LAST UPDATED: November 3, 2021
We understand your concerns about visas and travel about the continuing impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We hope that this information will help answer your questions.
Due to the volume of inquiries we receive, we are only able to respond to individual questions that are not answered on this page or elsewhere on our website. Therefore, please carefully review these FAQs to find the information you require. Any updates on travel restrictions and visa operations will be posted on this page, so please bookmark this page, and check back regularly.
We are in the process of working on cases that have been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will contact applicants if we require further information. We ask that you continue to monitor our website for updates.
Please read the General Information in full, and then navigate to the Nonimmigrant Visa, Immigrant Visa or Fiancé(e) Visa section as appropriate for more information.
General Information
Is the U.S. Embassy in Burkina Faso conducting visa interview appointments?
- Routine services for U.S. citizens have resumed. Visit the U.S. Citizen Services section of this website for details on services and appointment information.
- Immigrant visa appointments have resumed. Please contact OuagaIV@state.gov for more information.
- For DNA appointment information, please contact OuagaIV@state.gov for further details.
- All nonimmigrant visas services resumed on October 26, 2021.
- The U.S. Mission to Burkina understands that many visa applicants have paid the visa application processing fee and are still waiting to schedule a visa appointment. Visa applicants who previously paid the visa application processing fee but were unable to schedule a visa appointment due to the suspension of routine consular operations, may schedule a visa appointment with no additional fee.
- For processing fees paid between March 20, 2020, and October 25, 2021, the U.S. Mission will extend the validity of your payment (the MRV fee) until September 30, 2023. Fees paid on or after October 26, 2021, are valid for one year from their date of purchase.
Are there any restrictions for travelers entering the United States?
Starting November 8, 2021, all foreign national travelers must demonstrate proof of COVID-19 vaccination and a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 24 hours of departure. Please read more on current travel restrictions here.
Please refer to the Department of Homeland Security for all of the latest travel restrictions that may affect you. You can also find more information about COVID-19 in Burkina Faso on the Embassy’s COVID-19 Information page.
Will I be required to self-quarantine after I enter the United States?
The Department of State recommends that travelers review the Center U.S. for Disease Control website CDC website for the most up-to-date information regarding quarantine regulations.
I’m in the United States and I’m worried about overstaying my authorized period of admission. What should I do?
If you are in the United States, please visit the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website for information about how to apply to extend your stay. While you are in the United States, any questions about your status are a matter for USCIS, not the Embassy. Information and contact details can be found on the USCIS website.
I scheduled an appointment at the Embassy. What do I need to know about attending the appointment?
Due to the impact of COVID-19, everyone must wear a face mask while on Embassy premises. You can choose to buy a mask or make your own. Visit the CDC website for information about how to make a face covering (sew and no-sew tutorials are available). You will also be expected to maintain social distancing throughout the duration of your appointment.
You must not bring laptops or bags to your appointment as they are not permitted into the building and there are no storage facilities available. To save time, we recommend that you keep the number of small bags and belongings that you bring with you to an absolute minimum.
If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to the virus, you must reschedule your appointment online.
Can I have a refund?
As explained at the time of fee payment, visa fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Visa applicants who previously paid the visa application processing fee but were unable to schedule a visa appointment due to the suspension of routine consular operations may schedule and attend a visa appointment with no additional payments. For processing fees paid between March 20, 2020, and October 25, 2021, the U.S. Mission extends the validity of your payment (known as the MRV fee) until September 30, 2023. Fees paid on or after October 26, 2021, are valid for one year from their date of purchase.
If you have attended your visa interview, the application fee was levied to cover the costs of adjudicating and processing the application. No refund is possible. Please see the relevant section below for information about visa validity, provided that your new purpose of travel is consistent with the type of visa you hold.
I have a question about my existing visa application
If you have any questions about a visa application that was submitted before implementation of the travel restrictions and the answer is not yet provided in these FAQs or elsewhere on our website, please continue to monitor our website for the latest updates. You may contact us to request case-specific information. If your application is subject to additional administrative processing, or under review pending a decision on a waiver of ineligibility or for any other reason, that will remain the status of your case until further notice.
Please refer to the appropriate section below for additional information related to specific visa categories.
Specific Information for Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants and Nonimmigrant Visa Holders
My interview for a nonimmigrant visa was cancelled. Can I get a refund?
A nonimmigrant visa fee is valid and may be used for a visa application in the country where it was purchased. Please note that visa fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. If you wish to apply for a visa through another embassy or consulate, you will be required to pay a new MRV fee and complete a new Form DS-160.
