Find out if the country you want to visit requires a visa. Some countries do not require visas for U.S. citizens. Some only require them if you plan to stay in the country for a certain length of time. Visit an embassy or consulate or go to their websites to find out whether you must have a visa to enter.
Ask what documents are required for a visa application. These documents could include your birth certificate or your high school and college diplomas.
Contact your state's vital records office. Ask for originals of documents needed for your visa application. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintains a list of each state's vital records offices on its website. Vital records include documents such as birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates. Fees usually apply.
Contact the county clerk in the county where you were born to obtain official documentation of birth as an alternative to contacting your state's vital records office. You may have to appear in person at either the clerk's or vital records office. Ask about the policies in whatever office you decide to use.
Call your college or university to obtain an original diploma. You also can obtain a sealed, official transcript to include with your visa application. This will likely incur a fee from the school. Be prepared to provide information about your major, graduation year and your name at time of enrollment.
Ask your bank or employer for verification of your financial and employment status. These documents may need to be signed or notarized before a country will accept them as originals. Talk to the visa-issuing embassy or consulate to ensure you follow rules for what constitutes an original document.
Get a passport. Forms for obtaining a new passport or replacing a lost one are different. Fill out and submit necessary paperwork. Submit those to a passport acceptance facility or passport agency. Applications and a list of facilities are available on the state department's website. Visas must be affixed to the original passport in most cases.
Submit your original documents and your passport to the visa processing department of the country you want to visit. Include your visa application and fee. The original documents will be returned to you.
