Steinhardt Study Abroad Resources logo

Web Publishing @ NYU > Steinhardt Study Abroad Resources > Travel Documents > Visa Application Processes

Visa Application Processes

 

All students, regardless of nationality, must hold a valid passport with at least 6 months of validity beyond the program end date and at least two blank visa passport pages. All students will receive a school travel support letter prior to departure, which can be used for passing through customs or applying for a visa (if applicable). Any student with questions regarding visas can contact the Office of Global Services outbound immigration team.

Jump to:

Argentina

All students traveling to Argentina on a study abroad program need to apply for a student visa, regardless of nationality or duration of stay. The following instructions are for U.S. Citizens applying for an e-visa. Any student should contact OGS with questions about the application process. 

Step 1: Complete steps in the Travel Registry Portal.

You must complete the following checklist items to receive your visa application supporting documents. 

  • Upload a color scan of your passport bio and signature page.
  • Complete the NYU Buenos Aires Immigration Form.

Step 2: Review Consulate Information. 

Visa inquiries must be requested ONLY through the following email address:  cnyor-visas@mrecic.gov.ar

The Consulate strongly encourages applicants to apply at least 45 days in advance of their proposed journey and to refrain from making irrevocable travel plans until the visa has been issued.

Step 3: Gather your documents and apply online. 

As a point of reference, this is the list of documents applicants must submit with their visa application to the Consulate General in New York. An updated official checklist for New York can be found via: the official visa checklist.

  • Passport: Submit a color scan of the bio and signature page. The passport or travel document must be valid for a minimum of six (6) months from the intended date of entry and have at least two (2) blank pages.
     
  • Completed online visa application form. The Argentine government offers an electronic visa process, the Electronic Entry Permit 24H TIE for Estudiantes – Estudios de cursos no formales, which will allow you to apply for your visa without having to surrender your passport. Use the sample application guide provided by the Consulate when filling out your online visa application. This guide is only provided in Spanish with some English translation but you can use online translators for help.
    • Application Tips:
      • Use a New York Area address as your home address to complete the application because your application is submitted to the Argentine Consulate in New York. 
      • When entering the accommodation address use the information on our Sample Visa Application Form. The municipality should be Abasto – La Plata.
      • Your DNM number is on your Precarga which is one of the documents in your support letter packet.
         
  • One recent passport photo (digital): Full front view, in color, on a white background, 2 x 2 inches. This may be taken at the NYU Student Link Center (2 photos for $10 + 1 digital photo) at 383 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10003.
     
  • Proof of Immigration Status in the US (International Students ONLY) – Bring ORIGINAL and a COPY front and back of your immigration status in the USA. (Ex.: Permanent Resident Card –Green Card-,  Advance Parole Document, valid visa, valid forms updated I-20, etc).
  • Proof of Financial Means – Submit a recent bank statement showing at least $1,000 in the account.
     
  • Visa fee payment –  There are two fees to pay. The first you will pay online and the second you pay over the phone to the consulate. You should provide them with a US number so that they can call to collect the second fee.
     
  • OGS Travel Registry supporting Documents – Your Program Administrator will provide you the following supporting documents for your visa application via email:
    • Program Acceptance and Accommodations Letter
    • NYU Buenos Aires Migraciones Letter
    • NYU Buenos Aires Registration Letter
    • GeoBlue Health Insurance Letter

Some items will be provided to you by your Program Administrator as noted prior. Applicants may be required to provide additional information at the request of the Argentine Consulate.*

Step 4: Receive your Student Visa

  • Processing time of eVisas is typically two weeks once all required materials are submitted. After receiving your Student eVisa, please upload a color scan to the Travel Registry for review.

Back to Top

Ghana

The majority of students traveling to Ghana, including U.S. citizens, will need a visa to enter the country. Due to the short-term nature of our programs at NYU Accra, students should apply for a Tourism visa.

You should obtain the yellow fever vaccine and begin gathering the required documents listed below as soon as possible. You may not submit your application any earlier than 90 days before your travel to Ghana, but application processing can take several weeks, so it is recommended that you apply as soon as your 90-day window begins.

If you live outside the Greater New York City area, please contact the Office of Global Affairs for guidance on the visa process at steinhardt.global@nyu.edu.

Confirmed program participants will receive further instructions from the Steinhardt Office of Global Affairs regarding the Ghanaian tourist visa application process. All students may reach out to the Office of Global Services (OGS) Outbound Student Services team with any questions on visa requirements or the application process.

How to Apply:

Obtain a Yellow Fever vaccination

All visa applicants are required to show proof of having received the yellow fever vaccine within the past ten years. Students can make an appointment at the Health Center or with a private practice for the vaccination. Keep in mind that the vaccine takes at least ten days to be considered fully active.

