ISLAMABAD, Oct 31: Applicants worldwide for US tourist, student or other non-immigrant visas to the United States will be required to complete their visa applications on the Internet using the new Electronic Visa Application Form (EVAF) with effect from Nov 6.

However, visa applicants who submit their applications through a third-party — such as American Express/SpeedEx in Pakistan — will not be affected by the new regulation.

The vast majority of US visa applicants in Pakistan apply through American Express/ SpeedEx. For all other applicants who do not apply through American Express/SpeedEx, the requirement to use the new Electronic Visa Application Form will take effect in Pakistan from November 6, 2006.

The new Electronic Visa Application Form makes the visa application process faster and easier for the applicant. It saves time needed for data entry. Applicants can receive their interviews and their visas more quickly because they will not have to wait while consular officials enter data. The Electronic Visa Application Form also reduces data-entry errors. The Electronic Visa Application Form contains a barcode that allows consular officials to enter applicant information accurately and quickly into the State Department’s visa database.

The Electronic Visa Application Form was first piloted at selected US consulates in September 2003. Today, more than half of all applications for US visas worldwide are submitted using the Electronic Visa Application Form.

Applicants for a US visa can locate and complete the Electronic Visa Application Form from any Internet-connected computer. The format and questions are identical to the paper version of the US visa application form that has been used to date.

The Electronic Visa Application Form can be found and filled on the Internet site: http://evisaforms.state.gov/

The Electronic Visa Application Form must be filled online, then printed out and brought to the visa interview. (Visa application forms printed from the Internet and then filled out will not be accepted.)

As of November 6, applications submitted with a handwritten or typed DS-156 visa application form will no longer be accepted.

Applicants who submit a handwritten or typed DS-156 application form will be asked to fill and print out the new EVAF application form so that it could be processed.—Online