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Press Release - October 03, 2006

State Department introduces the Electronic Visa Application Form (EVAF)

The U.S. Embassy’s Consular Section in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea is pleased to announce an initiative to speed and streamline the non-immigrant visa application process. For non-immigrant visa interviews scheduled for November 1, 2006 and thereafter, all applicants must complete, in English, the internet-based Electronic Visa Application Form (EVAF). The U.S. Department of State established this new requirement worldwide to improve efficiency and customer service. Currently, over 90% of visa applicants use the EVAF.

The EVAF process produces a printed form that incorporates the applicant’s data into a bar code. When scanned at the time of the interview, the information uploads directly into the consular computer system. This saves time for both the applicant and consular personnel since no data-entry is required. Creating an EVAF adds no additional cost to the visa application process.

The Electronic Visa Application Form is a web-based application that enables applicants to fill out their application from any internet-connected computer and provides greater uniformity, accuracy and security in processing visa applications. The form is available online at http://evisaforms.state.gov. Instructions on how to fill out the form are available at http://evisaforms.state.gov.

Individuals who do not have access to the internet at home or in offices may access the forms at any one of the multiple internet cafes located in Malabo and Bata.  Please note that the information must be entered into the system and the application, with its barcode on the third page, must be printed out and brought to the Consular Section for the visa interview.

For full information on the visa application procedures, please visit the Embassy website at http://malabo.usembassy.gov/visa_services.html.