Travelers to the United States who have been afflicted with a disease of public health significance, a mental disorder which is associated with a display of harmful behavior, or are a drug abuser or addict may be ineligible to receive a visa. In order to travel, they will require a waiver of the ineligibility from the United States Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection (DHSCBP).

Applying for the visa

You are required to schedule an appointment for an interview with a U.S. Consular Officer. At the time of application, you are required to submit a letter from the doctor, specialist and/or other professional person familiar with your case which addresses the following issues:

• diagnosis and relevant medical history of the your condition;
• current state of health;
• the likelihood of a need for care or hospitalization during your stay in the United States;
• whether you, in the opinion of the doctor, are likely to remain in a stable condition during the trip, and are likely to cope with a strange environment; and
• details of any history of harmful behavior you have shown towards yourself, others, or property

What if I am found ineligible?

If you are found ineligible for a visa, you will be advised whether or not a waiver of ineligibility is available from the United States Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection (DHSCBP). If a favorable recommendation is made to DHSCBP for a waiver of the ineligibility, the application will take a minimum of 8 weeks to process; some applications may take longer.

Please note: Delays in processing can and will occur. The processing times quoted are approximate and cannot be guaranteed. It is important that you keep this in mind when applying for the visa. It will not be possible to expedite a case simply because an applicant has not allowed sufficient time for the application to be processed.

Reminder: No assurances regarding the issuance of visas can be given in advance. Therefore, final travel plans or the purchase of nonrefundable tickets should not be made until a visa has been issued.