A citizen of another country must usually obtain a nonimmigrant visa for temporary stay or an immigrant visa for permanent residence, prior to traveling to the U.S. The type of visa required is dependent upon the nature of the travel. The visa application process will involve an interview and submission of all required documentation.
The State Department attempts to deliver visas within 30 days of application, although cases that require administrative processing may take longer. Most administrative processing is completed within 60 days of application. When administrative processing is required, the timing will vary because of the unique circumstances of each case.