How to Apply for a US Visa From India

Indian citizens need a visa for almost every trip to the United States. India is not part of the Visa Waiver Program, so ESTA is not an option, and the category you choose decides the form, the fee and the documents the consular officer expects to see. For holidays, family visits and short business trips, that category is the B-1/B-2 visitor visa.

This guide walks through the whole process from India: picking the right visa class, filling in the DS-160, paying the fee in rupees, booking the visa application centre (VAC) and interview appointments, what happens at the US Embassy in New Delhi and the consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata, interview waiver renewals, the documents worth carrying, timelines and what happens after the decision. Our existing US posts cover document checklists and the flight question in detail, so this guide links to them rather than repeating that material.

Facts come from travel.state.gov, the US Department of State's visa website, from the official appointment service for India at ustraveldocs.com, and from the US Embassy and Consulates in India, unless another source is named. Rules and fees change, so confirm on those sites on the day you apply.

Which US Visa Do Indians Need?

Start with the purpose of your trip, because the visa class follows from it. Most Indian travellers need the B-1/B-2 visitor visa, which covers tourism, visiting relatives or friends, medical treatment, and business activities such as meetings, conferences and contract negotiations. Study, exchange programmes, employment and joining a US citizen fiancé(e) each need a different class with its own documents and fee. The table summarises the categories Indians use most.

If you are not sure which class fits, the US Embassy and Consulates in India point applicants to the Visa Navigator and the visa types section of the official appointment service. Choose carefully: the consular officer decides whether your purpose matches the class you applied for, and a mismatch is a common reason for a refusal.

What Can You Do on a B-1/B-2 Visitor Visa?

Travel.state.gov describes visitor visas as nonimmigrant visas for people entering the United States temporarily for business (B-1), tourism (B-2), or both (B-1/B-2). In practice, most Indians are issued a combined B-1/B-2 visa, which lets you use it for either purpose on later trips.

Activities that fit the B-1 business purpose

• Consulting with business associates
• Attending a scientific, educational, professional or business conference
• Settling an estate
• Negotiating a contract

Activities that fit the B-2 tourism purpose

• Tourism and holidays
• Visiting friends or relatives
• Medical treatment
• Participating in social events hosted by fraternal, social or service organisations
• Amateur participation in music, sports or similar events, if not paid
• Enrolling in a short recreational course of study that does not count towards a degree

What is not allowed

Travel.state.gov lists activities that need a different visa: study, employment, paid performances, arriving as a crew member on a ship or aircraft, working as foreign press or media, and permanent residence. Travel.state.gov also states that travelling mainly to give birth in the United States so that a child gains US citizenship is not a permitted purpose. An individual on a B-1/B-2 visa is not permitted to accept employment in the United States.

The visa itself is permission to travel to a US port of entry and ask to be admitted. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers decide at the airport whether to admit you and for how long, and record your admission electronically or on a Form I-94. If your plans change while you are in the United States, for example because of a job offer, you may be able to ask US Citizenship and Immigration Services for a change of status, but staying beyond your authorised period voids the visa under section 222(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Where Should You Apply: Embassy or Consulate?

On 15 July 2026 the State Department confirmed that applicants for nonimmigrant visas should schedule their interviews at a US embassy or consulate in their country of nationality or residence. For Indian citizens living in India, that means one of five US posts: the US Embassy in New Delhi or the Consulates General in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. Applying elsewhere is possible in limited cases, but the notice warns that it may be harder to qualify and that appointment waits are likely to be longer, and fees paid for such applications are not returned or transferred.

The interview location you select at the start of the DS-160 can differ from the post where you finally book your interview, according to the appointment service, but it must be one of the five posts in India. If you are not an Indian citizen but live in India lawfully, for example as an OCI cardholder or on an employment visa, you will need proof of your residence status when you apply here.

How Do You Fill In the DS-160 Form?

The DS-160 is the online nonimmigrant visa application. Every applicant, including children, needs their own form, and it must be submitted before you can book an appointment. The steps that matter most for Indian applicants are below.

1. Open the form on the Consular Electronic Application Center site linked from travel.state.gov and pick India and your interview post.
2. Write down the Application ID shown at the top right. The session expires after 20 minutes of inactivity, and you need the ID to return to a saved form.
3. Answer every question in English characters, except where the form asks for your full name in your native alphabet.
4. Upload a photo that meets the State Department photo requirements (see below).
5. Enter your travel plans, US contact, previous US travel, family, work, education and security answers. Check every answer before you sign electronically; misrepresenting facts can make you ineligible.
6. Submit and print the confirmation page with the barcode, which starts with AA. You do not need to print the full form.

