US Visa from Baku 2026: B1/B2 Interview Guide for Azerbaijanis

Yes. Azerbaijan is not in the US Visa Waiver Program, so you cannot use ESTA. For tourism, visiting family, medical treatment, conferences or business meetings you need a B1/B2 visitor visa, which is one visa for both business (B1) and tourism (B2).

A visitor visa does not allow paid work or study. If you want to study, work or move, you need a different visa category with its own rules. See our comparison of ESTA, eTA and other travel authorisations if you also hold a second passport that may qualify for ESTA, and our page on where Azerbaijani passports can travel for other destinations.

The main cost is the application fee, which the State Department calls the MRV fee. You pay it before you book the interview, and you pay it even if the visa is refused. Other fees depend on US law and on your country, so check them on the official pages before you pay.

Sroky does not file US visas. If anyone offers you a "guaranteed" US visa for extra money, walk away. Only a consular officer decides.

1. 1

   Fill in the DS-160

   Complete the online DS-160 form on the official Consular Electronic Application Center. Choose Baku as the place of your interview. Answer every question honestly and keep the confirmation page with its barcode.

2. 2

   Pay the application fee

   Create an account on the official scheduling site linked from the US Embassy in Azerbaijan website and pay the USD 185 fee in the way it shows. Keep the receipt.

3. 3

   Book the interview

   Use your DS-160 number and fee receipt to pick a date. Check the official wait time tool on travel.state.gov to see how long you may wait for a slot in Baku.

4. 4

   Prepare your papers

   Bring your passport, the DS-160 confirmation, the fee receipt and a photo that meets US rules if the system did not accept your digital one. Add papers that show your ties to Azerbaijan.

5. 5

   Go to the interview

   Arrive on time at the US Embassy in Baku. The officer takes your fingerprints and asks short questions about your trip, your job and your plans.

6. 6

   Get your passport back

   If approved, the visa is printed in your passport and returned to you. Sometimes the officer needs more checks first; this is called administrative processing and can take extra time.

The officer may not ask to see anything, but bring papers that answer the main question: will you come back? Short, real documents work better than a thick folder.

• Your current passport and any old passports with past visas, especially US, Schengen or UK visas.
• A letter from your employer with your job, salary and approved leave, or company papers if you run a business.
• Recent bank statements that show you can pay for the trip.
• Proof of family ties at home, such as a marriage or birth certificate, or property papers.
• For business trips, an invitation from the US company or event.
• For family visits, the name, address and status of the person you visit.

Interviews are short. The officer usually asks why you are going, how long you will stay, who pays, what you do in Azerbaijan and whether you have travelled before. Answer in simple words, in English or with an interpreter if the embassy offers one, and make sure your answers match your DS-160.

Do not memorise a speech and do not hand over papers unless you are asked. If your plans are clear and your life in Azerbaijan is stable, say so plainly. Some people renewing a recent B1/B2 visa can qualify to skip the interview. The rules for this changed in 2025, so read the current interview waiver rules on the embassy site before you book.

Most visitor visa refusals are under section 214(b) of US immigration law. It means the officer was not convinced that you plan a short visit and will return. Common reasons are weak job or family ties, a first trip abroad with no travel history, a vague plan, or answers that do not match the form.

A 214(b) refusal is not a ban. You can apply again, but you pay the fee again, and a new application only helps if something in your life or plans has changed. Read our guide to refusal reasons for Schengen, UK and US visas before you try again.

Never hide a past refusal or overstay on the DS-160. A false answer can lead to a permanent ban, which is much worse than a refusal.

The State Department asks visa applicants to book their interview in their country of nationality or residence. If you live in Azerbaijan, apply in Baku. If you live abroad legally, for example in Türkiye or Germany, you can apply where you live. Booking in a third country where you do not live may make it harder to qualify.

Waiting times for appointments in Baku change during the year. Check the official wait time tool before you buy tickets, and plan for extra weeks if your case needs administrative processing. Keep at least 6 months on your passport so it does not expire during the process; the Sroky reminders can warn you before your passport runs low. Embassy addresses are on our embassies page.