To apply for a U.S. visa for a child under 14, a parent or legal guardian completes the online DS-160 nonimmigrant visa application on the child’s behalf, pays the visa fee, assembles the supporting documents, and takes the child to an in-person interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate. The last step is what changed most recently: as of October 1, 2025, children under 14 no longer benefit from the blanket interview waiver that used to let most young applicants skip the consular appointment.
First, Check Whether Your Child Needs a Visa
If your child holds citizenship in one of the roughly 40 Visa Waiver Program countries, you may not need a visa at all. VWP travelers can visit the U.S. for tourism or business for up to 90 days using an approved Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) instead.1U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Frequently Asked Questions About the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) and Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)
Every child, including infants, needs their own approved ESTA and their own machine-readable e-Passport with a digital chip. A child listed on a parent’s passport does not qualify. Some children’s travel documents, such as Germany’s Kinderreisepass, don’t meet VWP requirements without meeting specific conditions. If your child isn’t from a VWP country, the trip will run longer than 90 days, or the purpose is something other than tourism or business, you’ll need to apply for a visa.
Choose the Right Visa Category
Match the visa type to the actual reason for the trip. Picking the wrong category causes delays and can lead to a denial.
- B-2 for tourism, family visits, or medical treatment.
- F-1 for enrolling in an academic school program. The school issues a Form I-20 the child needs before applying.2Study in the States. Do I Need a Form I-20 or a Form DS-2019
- J-1 for exchange programs. The sponsor issues a Form DS-2019.
- Dependent categories (H-4, L-2, F-2, J-2) for a child joining a parent who is already in the U.S. on that principal visa. F-2 and J-2 dependents also need their own I-20 or DS-2019.
Fill Out the DS-160 for the Child
Every visa applicant, regardless of age, needs a completed Form DS-160. For a child under 16, a parent or legal guardian fills in the form and clicks “Sign Application” on the child’s behalf. If neither parent nor legal guardian is available, someone with legal custody or a legitimate interest in the child can do it.3U.S. Department of State. DS-160 Frequently Asked Questions
The form covers the child’s personal details, travel plans, parents’ information, and the U.S. address where the child will stay. Once submitted, the system generates a confirmation page with a barcode. Print it and keep it with the rest of the application.
Documents to Bring
- The child’s passport, valid for at least six months beyond the planned stay. Citizens of many countries, including most of Western Europe, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Australia, are exempt and only need validity through the trip.4U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Six-Month Passport Validity Update
- The printed DS-160 confirmation page.
- One 2×2 inch color visa photo on a white or off-white background, taken within the last six months.
- A government-issued birth certificate proving the parental relationship. Notarized copies, religious documents, and short-form certificates that don’t name both parents are generally not accepted.
- The MRV fee receipt.
- Category-specific paperwork: Form I-20 for F applicants, Form DS-2019 for J applicants, or a copy of the principal’s visa or approval notice for dependent categories.
Individual posts sometimes ask for additional documents, so review the specific embassy’s page before the appointment.
Photo Tips for Babies and Toddlers
No other person can appear in the photo, and the child must face the camera with eyes open.5U.S. Department of State. Photo Requirements Two setups usually work for infants: lay the baby on a plain white sheet, which supports the head and creates the required background, or drape a white sheet over a car seat and photograph the child sitting in it. Watch for shadows on the face. Glasses aren’t permitted except in rare medically necessary cases. The photo must be color with even lighting and no glare.
What It Costs
Children pay the same nonimmigrant visa application fee as adults. The Machine Readable Visa (MRV) fee is non-refundable, even if the visa is denied.
- B, F, and J visas: $185.6U.S. Department of State. Fees for Visa Services
- H and L (petition-based) visas: $205.
- J visas for U.S. government-sponsored programs: no fee.
Students and exchange visitors also pay the I-901 SEVIS fee separately to the Department of Homeland Security before the interview. F-1 students pay $350. Most J-1 exchange visitors pay $220, though participants in summer work/travel, au pair, and camp counselor programs pay $35. Government-sponsored exchange visitors are exempt.7U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. I-901 SEVIS Fee Frequently Asked Questions
The In-Person Interview
The Department of State long waived interviews for most applicants under 14, which is what many older guides and even some embassy pages still describe. That waiver ended on October 1, 2025. Under the current policy, all nonimmigrant visa applicants, including children under 14, must attend an in-person interview with a consular officer.8U.S. Department of State. Interview Waiver Update September 18, 2025
The narrow exceptions cover diplomatic and official categories (A-1, A-2, G-1 through G-4, NATO) and certain adult B-1/B-2 or H-2A renewals. None help a child applying for a first tourist or student visa.
A parent or guardian schedules the appointment and accompanies the child to the embassy or consulate. Bring the full document package, arrive early, and keep the passport and DS-160 confirmation page within easy reach. The consular officer will direct questions to the accompanying parent, not the child, and the interview itself is usually brief for straightforward family travel.
Consent Letters and Custody Documents
When only one parent brings the child, or when a guardian applies on the child’s behalf, bring a notarized consent letter in English from the absent parent (or from both parents, if neither is present) authorizing the travel. A parent with sole custody should carry the custody order.9USAGov. International Travel Documents for Children These rules exist to prevent international child abduction, and consular officers apply them carefully. A missing letter won’t automatically cause a denial, but it can prompt more questions and slow the case down.
Wait Times, Passport Return, and Denials
Processing times vary widely by post. The State Department publishes global wait time data showing how long applicants wait between paying the fee and getting an interview. As of early 2026, some posts offered appointments within days while others had B-1/B-2 backlogs exceeding a year. F, M, and J appointments generally moved faster, often under a month.10U.S. Department of State. Global Visa Wait Times
After approval, the embassy keeps the child’s passport to add the visa sticker. You’ll either pick it up in person or receive it through a designated courier, depending on the post. A parent collecting the passport must present government-issued photo ID, and some posts have extra rules about who can collect.
If the visa is denied, the MRV fee is not refunded, but you can reapply.11U.S. Department of State. Visa Denials The most common ground for tourist-visa denials is Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, meaning the officer wasn’t persuaded the applicant would return home. For a child, that assessment usually rests on the parents’ ties to the home country. A 221(g) refusal is different: it means the case needs more documentation or administrative processing, and you have one year to provide what was requested without paying a new fee. For any other denial, reapplying means a fresh DS-160, a new MRV payment, and a new interview.