Press Releases 2006 - 2007

AS OF 01 AUGUST 2006, ALL APPLICANTS FOR AMERICAN NONIMMIGRANT VISAS IN MOROCCO MUST PAY THE
$100 VISA PROCESSING FEE AT BANQUE MOROCAINE POUR LE
COMMERCE ET L’INDUSTRIE (BMCI).

As part of its ongoing effort to provide more efficient service to the visa-seeking public, the U.S. Consulate General in Casablanca announces that beginning August 1st , 2006, all applicants for nonimmigrant visas in Morocco must pre-pay the visa processing fee before their visa interview. Applicants must pay the $100 non-refundable, non-transferable visa processing fee at a branch of Banque Morocaine de la Commerce et de l’Industrie (BMCI). This new procedure will help streamline the visa application process and minimize waiting times at the Consulate General.

All BMCI branches in Morocco except the Gauthier and Rue d’Alger branches in Casablanca will accept payment of the U.S. visa processing fee. Upon payment of the fee, BMCI will issue visa applicants a receipt with a unique number, therefore members of the same family planning to apply for visas together must obtain individual receipts for payment of the fee at BMCI.

On the day of the applicant’s visa interview appointment, he or she must bring the BMCI receipt to the Consulate and submit it to the Consular Officer at the beginning of the interview. Although student visa, exchange visitor visa, and temporary work visa applicants do not need appointments, they must still pay the visa processing fee at BMCI before going to the Consulate for an interview. Nonimmigrant visa applicants without BMCI receipts will not be admitted to the Consulate. (The only exception is for exchange visitor visa applicants who are traveling on an American government-funded program.)

The Consulate will honor a BMCI receipt for the U.S. visa processing fee for one year after the date of payment. If the applicant has not had a visa interview and more than one year has passed since the payment date, the applicant must pay a new fee.

Fees for all other consular services, including additional visa fees for certain applicants, may still be paid at the Consulate.

Appointments for visa interviews can only be made online via the Consulate website at: http://casablanca.usconsulate.gov/.