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JosD
12-12-2014, 15:21
So, you want to hike the Appalachian Trail, but oh no! It will take more than 90 days allowed for a normal tourist visa. This means you will need to apply for a B-2 Visa! Here are three simple steps



You must complete a DS-160 (https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/) and print the confirmation page. Make sure you write down the DS-160 number and remember your password! You will also need to upload a recent photo of yourself to the specifications on the website. Filling in the DS-160 takes a while, so make sure you have enough time. For your place of accommodation/US point of contact, you can use the first address you will be staying at in the US (such as the Hiker Hostel in Georgia).
Visit USVisa-info.com (http://USVisa-info.com) to book your interview. (Non-Immigrant Visa). Provide the DS-160 number and pay the visa fee ($160).
Schedule an appointment at your nearest embassy. Remember, it will take at least 5 days for your passport to be returned to you, so book in advance.


Required documents:

DS-160 confirmation page.
Appointment confirmation page.
Passport.
Successful payment page.


Sometimes required but not always asked for documents:

1 5x5cm photo.
Previous passports containing old US visas.
Evidence of intended activities. This might be printed pages from the ATC website that demonstrate that both the Appalachian Trail and Thru-hiking are official things, as well as a map of the full AT.
Bank statement (to prove you have sufficient funds to cover your stay).
Evidence that you have significant ties to your home country, and intend to return there after your stay. This can include a letter of employment, a college admission, family ties, or anything else that demonstrates you will leave the US at the appropriate time.


If your interview is anything like mine, you will spend approximately three and a half hours waiting in/outside the US embassy. The interview will be relatively short ("what are you planning to do there? Have you ever done something like that before?") and then if you have been approved, you will be told immediately.

fluffkitten
12-12-2014, 17:11
Thank you for that. I'm just starting to collect the info I need to see if a trip to the US and a SOBO AT hike are feasible and this is really useful..

BaxterBear
12-14-2014, 15:34
I think this is something that might be tied into the new rules, denying such requests if a person wants to come here to thru-hiker the AT. The AT is badly overcrowded as per the ATC and Baxter State Park say. One easy way to slow the damage is to deny international visitors. But in my experience they behaved better than domestic hikers.