Non-Immigrant Visas
General Information
Citizens of Guatemala who wish to visit the U.S. temporarily must apply for a non-immigrant visa. Persons traveling for business or pleasure receive B1/B2 visas, which are good for up to 10 years. Separate categories of visas exist for students, exchange visitors, diplomats, religious workers, temporary workers, travelers transiting U.S. airports, and others.
For tourists, business travelers, and most other categories of visitors, U.S. immigration law presumes that every visa applicant plans to immigrate to the United States. Therefore, applicants must disprove that presumption by demonstrating:
• They have a well-established residence outside the U.S.
• They have a realistic, logical reason to visit the U.S.
• They plan to stay in the U.S. for a specific, limited time.
• They have sufficient resources of their own to cover the cost of the trip, regardless of whether or not a relative or friend wants to help pay for their travel.
Non-Immigrant Visa Unit Contact Information and Hours
The non-immigrant visa unit is located within the consular section of the U.S. Embassy, which is located at Avenida Reforma 7-01, Zone 10. The consular section is open from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Thursday and 7:30 am to 12:30 pm on Friday (except on U.S. and Guatemalan holidays).
The non-immigrant visa unit does not take calls from individuals wishing to make interview appointments or to discuss visa cases. For general inquiries relating to non-immigrant visas, please call 1-800-300-0023. To call from Guatemala, you must first purchase a PIN from any BANRURAL or any CITI BANK branch, which currently costs Q96.00. For information about making an appointment, please see our instructions about how to apply for a visa. For more information, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.
The consular section is handicap-accessible; there is an outside elevator available for persons who are in wheelchairs or who have difficulty walking. If you need to use the elevator, please ask a guard for assistance.
Banned Items
Please be aware that all visitors to the Consular Section will have to pass through a metal detector, and guards will examine all bags and purses.
The following items are banned from the consular section: cell phones, cameras, walkmans, CD players, MP3 players, Palm Pilots, laptop computers, and all other types of electronic equipment. Weapons of any kind are also prohibited. Thank you in advance for your compliance with these security measures.
Parents with small children will be allowed to bring essential items such as diapers, bottles, and blankets.