Emergency Appointments are being dealt with differently at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv and the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem. Please see the following instructions for details.

U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv

The American Embassy in Tel Aviv expedites a limited number of nonimmigrant visa interview appointments for the following purposes:

• Life-threatening medical emergencies that require treatment at a U.S. medical facility.
• Visits to gravely ill/dying relatives in the United States.
• Students and Exchange Visitors (F, M, and J visas) who could not otherwise travel to the U.S. in time for enrollment and class/program attendance.

Persons with approved employment-based visa petitions (visa categories H, L, P and O).

• Other time sensitive, business related travel that advances U.S. commercial interests, such as export promotion, direct foreign investment in the United States, and attendance at U.S. trade shows.

You must reside in the consular district of the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv to request an emergency appointment at the Embassy. Our consular district does not include Jerusalem, the West Bank, or Gaza. If you reside in our consular district, you must request an interview appointment date online at http://VisaInfo.US-Visaservices.com. We do not accept expedite requests by phone, fax or e-mail. After you have registered and paid for a PIN, please follow the directions on the VisaPoint web site for emergency appointments. You must first schedule an appointment on any available date, and then make a request for an expedited appointment by selecting the “emergency appointment” option in the "My Info" page.

For each of the categories listed above, please provide the information indicated below:

Medical Treatment Emergencies: The exact nature and seriousness of the medical problem, and the name and location in the United States of the medical facility where the treatment will be provided. Please be prepared to bring the following two documents to the visa interview: a letter from a local physician referring the case and explaining why treatment in the United States is necessary, and a letter from a U.S. doctor or treatment facility agreeing to accept the patient, explaining the nature of the treatment to be received, confirming a specific appointment date and listing an estimated total cost for the treatment. Please also bring to the interview proof of ability to pay all costs for the treatment.

Gravely Ill/Dying Relative: Name, place of residence and relationship of the relative, and the nature of the relative’s condition. Be prepared to bring to the visa interview a statement from the attending physician or treatment facility, attesting to the relative’s medical condition.

Students and Exchange Visitors: Details of date and place of upcoming studies/program, and SEVIS number from approved I-20 or DS-2019 form.

Employment-Based Petition Cases: Name and location of U.S. employer, and visa petition approval number.

Other Business Travel: Details regarding planned purchase of American-made goods or services, or plans for investment in the United States economy. If you need to travel on behalf of an Israeli company that is or will be doing business with an American firm, please explain the nature of the business relationship (direct buyer, sales representative agent, dealer, distributor, licensee, joint-venture partner, or other strategic alliance). For attendance at a trade show, please provide the name, dates and location of the event.

Because of the strong demand for visa appointments, the above categories of cases are the only ones eligible for expedited handling. Otherwise, we will schedule interviews strictly in the order that the requests are received. Cases of foreseeable personal travel, such as weddings, conventions, conferences, graduations, bar/bat mitzvahs and rebbe blessings cannot be expedited. Travel for foreseeable business meetings, conferences or company training programs also will not be expedited. In these cases, the applicant will have to revise his or her plans for later travel.

Consulate General in Jerusalem

The American Consulate General expedites visa appointments for medical emergencies, and for unanticipated business or student travel if the required departure date is before the next available date on our online appointment system, http://visainfo.us-visaservices.com.

Life-Threatening Medical Emergency

In case of a life-threatening medical emergency the applicant and one attendant should go directly to the reception window of the Consular section at 27 Nablus Road. You will need to bring:

1. A valid passport or travel document,

2. An electronically completed application form http://evisaforms.state.gov,

3. A 5x5 cm photo(https://jerusalem.usconsulate.gov/,

4. A receipt for the $131 fee paid at Cairo Amman Bank or the Israel Postal Authority https://jerusalem.usconsulate.gov/,

5. Two medical letters: one from a local physician referring the case to a U.S. doctor and explaining why medical care is required in the U.S. and one from a U.S. physician agreeing to accept the patient, explaining the nature of treatment to be received, confirming a specific appointment date, and listing an estimated cost of treatment including hospital inpatient costs. It is critical to bring proof of ability to pay for the treatment in order to avoid delays.

Urgent Business or Student Travel and Travel to Visit a Sick Family Member

All requests for emergency appointments, other than for life threatening medical emergencies, must be made through the VisaPoint website. Requests may not be made in person, through email or over the phone. To request an emergency appointment, you must first schedule a regular appointment through the VisaPoint website. After you have a confirmed appointment that is too late for your travel needs, you may request an emergency appointment by clicking the “Request an Emergency Appointment” link in the "My Info" page.

We consider the following types of business and educational travel as meriting expedited treatment. When making your request, please be sure to address these points and explain why your need to travel meets our criteria.

1. Travel of immediate family (children, parents, siblings) of a critically ill (generally hospitalized) person in the United States.

2. Travel of students who will miss the start date of their classes. In your request, please note both the start date on your I-20 and the first day of orientation, if any.

3.Legitimate business or commerce with a U.S. company. Routine meetings or training that could have been anticipated in time to go through regular appointment procedures will not generally qualify for expedited treatment. Please address in your request why an appointment could not have been made in advance.

We will act on your request shortly after it is received. If granted, please be aware that it is not possible to print a visa on the day of the interview. By submitting an emergency visa appointment request, you acknowledge that you understand the Consulate advises you not to make final travel arrangements until you physically have the visa in hand.

Please refer to the instructions for student visas (http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1268.html) or for business/tourist visas (http://jerusalem.usconsulate.gov/) elsewhere on this website for additional information about the interview process.

Both the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv and the Consulate General in Jerusalem receive a large volume of requests for earlier appointments every day. You will have a response within 4 business days. Please do not submit multiple requests.