If you hold a valid F-1 or M-1 visa, please review the latest information on travel to the United States. Admission to the United States is a matter for CBP officials at the U.S. Port of Entry and all travelers are subject to questioning.
If you have a valid visa and you will be traveling to undertake OPT, you should carry your annotated Form I-20 and your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) in addition to your visa.
I have a valid student visa (F-1 or M-1). Can I travel to the United States?
Please review the CDC website if you have questions about quarantine regulations.
We strongly recommend that all current and prospective F-1 and M-1 students and study abroad advisers review the comprehensive Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) FAQ. This includes important new information about full course of study requirements and online learning, Form I-20, employment, and the SEVIS fee.
If you have a valid visa and you will be traveling to undertake OPT, you should carry your annotated Form I-20 and your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) in addition to your visa.
Can my nonimmigrant visa be extended?
Nonimmigrant visas cannot be extended. However, most nonimmigrant visas are valid for several years. Please check the visa in your passport to confirm the validity period of the visa in your case.
If you are currently in the United States, please be aware that the expiration date of your visa has no bearing on your length of stay in the United States. Please check your I-94 record and the stamp in your passport for information about your authorized period of stay. Please contact USCIS for information about how to apply to extend your stay.
Specific Information for Immigrant Visa Applicants, Immigrant Visa Holders and LPRs
Is the Embassy open for immigrant visa appointments?
As of October 26, 2021, the Consular section has resumed all immigrant visa processing. Once your case arrives at the Embassy, we will contact you via email with further instructions.
Applicants are typically given 12 months in which to apply for the visa, starting from the date on which the Embassy’s Immigrant Visa Unit writes to them with instructions about the status of their case.
If you are applying for an immigrant visa and the case is being processed by NVC, please click here for more information on NVC processing, and visit your CEAC account (if applicable) for information. Please contact NVC directly using the online contact form on that website if you still have questions. The Embassy cannot answer any questions about NVC cases, including any questions about expedite options or about appointments.
Can my immigrant visa be extended?
Immigrant visas cannot be extended. However, if you are unable to travel within the validity period of your visa due to circumstances beyond your control, you can request visa reissuance.
If you were issued an immigrant visa at the Embassy that has now expired and you wish to move to the United States urgently, please contact OuagaIV@state.gov. Please provide the full names of the visa applicant(s) and the petitioner, plus the case number (typically OUG followed by ten digits).
We will send you information about how to submit your passport, visa package (if applicable) and a letter explaining why you were unable to travel and requesting visa reissuance. Please note that you may be required to undergo a new medical examination, submit updated documentation and photographs, and pay a new visa fee before the visa can be reissued.
I’m a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) and I’m currently outside the United States. What should I do?
If you are not in possession of your Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) and wish to travel to the United States, you may apply for a Transportation Boarding foil to facilitate boarding by the airline to transport you back to the U.S. Please contact OuagaIV@state.gov if you need to apply for a Transportation Boarding Foil.
If a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) remains outside the U.S. for more than 12 months (or beyond the validity period of a Reentry Permit obtained prior to departing the United States), they lose their entitlement to LPR status. Information about travel and maintaining permanent resident status is provided through the USCIS website.
Specific Information for Fiancé(e) Visa (K) Applicants and Fiancé(e) Visa Holders
Will my fiancé(e) visa case expire? / Can I continue with the application process?
U.S. Embassy in Ouagadougou has resumed routine K visa services. If your application has not yet begun processing with the embassy, please watch for instructions from OuagaIV@state.gov to proceed with your application.
If your application is being processed by the Embassy, applicants are given 12 months from the date on which the Embassy’s Immigrant Visa Unit writes to them with instructions about the status of their case in which to apply for the visa.
If you have been advised that your case file has been forwarded to the Embassy, please look out for an instruction email from the Consular Section.
If the fiancé(e) visa petition expires, you may revalidate the petition with a letter from the petitioner stating that you both remain legally free to marry and that you will do so within 90 days of your arrival in the United States. You should bring the letter with you to your visa interview in the future. Do not send it to the Embassy via mail or email.
Can I extend my K-1 visa?
Fiancé(e) visas cannot be extended. However, if you are unable to travel within the validity period of your visa due to circumstances beyond your control, you can request visa reissuance. If your unused visa has expired, please contact OuagaIV@state.gov to request visa reissuance. We will send you information about how to submit your passport, visa package (if applicable) and a letter explaining why you were unable to travel and requesting visa reissuance. Please note that you may be required to undergo a new medical examination, submit updated documentation, and pay a new visa fee before the visa can be reissued.
Any other questions
If you have any further questions about visas, please see our website for detailed information. Please note that we will be unable to respond if your question is addressed on our website. If you have question about flights, please contact your airline.