How to get a United States of America visa from Lesotho
Visa types, fees, processing times and application requirements for Lesotho passport holders travelling to United States of America.
Visa types & fees
4 visa options for travelling to United States of America.
Business visa
Student visa
Tourist visa
Transit visa
Application requirements
Documents Lesotho applicants need to provide.
- A completely filled and signed USA visa application form is required.
- A passport valid for travel to the United States with a validity date at least six months beyond your intended period of stay in the United States.
- One recent (5 cm x 5 cm) photograph taken against a white background.
- A receipt showing payment of your US$160 non-refundable nonimmigrant visa application processing fee, paid in local currency.
- Current proof of income, tax payments, property or business ownership, or assets.
- Criminal/court records pertaining to any arrest or conviction anywhere, even if you completed your sentence or were later pardoned.
- A detailed statement highlighting the nature and purpose of the visit.
- Financial records and statements showing sufficient finances to fund the trip and meet expenses incurred during the stay.
- Invitation letters from sponsoring organizations such as supervisors and employers, friends or family members.
- Detailed resume highlighting past and current employers and academic backgrounds.
- An itinerary with places that applicant plans on visiting with contact names, addresses, telephone numbers and addresses of any organizations affiliated with the visit.
- A list of the social media applications that you use, and the name of your account in each, phone number, email and social media history for the five previous years.
Visa type details
Tourist visa
- The tourist visa is issued to foreigners visiting the USA for tourism, vacation (holiday), and visiting friends or relatives.
- Original Lesotho passport that is valid for a period of at least 6 months from the period of entering the United States.
- Correctly filled and signed the U.S. visa application form.
- Holders of a tourist visa cannot work or partake in business activities while in the US.
- A confirmed itinerary showing details of the travel and applicant's activities in the USA.
- Criminal records or letter from authorities stating that you do not have prior convictions.
- A list of the social media that the applicant use and the name of the account of each are required.
- Return travel tickets showing proof that the applicant intends to return to Lesotho as soon as the visa expires and not stay in the US.
- Letter of invitation from friends or family or tour organization describing the purpose of the trip.
- The letter should also involve contact information of the host in the U.S.A. and the duration of the trip.
- Financial or bank statements to prove the applicant has the finances to stay in the US of at least $266 for each day of the planned stay.
- The bank statement should not be older than 6 months.
- Ties to Lesotho such as family, job contract, lease, or property deed, which prove that the applicant will return.
Business visa
- A business visa is issued to foreigners for business purposes such as contract negotiation, consulting with other business associates in the USA and attending business conferences.
- An application form that is correctly completed and signed by the applicant is required.
- A passport that is valid for a period 6 months after a stay in the United States is required.
- Proof such as ties to the family property to ascertain that the applicants would return to Lesotho.
- Criminal records or letter from authorities stating that you do not have prior convictions.
- If the applicant is self-employed, a certificate of business registration and payslips for the last three months are required.
- List and details of your social media accounts that the applicant use and the names.
- Business letter from employer written on the company letterhead stating that absences have been granted and that the applicant would be returning to the current job.
- The letter should also indicate the duration of the trip, the purpose of the trip, the applicant job position and payslip of the last three months.
- If the applicant is self-employed, a copy of the original business license is required.
- Applicants should provide bank statements for the last 6 months.
- Financial or bank statements to prove you have the finances to stay in the US.
- Ties to Lesotho such as family, job contract, lease, or property deed, which prove you will return.
Transit visa
- Fully completed and signed transit visa application form.
- Your passport which has at least one blank page to be able to affix visa.
- The passport should be valid for at least six months beyond the planned stay in the United States.
- Proof that you are financially able to cover your expenses during your transit.
- Evidence that you will return to your home or another country after your stay in the US. This could be a property deed, apartment lease, or other proofs.
- If you have been arrested before in the US, you need to submit a letter explaining the offence, the reasons for the arrest, and proof of whether you were convicted or not.
- A list of the social media that you use, and the name of your account in each, phone number, email and social media history of the five previous years.
- Proof that you are allowed to enter the country of your final destination.
- Ticket or travel itinerary to your final destination.
- A letter that states the purpose of your visit to your final destination.
Student visa
- A student visa is issued to international students who want to attend educational institutions in the US.
- The USA student visa application form should be correctly filled and signed by the applicant.
- A passport that is valid only for the period of intended stay is required.
- Two passport photographs displaying a neutral expression should be taken against a plain background.
- International students must prove that they can speak and understand English at a level that enables them to enrol in an academic program.
- Standardized English proficiency tests such as the TOEFL or the IELTS to show proof of student’s language proficiency.
- Applicants are required to submit documents that of strong ties to Lesotho.
- Documents that prove that the applicant has previous education and current qualifications such as original transcripts, standardized test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, GRE, GMAT, etc.), acceptance letters from the educational institution which accepted and previous degree diplomas.
- Students applying for a program that requires more than 18 hours of study in a week require a student visa. This includes all undergraduate programs as well as graduate programs like MS and MBA.
- Applicants must submit documents that prove that they have sufficient funds for the whole duration of stay in the U.S.A.
- This can be done by submitting various documents, such as bank statements for the last 3 years, tax records for the last 3 years, or pay stubs of previous employment.
- If the applicant will be funding the US education through a loan, the applicant must also show proof of the approved loan.
Where to apply
United States of America embassy & visa application centers in Lesotho.
Maseru
| Day | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | 07:30 | 17:00 |
| Tue | 07:30 | 17:00 |
| Wed | 07:30 | 17:00 |
| Thu | 07:30 | 17:00 |
| Fri | 07:30 | 13:00 |
| Sat | — | — |
| Sun | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What is the most visited place in the US
The most visited place visited is New York City having about 59.7 million tourists yearly.
How do I travel to the USA with my pet
Puppies and dogs entering the United States must be 6 months of age and may not enter the United States until fully vaccinated (rabies and distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, and parainfluenza virus (DHLPP) and accompanied with an import permit.
What is the most practiced religion in the USA
The most popular religion in the U.S. is Christianity, comprising the majority of the US population (73.7% ).
How can I extend my US tourist visa
If you want to extend your US visitor visa stay in the United States, you must file a request with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) before your authorized stay expires.