Embassy of the United States

Non-Immigrant Visa

Important note: Please, DO NOT apply for a visa earlier than three months ahead of your scheduled trip.

Note: If you are in possession of a valid visa of the type required for your trip which is in your old cancelled passport, you do not need to reapply for a new visa. Instead, you can travel with both your old and new passports as long as your visa in your old passport is still valid for travel and has not been damaged in any way.

How Do I Apply?

A nonimmigrant visa is necessary to visit the United States temporarily for tourism, business, studies, or cultural exchanges. All persons applying for a nonimmigrant visa must convince the Consular Officer that they do not intend to immigrate to the United States. Persons who cannot, or do not, convince the Consular Officer of that, will be denied a visa. The visa application process is really quite easy. A complete application consists of the following:

• The appropriate application forms
• A valid photograph
• A valid passport
• Application fee (receipt from Zagrebacka Banka)
• Any supporting documentation
• A scheduled appointment

Step 1: Pay a non-refundable application fee at any branch of Zagrebacka Banka. Click here for details on the mandatory fee. For branch locations, click here. You do not need our account number for payment.

Applicants must present the original receipt for the application fee. Applications will not/not be accepted without original receipt.

Step 2: Complete the visa application form (DS-156). You must do so online (objašnjenje polja formulara nalazi se ovdje) and print it. All male nonimmigrant visa applicants between the ages of 16 and 45 must also fill out and submit a DS-157 (na hrvatskom). All persons applying for a student visa must also fill out the DS-158.

Step 3: Attach a recent photo (taken within the past six months) to the application, and bring it to your interview at the Embassy. Photo specifications are very exact. Click here for instructions.

Step 4: Gather the following required documentation: the completed application form (with photo), the bank receipt, a valid passport, and all previous U.S. visas, even if expired. (For information on other recommended documents, click here.) Also bring your appointment confirmation sheet (see Step 5).

Step 5: Click here to make an appointment. Schedule only one appointment per person. We will not accept multiple appointments for the same person. For information on emergency appointments, click here.

Making appointments for children under 14:

If a child under 14 requests visa alone, they must have an appointment made through our website, although they do not need to come to the embassy . Parents can bring their child’s paperwork (application, passport, photograph, bank receipt and supporting documents). If one parent is not present, the other one must bring notarized permission from the other parent allowing travel. Proof of relationship, such as an original birth certificate or court document granting guardianship (if applicable) should be presented. Evidence that a court granted sole custody must be provided; if only one parent is alive, a death certificate for the deceased parent must be provided. If a child (under 14) applies for a visa at the same time as their parents, the child does not need to have an appointment. Parent(s) can hand their child’s application together with theirs. Some applicants do not need appointments (click here for more information).

Approved visas may be picked up the following working day at 3 p.m. at the consular entrance. Alternatively, applicants may opt to leave their passports after their visa interview to be returned by registered mail.   We request applicants to bring a stamped and addressed envelope with them and give it to the consular assistant following their interview. The postage ranges from 12,20 – 14,20 HRK depending on the number of passports mailed in one envelope (maximum 4 passports per 1 envelope). Please allow Croatian Post 2-3 working days to deliver your passports. For more details please contact the closest office of Croatian Post. 

Step 6: Arrive at the outside entrance of the Embassy at your specified appointment time. The primary applicant will be the only person allowed into the building for the interview except in the case of minor children (ages 17 and under). Children age 13 and under need not appear in person. If one or both parents of a child under 18 cannot come personally to the interview, then the child's application must include a signed note from the parent who is not present, authorizing the child's planned travel to the United States. For additional information, contact the Consular Section at the U.S. Embassy in Zagreb, tel. 385-1-661-2300, Monday - Friday, between 1:30 PM and 2:30 PM. Follow the instructions on the recorded message. If you need to submit certain documents to the Visa Section, you may fax them to: 385-1-665-8933. We do not answer visa inquiries submitted by fax. Please e-mail visa inquiries to consularzagreb@state.gov.

Important note: Apply for your visa early and before you make final travel arrangements. However, DO NOT apply for a visa earlier than three months ahead of your scheduled trip since your application may not be processed at that time because the consular officer must be in position to evaluate your ties to your place of residence shortly before your travel to the U.S. Consequently, you may also be required to make a repeated trip to the Embassy in order to appear for an interview with a consular officer. 

Travel Requirements for New Visa Waiver Program Countries

The United States recently announced plans to expand the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) beginning November 17, 2008. 
The countries included in this expansion will include: Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and South Korea.  Nationals from these countries should review travel requirements http://www.cbp.gov/esta before planning their travel to the United States and note that they will require a biometric passport issued or renewed on or after 10/26/2006 in order to qualify for visa waiver travel. Unfortunately, at this time Croatian nationals are not eligible for travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program.