- Applicants must complete a DS-160, pay the visa fee and book a regular interview before requesting an emergency appointment.
- Accra applicants may request an earlier interview for medical emergencies, bereavement or urgent business, with supporting evidence.
- Approval does not automatically reschedule an interview; select a new slot in the portal and keep the original appointment until then.
Applicants seeking an earlier interview through the U.S. Embassy in Accra must first submit a DS-160, pay the visa application fee and book a regular interview at usvisaappt.com. The emergency U.S. visa interviews process is a request for an earlier appointment, not a guarantee of one before your planned travel date.
Emergency medical care, a family member’s death and urgent, unexpected business travel may support a request. The Embassy says available expedited slots are very limited, so keep your existing appointment unless the portal confirms a replacement.
Book a regular interview before you submit the emergency request
Free toolVisa Interview Practice QuizStart with the standard nonimmigrant visa application process. The emergency request is considered only after you have a regular interview on the calendar.
- Complete and submit Form
DS-160online. Use the application information for the visa category you are seeking. - Pay the required visa application fee. The amount depends on the visa process, and the Embassy’s emergency-request instructions do not state a fee amount.
- Schedule the earliest regular interview available through usvisaappt.com. You need this appointment before the system will consider an emergency request.
- Sign in to the appointment portal and open My Dashboard. Under My Appointment Requests, locate your appointment and select View Details.
- Choose Create Emergency Request. Enter the reason for the request, your intended travel date and a detailed explanation of the urgent circumstances. Attach relevant supporting documents.
The form asks for the emergency’s details and evidence. An application without a regular appointment cannot move to the emergency-request stage, and the request itself does not replace the visa application.
An approval email still leaves you to choose a new appointment
Wait for the email decision. If the request is approved, return to the appointment portal and select a new interview time yourself. Approval does not automatically change the date already booked.
| Portal outcome | What to do next |
|---|---|
| Request approved | Sign in, open My Dashboard, go to My Appointments, select Reschedule, then choose an available date and time from the calendar. |
| Request denied | Keep the original interview appointment. |
If you receive a new appointment, attend with the documents required for your visa category. Review the Embassy’s security instructions and prohibited-items list before going to the interview.
After the interview, follow the instructions you receive about passport and document pickup. You can check visa application progress through CEAC. For appointment questions, the listed contact is ghana@usvisaappt.com.
The emergency must fit a reported category and have supporting evidence
The categories described for Accra include urgent medical treatment, bereavement and unforeseen business travel. An academic or exchange-program case may also qualify under a particular university-enrollment condition. The Embassy’s nonimmigrant visa page describes that condition as admission to a university program with an imminent start date and international enrollment below 15 percent.
| Reason for requesting an earlier interview | Evidence to prepare | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency medical care | Relevant medical records or other documents supporting the urgent treatment need. | Provide a detailed written explanation and evidence tied to the emergency. |
| Death of a family member | Supporting documents, such as official correspondence, that show the emergency. | Give a detailed description of the emergency in the request. |
| Urgent, unanticipated business travel | Relevant supporting documents or official correspondence. | Explain why the trip is urgent and could not have been anticipated. |
| Imminent academic or exchange-program start | Documents showing admission and the program start date. | The described university condition is international enrollment under 15 percent. |
The Embassy’s request form calls for a written explanation and supporting documents, but the exact required evidence for every Accra emergency category is not specified. Treat the examples as preparation guidance, not a complete checklist. Bring the documents required for your visa category to the interview as well.
Weddings, graduation ceremonies, routine conferences, tourism and helping a pregnant relative are not described as ordinary grounds for expedited appointments. If your trip does not fit an urgent category, use the regular appointment process and keep the scheduled date.
The regular visa fee comes first, but the emergency request has no stated timetable
You must pay the standard visa application fee before making an emergency request. The Embassy’s instructions do not give the fee amount or a separate emergency-request fee amount. They also do not specify a deadline for filing the request or a response time, so do not assume a decision will arrive before your planned departure.
A separate State Department program, the Nonimmigrant Visa Expedited Appointment Pilot, runs through December 31, 2026. As of November 2026, it is described as an option at select posts for B visas only. Applicants must first book a regular appointment and pay the $185 MRV fee. If a qualifying paid slot is offered, an additional $750 can secure a B-visa interview within 10 business days. That payment is non-refundable and separate from the MRV fee.
The pilot’s availability in Accra is not established. Check the appointment portal for a paid-expedite option before relying on it; it is separate from the emergency request process and does not establish that an emergency slot is available.
Keep the original appointment until the portal confirms a replacement
An emergency request changes the appointment process only if the portal offers a new date and you select it. Complete the regular application and book the appointment at usvisaappt.com, then submit the emergency request through the appointment dashboard.
