism or business for 90
days or less from qualified
countries may be eligible to
visit the U.S. without a visa if
they meet the visa waiver
program requirements.
Currently, 36 countries
participate in the Visa Waiver
Program, as shown on the table.

Nationals of VWP countries

must meet eligibility
requirements to travel without a
visa on VWP, and therefore,
some travelers from VWP
countries are not eligible to use
the program.

Detailed information about this program is

available at the Department of State webpage:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_199
0.html
 Websites of U.S. embassies and consulates

Learn how to schedule an

appointment for an interview, pay
the application processing fee,
review embassy specific
instructions, and much more by
visiting the U.S. Embassy or
Consulate website where you will
apply.

The Department of State’s Please note that even though

recommended first source of there may be a consulate in your
visa information is this Visa city you probably have to have
Services internet site. It is the interview at the capital city of
also recommended that you your country where the Embassy
review the Embassy Consular is often located. Check for the
internet site, for the country specific instructions regarding the
where you will be applying process of your country in the
for your visa. webpage.
All countries can find the website to their
respective embassy or consulate here:
http://www.usembassy.gov/
 ILC 2011 process for applying for the Visa

1. Get the approval of the MC of your respective country and AI to

participate as a delegate for ILC 2011.

2. Make your appointment for an interview at the USA Embassy or

Consulate of your country or the country you are currently
in. Applicants will have to pay the full fee in effect on the day they
apply, which is approximately $140 USD.
Important:
3. Notify the CCVP Delegates of ILC
Invitation Letters will
Puerto Rico the following information:
only be sent out to
• full name
approved delegates.
• passport number
The letter from the
• birth date
Department of State is
• nationality
sent directly to the
• embassy where you’re applying
embassy not to the
• appointment date
delegate.
1. The day of your appointment the Invitation Letter from the
Department of State of Puerto Rico will be at the embassy. This letter
is sent directly because is signed by an official of the Department of
State, if you request it we can send you personally an Invitation Letter
signed by the CCP Yesenia de Jesús Oquendo.

5. Notify the CCVP Delegates if your Visa was approved or declined.

Note: AIESEC Puerto Rico, non-for-profit organization,

is not responsible for the denial of Visas with the
intention of visiting Puerto Rico for the Iberoamerican
Leadership Congress 2011. The letter does not
guarantee Visa approval.
 Tips for the Visa interview

1. Have a defined budget for your trip to Puerto Rico because they’re looking for
evidence of funds to cover expenses in the United States. Keep in mind:
• Fee for 7 days and 6 nights is $250 USD + $25 USD
• Food (per meal):
Budget: $8- 12
Moderate: $13-20
High: $25+
• Accommodations:
Budget: $65-85/night
Moderate: $90.00-150.00/night
High: $160-200+/night
• Beverage:
Beer: $2-4
Soda: $1-2
Drinks (alcohol): $3-7 (varies)
Juice: $1.50-3
• Taxis in the metro area (San Juan, Condado, Isla Verde) is $1.90 per Mile.
• Currency exchange site http://www.xe.com/ucc/. Remember we use US
Dollars (USD).

2. Bring prove that you are currently studying, working, financial situation and family
ties in your country. Examples of documents you can bring are a letter form your
employer, bank statements that can prove your financial situation or documents
related to your family ties like birth or baptism certificates issued in the past three
months. Information that can show you have strong binding ties with the country is
beneficial. Remember that you have to overcome the presumption that you are an
intending immigrant.

3. Be ready to answer questions about your family and their work, your household
income, your studies, your work, AIESEC, your reasons for coming to Puerto Rico,
the exact days you’re staying and where you are staying. It is essential that you are
able to describe a clear, coherent travel plan and provide accurate answers to all
written and oral questions.
 Available discounts for your flights

Receive a 15% discount

of your flight to ILC Puerto
Rico when you book it
with Copa Airlines to San
Juan (SJU).

Just enter the promotional

code: C3230

Receive a 5% discount of your

flight to ILC Puerto Rico when
you book it with American
Airlines to San Juan (SJU).

Just enter the promotional code:

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 Contacts

If you need more information

write to the CC at
ilcpr2011.aiesec@gmail.com

Specific doubts about visa:

CCVP Delegates Naihomy at
n.alamo@aiesec.net

CCP Yesenia de Jesús at

yesenia.dejesus@aiesec.net