Please note that all visitors must be screened prior to entry and are subject to inspection via a walk-through metal detector and with a hand-held metal detector. Carried personal items will undergo full inspection by use of an X-ray machine and other equipment.
Any visitor who declines to be screened by U.S. Embassy/Consulate security personnel will be prohibited from entering the Embassy/Consulate.
In order to facilitate your entrance to the Embassy/Consulate and reduce your waiting time at the security checkpoint, we recommend that you leave behind any unnecessary personal items such as purses and briefcases. If you leave them in your car, be sure to put them in the trunk and lock your car; do not leave any personal items in view in the passenger compartment.
Please bring only the documentation required for your appointment.
Please note that the following items are prohibited inside the U.S. Embassy/Consulate and we have no facilities for storing these items, so please leave them at your home, your hotel, or in your vehicle:
- Backpacks, bags, luggage, or purses
- Food and beverages
- Weapons, including mace or pepper spray
- Tools, including any sharp or bladed objects
- Any oil or chemical-based sprays, liquids or lotions
- Electronic or recording equipment of any kind, including, but not limited to:
- Laptop computers
- Mobile phones
- MP3, CD, or cassette players
- Pagers
- Keyless remotes
- and oversized strollers
The following persons may accompany a visa applicant during Consular-related visits:
- Interpreter: Applicants may bring one interpreter if they do not speak English well enough to participate in an interview.
- The working language of the U.S. government is English. the applicant is responsible for providing a translator for any language other than english, even if that language is an official language of Canada, i.e. French.
- Special Needs Visitors: Applicants may bring one person to help if they are elderly, disabled, or if the applicant is a minor child applying for a visa.
- Attorney: Attorneys will not be permitted to accompany clients into the waiting room or at their interviews.
Due to waiting room size, the large volume of applicants and the time required to screen consular clients, other accompanying persons cannot be admitted to the waiting room. Drivers, friends, and extra relatives must wait outside or return to meet the applicant after the interview has been completed - with the exception of applicants with children.
