Step 1. Complete a visa application

Fill out an application for a temporary visa online — form DS-160.

Please respond to all questions on this form. If the response is “no” or “none,” please write “no” or “none.” Do not skip a question.

If your application is incomplete or incorrect, you will be turned away and you will have to make a new appointment for a later date.

What next?

• Fill out your application on line (DS-160)
• Upload your photo while filling out the application on line. (If you skip this step, be sure to bring one recent photo without glasses (2 in x 2 in) to your interview.
• After having attested to the truthfulness of your information on the application, print out the confirmation page and bring this to your interview (If you do not have this because of a website issue, bring your passport to your appointment — please do not write to consularlome@state.gov to explain your problem).

Step 2. Gather the payment and any supporting documents

Prepare all the necessary documents:

• A valid passport for traveling to the U.S. – your passport must be valid at least six months beyond the period of your travel to the United States. If you are traveling with family, each person must have a separate visa application. Your passport cannot have mistakes concerning the name, age, gender, or place of birth. If there is a mistake, you will be turned away until the mistake is corrected.
• The confirmation page with the barcode (if you are missing this because of a website problem, bring your passport to the appointment — please DO NOT write to consularlome@state.gov informing us of the problem!)
• Visa application fee of $160 or 100,000 West African CFA. Please note that because of fluctuations in the exchange rate, this amount may vary.
• One photo – you will upload this photo while completing your form DS-160 online. If the upload fails, you will need to bring the recent photo without glasses and without shadows and on a white backdrop to your appointment. The size of the photo should be 2 inches by 2 inches.

Supplemental documents possibly needed

The following supplemental documents could be requested to establish if you are qualified for the visa. These additional evidentiary documents could include:

• A letter of invitation or sponsorship;
• Various proof of your ability to pay for your travel;
• A prior passport holding visas and entry and exit stamps from past trips

Note: Visa applicants must qualify on the basis of the applicant’s residence and ties abroad, rather than assurances from U.S. family and friends. A letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support is not needed to apply for a non-immigrant tourist visa. If you do choose to bring a letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support to your interview, please remember that it is not one of the factors that we use in determining whether to issue or deny a non-immigrant tourist visa. 

Step 3. Schedule an Interview Appointment

• Using the barcode written on the confirmation page, make an appointment for Lomé.

We strongly advise you to make an appointment in the area where you are domiciled. Department of State regulations allows you to make an appointment in any embassy or consulate of the United States, but understand that it is generally more difficult to qualify for a visa outside of your place of permanent residence.

The average wait time in the US Consulate Lome for a B1/B2 visa is about 7 days; however, wait times fluctuate throughout the year. To avoid missing your planned trip, we advise applicants to apply at least one month in advance of their scheduled departure.

Please note appointments for the B1/B2 visa are generally Monday mornings by appointment only. Occasionally, during weekend holidays and periods of high demand, there are also appointments on Tuesday mornings.

You will only be allowed inside the consulate gate 15 minutes before your appointment. Do not arrive before this. Anyone who is missing from the appointment list will be denied entry. If you hire someone to complete you DS-160 and to make an appointment online, know that you have an elevated risk of being rejected for you appointment without warning.

Step 4. Come to the visa appointment

• Once you have arrived at the consular entrance, you must leave all electronic devices at the screening entrance. No cell phones or electronic devices are allowed inside the embassy.
• Take a number from the red number wheel.
• Stand in line to the left of the red number wheel. Our personnel will confirm that the information in your visa application is correct.
• Pay at the cashier window.
• Wait for your number to be called for fingerprinting
• Wait for your number to be called for a visa interview

At the end of your visa interview, the consular officer will determine if you are qualified to receive the temporary visitor visa for which you have applied. This decision is done in accordance with United States laws and has no basis in Togolese or another government’s laws. If you are denied a visa, your only recourse is to reapply and to repay the application fee.

Some cases may be subject to additional administrative processing. A consular officer will inform you if you must provide any additional documentation for this additional processing.

If you are approved for a visa, an officer will inform you of a date and time to pick-up your passport and visa.