Important information about visas for our Nomad Cruise to Japan:

This cruise includes two days in Alaska, which requires you to have either a valid US visa or an ESTA authorization (depending on your nationality).

Check Your ESTA Eligibility:

• See if your country qualifies for ESTA by visiting this link: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov
• When filling out your ESTA application, for the question about whether you’ll be staying in the US or just transiting, select "stay," as we will be visiting places in Alaska. In the contact/location section, you can enter the name of the ship (MS Noordam), and either Holland America’s address (Holland America Line N.V, 450 Third Avenue West, Seattle, WA, 98119 USA), or the port address in Sitka, as our point of entry to the US.
• If your country isn't on the list, or you've visited a country on the US banned list, you'll need a B1/B2 visa.

Applying for a B1/B2 Visa:

• Visit the US Department of State website and select your country for specific visa information: https://www.ustraveldocs.com

Dealing with Long Appointment Wait Times:

Option 1: Expedited Interview (Limited Situations):

• If you're a conference speaker and have a long wait time, explore expediting your interview after filling the DS-160 form and paying the visa fee. To expedite your interview, book the closest available date for an interview. You’ll have the option to request to expedite your interview. Give them a detailed explanation of your situation and how important this is for your career. Do not mention the word “work”, focus on the business and the presentation topics. Tell them when you were invited to speak and show them screenshots of the website and of your speaker invitation.

Option 2: Check for Appointment Cancellations:

• Regularly check the US embassy website for appointment cancellations. Some people have successfully secured earlier slots (in 1-2 months instead of 12-18 months) using this method.

Option 3: Apply at a Different Embassy (Third-Country Nationals):

• Consider applying at an embassy with shorter wait times in a different city or country, especially if the wait time in your location is significant (e.g., Paris - 500 days). Embassies like Serbia or Bulgaria might have shorter wait times (less than 2 weeks).

You can check the wait times form here.

Note that these wait times aren’t accurate and the best way to check is to fill your DS-160 form and register on the embassy’s website. Go ahead and try to get to the appointment calendar or the soonest appointment date before paying the visa fee. Some embassies have limited spots for third country nationals.

Important Note:

Applying from a country you don't reside in (third-country national) might raise additional questions during your interview. Be prepared to demonstrate strong ties to your country of residence and provide clear onward travel plans.