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G & NATO Visa
Diplomat, Foreign Official, Employee of International Organization, Employees and Officials of NATO
Overview
Apply
Pay Fees
Schedule an Interview
Local Information
Application Status

Overview

Based on your responses, you should apply for a G or a NATO visa. This means that you are planning to visit the United States as a:

Diplomat, government official, or employee who will work for international organizations in the United States, or an official or employee of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) who will work for NATO in the United States.

International Organization Employees

To receive a G-1, G-2, G-3, or G-4 visa, you must be traveling to attend meetings at, visit, or work at a designated international organization.  If you are entitled to a G visa, under U.S. visa law, you must receive a G visa.  The exceptions to this rule are extremely limited.  International organization officials and employees requiring visas include:

        • G-1 – Permanent mission members of a recognized government to a designated international organization and their immediate family members
        • G-2 – Representatives of a recognized government traveling temporarily to the United States to attend meetings of a designated international organization and their immediate family members
        • G-3 – Representatives of non-recognized or non-member governments and their immediate family members
        • G-4 – Individuals coming to the United States to take up an appointment at a designated international organization, including the United Nations, and their immediate family members
        • G-5 – May be issued to personal employees or domestic workers of a G-1 – 4 visa holders. Select Personal Employees to learn more.

Designated Organizations List – Review the authorized list of designated International Organizations in the Foreign Affairs Manual (9 FAM 402.3-7(N)).

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

To receive a NATO-1, NATO-2, NATO-3, NATO-4, NATO-5, or NATO-6 visa, you must be traveling to the United States under the applicable provision of the Agreement on the Status of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or the Protocol on the Status of International Military Headquarters Set Up Pursuant to the North Atlantic Treaty.  This includes national representatives, international staff, and immediate family members.  Personal employees or domestic workers of a NATO-1 – 6 visa holder may be issued NATO-7 visas.  Select Personal Employees to learn more.

Passport and Visa Exemptions for NATO Forces – Many armed forces personnel are exempt from passport and visa requirements if they are:

        • Attached to NATO Allied Headquarters in the United States and are traveling on official business; or
        • Entering the United States under the NATO Status of Forces Agreement.

When traveling in visa-exempt status, such personnel generally enter the United States by military aircraft or naval vessel.  You must present your official military identification card and NATO travel orders. Note: Immediate family members are not included in the passport and visa exemption.  Therefore, when family members are traveling with you or who will join you at a later date, each person must have a passport and NATO-2 visa to enter the United States.

G and NATO Visas Required for Official Travel

International organizations and NATO officials and employees traveling to the United States to engage in official duties or activities must enter the United States with a G-1 – 4 or NATO-1 – 6 visa.  International organization and NATO officials and employees traveling for official purposes are not permitted to enter the United States on any other visa category or under the Visa Waiver Program.  Please note that U.S. law requires international organization and NATO officials and employees and their qualified immediate family members to receive G-1 – 6 or NATO-1 – 7 visas if entitled. Exceptions are extremely limited.

For more details on a G or NATO visa, visit Travel.State.gov.

Be sure to view local information below to determine fees and payment process and additional requirements.

Apply

Complete the Online Visa Application

        • Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160 – You must: 1) complete the online visa application and 2) print the application form confirmation page to bring to your interview.
        • Photo – You will upload your photo while completing the online Form DS-160. Your photo must be in the format explained in the Photograph Requirements.

You should have the following documents available while you complete your DS-160:

        • Passport
        • Travel itinerary if you have already made travel arrangements.
        • Dates of your last five visits or trips to the United States if you have previously travelled to the United States. You may also be asked for your international travel history for the past five years.
        • Résumé or Curriculum Vitae – You may be required to provide information about your current and previous education and work history.
        • Other Information – Some applicants, depending on the intended purpose of travel, will be asked to provide additional information when completing the DS-160.

After you have completed your DS-160, gather the required documentation

        • Passport valid for travel to the United States – Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your period of stay in the United States (unless exempt by country-specific agreements). If more than 1 person is included in your passport, each person who needs a visa must submit a separate application.
        • Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160 confirmation page (For applicants applying outside the United States)
        • Photo – You will upload your photo while completing the online Form DS-160. Your photo must have been taken within the past six months, and must be the format explained in the Photograph Requirements.
        • A diplomatic note and/or travel orders – This document provides written confirmation from the international organization or NATO of your status and your official purpose for coming to the United States.  The diplomatic note and/or travel orders submitted with any G or NATO visa application outside the United States, and for any request for a change into such visa status in the United States, must include the following information:
          • the officer’s or employee’s name, date of birth, position and title, the international organization or office where the individual will be serving, the purpose of travel, a brief description of his or her duties, travel date, and the anticipated length of stay in the United States, and
          • the names, relationships, and dates of birth of any dependents and other members of household who will be accompanying or joining the officer or employee.
        • For an immediate family member applying separate from the principal visa applicant – A copy of both the visa and I-94 (both front and back) for the principal visa holder is required. If the principal visa applicant entered the U.S. after the automation of Form I-94, and his/her Arrival/Departure Record was created electronically, a photocopy of his/her admission stamp can be provided to the family member applying separately. Alternatively, the principal applicant may obtain a paper Form I-94 at http://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/i-94-instructions and provide it to the family member applying separately.

For more information on the DS-160 please visit the Travel.State.gov FAQ page.

Pay Fees (Prices in U.S. Dollars)

Individuals who qualify for an official visa classification (A, G, C-3, NATO) are exempt from paying visa fees.

Schedule an Interview

Schedule an interview online (using the barcode of your Form DS-160) and print the appointment confirmation. Because of space limitations in our public waiting area, only the person with an appointment for an interview will be admitted. Exceptions: Parents or guardians of a minor child who has an appointment, a caregiver for a disabled person, and young children accompanying the person with an appointment will be allowed to enter the waiting area.

Applicants aged 14 – 79 are required (some exceptions for renewals) to book one interview slot each and appear in person for an interview with a consular officer. While an interview is generally not required for children aged 13 and younger or for adults aged 80 and older, please keep in mind that a consular officer can require any applicant to appear for an interview. When submitting an application for a non-present child, the person present at the interview should bring the child’s birth certificate or family book as a supporting document.

Local Information

Please read the information in this section carefully.  It contains location-specific information that you will need to know when applying for your Visa.

Select the country or area where you will apply for your visa:


    Application Status

    You can check the status of your visa application on ceac.state.gov.

    Some visa applications may require further administrative processing, which takes additional time after the visa applicant’s interview by a consular officer. Applicants are advised of this requirement when they apply. When administrative processing is required, the timing will vary based on the individual circumstances of each case.