What to bring to your consular interview: complete checklist

This guide is informational only and does not constitute legal immigration advice. Figuring out what to bring to visa interview sounds trivial until you are a block from the embassy and second-guessing whether your phone stays in your pocket or in the car. The answer depends on the city: the embassy and consulates in Mexico allow cell phones, while the embassies in Bogota, Lima and Buenos Aires and the embassy and consulates in Brazil ban them. So we built this list in tiers: required, recommended, optional, and what NOT to carry. That way you can pack the envelope the night before and focus only on passport and posture. Works for B1/B2 and, with minor tweaks, for almost any nonimmigrant visa class.

Exact rules shift by consulate, so cross-check your country's required documents page on the official visa appointment service and the DS-160 FAQs (Department of State) the night before your slot.

1. Required tier: what the official list asks for

The official appointment service asks you to arrive with all required documents and, for an in-person appointment, with the originals. Its list for every visa type in Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Chile and Brazil includes: a passport valid for travel to the United States for at least six months beyond your period of stay (unless your country is exempt under a specific agreement); the passport with your most recent US visa, if you had one; and the DS-160 confirmation page. Except in Argentina, it also asks for the appointment confirmation page printed from the site. The Department of State visitor visa page adds the application fee receipt, if you must pay before the interview, and says to print the DS-160 confirmation page to bring with you. Its number must match the one you used to book: if it does not, you will have to reschedule and may pay new fees.

The printed photo depends on the country. The lists for Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Argentina and Chile include a 5 x 5 cm color photo taken within the last 6 months; Brazil requires it only in Porto Alegre and Recife. Check the specs in the DOS Photo Requirements. If your photo upload in the DS-160 fails, the visitor visa page says to bring one printed photo in that format. In Argentina, foreign residents also bring a copy of both sides of their DNI.

2. Recommended tier: supporting paperwork the officer may request

For a B visa, the official appointment service lists specific extra documents only for travel for medical treatment, but says that at the interview others may be requested to establish whether you qualify: evidence of the purpose of your trip, your intent to leave the United States afterward, and your ability to pay all costs of the trip. It adds that evidence of your employment or family ties may be enough to show the purpose of the trip and your intent to return. What to bring to visa interview at this tier: a recent employer letter on letterhead stating your role, tenure, salary and approved leave; recent bank or investment statements; your most recent tax return; property deeds or a vehicle title. No official source sets how many statements to bring or how old the letter can be.

If someone else pays for part or all of the trip, you may show evidence of that, such as their employer letter or statements. An invitation letter is not needed: the visitor visa page says it is not one of the factors used to issue or deny the visa, and that you qualify on your own ties abroad, not on assurances from family or friends in the United States. If you are applying for a minor, check your embassy's instructions; the official appointment service says minors may enter with their parents or legal guardians. If you are a student applying for a B1/B2, proof of enrollment can help show your ties; for an F or M visa, the official list requires the Form I-20 and the SEVIS I-901 fee receipt.

3. Optional tier: itinerary, reservations, and supporting context

These are not on the official list, but they can help you explain your plan. Printed itinerary covering flights and hotels. Travel agency confirmation if you bought a package. Conference or event registration for B1 business trips. Memberships, gym contracts, or course enrollment showing your local routine. Be careful with purchases: the official appointment service and the visitor visa page advise against buying tickets or finalizing travel plans until you have the visa, so if you book, make it refundable.

Do not fabricate itineraries or bring fake reservations: the Department of State warns that trying to obtain a visa through fraud or willful misrepresentation of a material fact may result in the permanent refusal of a visa, which is far worse than a 214(b) refusal. If your booking is refundable on purpose, say so plainly: "I booked a flexible fare while I waited for this interview."

4. Prohibited tier: what should NOT enter the consulate

Each embassy publishes its own list, and they differ:

City	Cell phone	Other published rules
Mexico (embassy and consulates)	Allowed	No computers or other electronic devices, smartwatches with cameras, headphones, liquids, or bags larger than 46 x 46 cm; watches, keys and belts are allowed
Bogota	Banned	Also no suitcases, backpacks or briefcases (only clear plastic bags with your application documents), food, drinks, sealed mail, lighters or sharp objects
Brazil (embassy and consulates)	Banned	Also no smartwatches or other electronics, liquids or drinks, or bags other than one small bag
Lima	Banned	Also no laptops or tablets; the embassy advises against bringing suitcases, backpacks or packages
Buenos Aires	Banned	Also no key fobs with remote controls, smartwatches, cables, drinks, lighters or sharp objects such as knives or scissors

Only applicants with appointments may enter; minors may enter with their parents or legal guardians, according to the official appointment service. In Buenos Aires, the embassy also admits interpreters for applicants who speak neither English nor Spanish and assistants for people with disabilities. Do not count on leaving your things inside: Bogota and Brazil say they do not store prohibited items, and the embassy in Brazil notes that the private companies that store them for a fee are not affiliated with the US government. In Lima, the embassy has a small kiosk outside that holds small items for a fee.

5. What to bring to visa interview by post: differences that matter

These are differences the embassies and the official appointment service publish themselves:

• CAS or CASV: in Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and Argentina, most applicants first attend an appointment at an applicant service center where fingerprints and a photo are taken. For that appointment, the official pages ask for, among other things, your valid passport, the DS-160 confirmation and the printed appointment confirmation. In Brazil, the CASV asks for a printed photo only if the applicant does not attend in person, and always for children under 7.
• Porto Alegre and Recife: a printed 5 x 5 cm photo is required for every applicant interviewing at those consulates.
• Bogota: every adult aged 16 or older must bring two photo IDs; one is left with security at the entrance and the other is shown to the consul.
• Santiago: arrive no more than 5 minutes before your appointment; if you are more than 15 minutes late, you will be asked to reschedule.
• Argentina: foreign residents bring a copy of both sides of their DNI.

Read your embassy's and your appointment's instructions before you leave: they are the ones that apply.

6. Packing the envelope the night before: what to bring to visa interview in physical form

Use a thin clear folder and stack in this order: passport on top, DS-160 confirmation page, appointment confirmation, fee receipt, photo in a small envelope, employer letter, statements, deeds. So when the officer says "hand me your passport and DS-160" you open the folder and pass them over without rummaging.

Carry a small bag with: folder, wallet with local ID, keys (key fobs with remote controls are banned in Buenos Aires) and emergency cash. Nothing else. In Bogota only clear plastic bags with your documents are allowed, and in Brazil only one small bag. If it does not fit in a handbag the size of a paperback, you packed too much.

7. Final rehearsal and CTA

Knowing what to bring to visa interview at every tier does not offset a weak interview. Documents back up what you say, but the decision turns on whether you show that you qualify for the visa, and the Department of State expects you to describe your intentions clearly and concisely. Before the appointment run two or three rounds of practice with our simulated officer, and review the practice questions for the interview. For deeper prep, what to expect on interview day covers the rest of the visit.