Visiting the US can be tricky for foreign visitors. Citizens of some countries visiting the US need a visa, ESTA, or EVUS. Here’s how to enroll in EVUS.
Maggie emailed
Hi. I love your blog. I’m planning a visit to the US. Do I need an EVUS? I am Chinese.
What is EVUS
Enrollment in EVUS (Electronic Visa Update System) is required for all Chinese Nationals (citizens) including children who have a 10 year B1, B2, or B1/B2 visa to visit or transit through the United States.
If you have any other visa that is not B1, B2, or B1/B2 or have a Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan passport you do not need to enroll in EVUS.
You should enroll before you board your plane or ship to the United States. Because some airlines will not give you a boarding pass if you have not enrolled in EVUS.
Pro-tip: Submit your EVUS enrollment at least 72 hours before travel.
Enrollment in EVUS is valid for two years except when you:
- Get a new passport
- Receive a new 10-year B1, B2, or B1/B2 visa
- Change your name
- Undergo a gender change
- Change your citizenship
- Any underlying circumstances such as visa denial, arrest, etc. occur
How to Enroll in EVUS
You can enroll in EVUS online. Currently, there is no fee to enroll on the government site, but soon they will start charging a fee. The EVUS US electronic visa site charges $39. This small fee may be worth it for peace of mind and to ensure that your EVUS enrollment is submitted correctly. I’ve used visa service companies to get my Chinese and Brazil visas. Both times it was worth it to avoid hassles.
Enrollment takes about 20 to 25 minutes. Requirements to enroll in EVUS:
- Valid Chinese passport (minimum 6 months before expiration)
- 10 year B1, B2, or B1/B2 visa issued by the state?
- Address of destination in the US
- Emergency contact
Pro-tip: You should enroll in EVUS when you get your visa.
Step 1. Enroll in EVUS
Submit your EVUS online. Chose individual enrollment then click confirm & continue.
Pro-tip: Use group enrollment if you’re enrolling more than 1 person
Step 2. Accept Terms of Disclaimer
Select yes that you understanding that enrolling in EVUS doesn’t guarantee application approval. Approval depends on the US Customs and Border Protection officer at your US entry point.
Step 3. Enter Your Personal Information
Enter your personal information to include your name and date of birth as shown on your Chinese passport. Select yes from the drop-down box to confirm you have a valid 10 year US visa.
Step 4. Visa & Passport Information
Provide your Visa foil number and passport information.
Step 5. Enrollee Information
Enter the following enrollee information:
- Surname
- First (given)
- Gender
- Date of birth
- Country of birth
- Country of Citizenship
You’ll be asked to include additional personal identifying information such as home address, phone number, other names used, etc.
Step 6. Emergency Contact Information
Provide full name, email address, and phone number for an emergency contact.
Pro-tip: This person does not have to be in the United States
Step 7. Eligibility Questions
Answer the eligibility questions truthfully and to the best of your ability.
Step 8. Review Your Enrollment
Review your information to make sure everything is accurate. If you need to make any corrections, click edit to change information. If everything is correct, click confirm and continue.
Pro-tip: When you submit your EVUS you can’t change any information. So be sure everything is correct before you confirm and enroll in EVUS.
Step 9. Select Certification Type
Choose the type of certification: enrollee or third party.
Step 10. Submit
Click the submit button to enroll in EVUS. After submitting, if your application was successful an “enrolled” screen will appear.
Pro-tip: Click print or download to save a copy of your EVUS enrollment for your records before you exit the screen.
What if You Don’t Get an Enrolled Message
When you enroll in EVUS you can get one of four responses:
- Successful
- Unsuccessful
- Visa Revoked
- Pending
Successful
A “successful” message means your EVUS enrollment was approved. Remember to print a copy of your successful enrollment of EVUS.
Unsuccessful
If you receive an “unsuccessful” message, your EVUS enrollment failed for one of several reasons:
- Invalid passport
- Response to EVUS questions
- Invalid visa
When you get an “unsuccessful” message your visa to the US will be provisionally revoked. You have to call the Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) call center at 202-325-0180 for further instructions. The call center is open 24 hours, every day except US holidays.
Visa Revoked
If you get a visa revoked message the State Department has revoked your visa. You will need to apply for a new visa. Once you have a new visa, you can enroll in EVUS.
<3>Pending
A pending message means CBP is processing your application. It can take up to 72 hours to process your EVUS. You can check the status of your EVUS application.
Conclusion
A Chinese citizen visiting the United States on a B1, B2, or B1/B2 visa or transiting the US needs to enroll in EVUS.
Enrolling in EVUS is easy and takes about 25 minutes. You can submit your application online for free through the government site. You should enroll at least 72 hours prior to arriving in the US.
Do you have any questions on how to enroll in EVUS?
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