Gather the required documents

Students will need the following required documents to apply for a tourism visa:

    • Proof of yellow fever vaccination
    • Passport with validity extending at least 6 months beyond the anticipated return date.
    • Two passport-sized photos. Participants must provide two hard-copy photos (to be submitted by mail) and one digital version of the same photo (to be uploaded to the online application). These can be taken at the Student Link Center or at chains like Walgreens or Staples. Selfies or other unofficial photos will not be accepted.
    • Travel support letter. This is issued by the Office of Global Affairs and sent to all confirmed students by email along with the GeoBlue International Insurance letter.
    • Proof of health insurance. Confirmed students are automatically enrolled in GeoBlue International Health Insurance for the duration of their program. A GeoBlue International Insurance letter is issued by the Office of Global Affairs to all confirmed students along with the Travel Support Letter. 
    • Flight itinerary. This documentation must show your full name and all details of both your arrival and departure flights, including the dates, times, airports, and flight numbers.
    • Proof of financial support. This may include a savings account statement, credit card statement, or other documentation demonstrating that the traveler can support themselves while in Ghana.
    • For international students: A scan of your student visa and your I-20/DS-2019 document with valid travel signature from OGS (if applicable)
    • Money order made out to THE MISSION OF GHANA. You can read this How to Obtain a Money Order guide on obtaining this form of payment. Please note that cash and checks are not acceptable forms of payment. As of May 2024, a single-entry visa, the fee is $60 USD.
    • A self-addressed insured envelope with tracking complete with postage. The Consular staff uses this envelope to mail back the applicant’s passport and other application documents once the application has been processed. 
    • Printed copy of completed online application. Once you have submitted your application online (see below), print out a copy and sign it. 

Online Application References

Global Affairs will send out specific instructions when your 90-day application window begins. The online application will ask for two references in Ghana. Your references are faculty members of NYU Accra, as follows:

Reference #1: Marian Ansa-Otu
No. 8, 3rd Norla St.
North Labone, Accra
Phone: +233-302-761-528
Email: mao9@nyu.edu  

Reference #2: Frankie Edozieno 
No. 8, 3rd Norla St.
North Labone, Accra
Phone: +233-302-761-528
Email: fe7@nyu.edu 

Submitting Your Documents

Documents can be mailed to the Consulate for processing or dropped off at the VFS Premium Application Center. 

Submitting by Mail

Students receive their passports back by mail once their visa is processed. There are three processing time options:

    • Standard (10 business days)
    • Express (4 business days processing)
    • Priority (3 business days processing)

Submitting at VFS Premium Application Center

Once you have submitted your application online, you can make an appointment at VFS Premium Application Center to drop off your documents. It is an additional $55 to have your visa application processed in-person. Travelers can then return to the VFS Premium Application Center at a later date to pick up their passport. There are two options:

    • Express (4 business days processing)
    • Priority (3 business days processing)

Back to Top

Uganda

All foreign nationals traveling to Uganda must complete the below action items at least ONE month before entering the country:

DO NOT attempt to create multiple e-Visa applications. Doing so will cause significant delays in processing your visa application triggering a system error when it finds that more than one application contains the same or similar details.

  • If you experience issues submitting your application, tracking your e-Visa status, or have made a mistake on the online form, and are unable to resolve them yourself, please contact The Permanent Mission of Uganda to the U.N. right away for technical assistance and update the Office of Global Affairs team and faculty leader about your situation.

e-Visa Instructions

Start the Uganda Electronic Visa Application via the Government of Uganda’s Electronic Visa/Permit Application System website.

    1. On the Select Type of Application page, select the following choices from the drop-down list:
      1. Visa or Permit Type: [Visa]
      2. Category: [Uganda Ordinary/Tourist Visa]
      3. Subcategory: [Single Entry] 
    2. Proceed to the Fill the Form page and complete the sections as follows:
      1. Group Data – Please Skip this Section
      2. Personal Data – Your name should match what’s on your passport
      3. Passport Data
      4. Other Data
        1. Address in Uganda: Fang Fang Hotel (Plot 9, Ssewibwa Road, Kampala, Uganda)
        2. Purpose of Visit: Tourism
        3. Point of Entry: Entebbe
        4. If prompted for contact in Uganda, please list Jill Pribylova, Phone: 011-2567744-68642.
    3. On the Add Documents pages, you will be prompted to upload the following required documentation:
        • Passport bio-data page (with at least 6 months validity)
        • Recent Passport-size Photograph
        • Vaccination Certificate (Yellow Fever)
        • Round-Trip / Return [Airline] Ticket
  1. On the Confirmation & Submission page, review the information you have entered. Should you notice any errors, please use the “Previous Step” button at the bottom of the page to make corrections. You may also wish to print this page for your own records.
  2. After submitting your e-visa application, a six-digit application ID (e.g., 234790123) is automatically generated and will serve as your application reference number.

    Write down your application reference number OR take a picture of your application number from your computer screen. You will need this information later to check on the approval status of your e-Visa application, and in some cases, it is needed to troubleshoot your application in the system.

You will receive instructions on how to pay your USD 50.00 visa fee.

Back to Top

United Kingdom

Starting January 8, 2025, the United Kingdom will require all travelers with primary citizenship from this list of identified countries to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) for entry into the UK. This means that travelers must have an issued ETA before boarding a flight for any travel to the UK. Please note that the ETA is not a visa and airlines have the right to refuse boarding without the ETA.

The ETA is valid for two years and allows multiple entries into the UK. It costs 10 GBP. Stays in the UK must not exceed six months per visit. The processing time takes a minimum of three business days and must be acquired prior to your travel to the UK. We highly recommend applying for the ETA at least 14 business days in advance of travel in case any issues arise. If a passport is lost, stolen or renewed, travelers must reapply for the ETA.

Application Timeline Notice: 

Documents Needed to Apply for a UK ETA:

  • A valid passport
  • An email address
  • Mode of payment – credit or debit card
  • Phone in which you can take a photo of yourself

Back to Top