According to the appointment service for India, a DS-160 is valid for one year from submission. The barcode number on your confirmation page must match the one in your appointment profile. If you correct a DS-160 after booking, bring both the original confirmation page used to book and the corrected one; if you cannot bring both, you must reschedule using the corrected number. Select your sex at birth in the sex field, as the instructions require.

The photo must be in colour, taken within the last 6 months against a plain white or off-white background, full face, neutral expression, both eyes open, with the head between 22 mm and 35 mm high. Eyeglasses are no longer allowed in new visa photos except for rare medical reasons with a signed medical statement. Do not reuse the photo from your previous visa when renewing.

Use the travel section to give a realistic arrival date and length of stay. Travel.state.gov says applicants should not make final travel plans or buy tickets until they have a visa, which is why many applicants show a reservation instead of a paid fare. Our guide to B1/B2 tourist visa documents, the DS-160 and interview funds goes through each supporting document in detail.

How Do You Pay the US Visa Fee in India?

The application fee, often called the MRV fee, is listed in US dollars but paid in Indian rupees at the consular exchange rate. The US Embassy and Consulates in India state that from 25 May 2026 the consular rate changed from INR 96 to INR 98 per dollar. At that rate, the USD 185 visitor visa fee works out to INR 18,130 and the USD 205 petition-based fee to INR 20,090; the payment screen shows the exact amount on the day you pay.

Payment options listed by the appointment service

• NEFT transfer from an Indian bank account, including online or mobile banking, to the unique account number shown on your payment screen. Do not pay from a co-operative or regional rural bank.
• UPI, using apps such as BHIM or Google Pay, or a QR code shown on the payment page.
• RuPay debit card or a credit card issued in India.
• Cash at designated Axis Bank or Citibank branches, using the fee collection slip printed from your profile.

Create your profile on the appointment site first, as its payment options page explains and choose to schedule an appointment; the payment confirmation screen then gives you the payment details. It can take up to 1 business day for the receipt to activate, after which you can schedule. The receipt is valid for 365 days from issue, and you must schedule your appointment within that period, although the appointment itself can fall later.

The fee is not returned if the visa is refused, and it cannot be moved to another applicant. If a payment seems to have failed, do not pay a second time; the appointment service asks applicants to email support-india@usvisascheduling.com so the payment can be traced. If you pay from an NRI account, RBI rules mean a mistaken payment cannot be reversed, so the site recommends an NRO account. Note also that applicants can reschedule only a limited number of times before a new fee is needed.

Other fees you may see

Some visa classes carry a reciprocity, or issuance, fee after approval; travel.state.gov sets these per nationality in the reciprocity schedule for India. Students and exchange visitors pay the SEVIS I-901 fee to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement before the interview. A visa integrity fee of at least USD 250 was created by US law in July 2025 and is due when a nonimmigrant visa is issued, but a Federal Register notice said it would be implemented in a future publication, and the State Department fee page we checked on 4 November 2026 did not list it. Check the fee page before you apply.

How Do You Book the VAC and Interview Appointments?

Most applicants in India need two appointments: one at a Visa Application Center for fingerprints and a photo, and one for the interview at the embassy or consulate. The VAC appointment must be at least 2 business days before the interview. Both are booked online in your profile on the appointment service.

1. Submit the DS-160 and note the barcode number.
2. Create a profile on the official appointment service, enter your passport and DS-160 details, choose your visa type and delivery option for the passport.
3. Pay the fee and wait for the receipt to activate.
4. Pick the VAC date and then the interview date at your chosen post.
5. Print the appointment confirmation and keep it with your DS-160 confirmation page.

Family members with provable ties, such as spouses, children, parents and siblings, can book together using the dependent option. People travelling for the same purpose who are not family must book individually, and groups of 10 or more travelling together may request a group appointment.

Wait times differ by post and season. The appointment service publishes current waits for New Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai, and travel.state.gov has a global visa appointment wait times tool. The appointment service encourages applicants to apply at least 3 months before travel.

If a browser extension designed for automation is detected, the appointment calendar shows an "Access limitation" message. The site asks you to remove such tools and wait at least 24 hours before trying again.

Expedited appointments

You can request an earlier date only after you have paid the fee and booked the first available regular appointment. The India appointment service's expedited appointment page lists urgent, unforeseen needs such as a funeral, urgent business travel, a medical emergency, a school start date or a denied ESTA application, and you need documentary proof. Each applicant can make only two expedite requests. Weddings, graduation ceremonies, helping a pregnant relative, annual conferences and last-minute tourism do not qualify. Keep your existing appointment while you wait for the answer by email from do-not-reply@usvisascheduling.com.

The State Department is also testing a paid expedited appointment of USD 750 for B visa applicants until 31 December 2026, but the August 2026 announcement listed only posts in Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Honduras. It was not offered in India when we checked.

What Happens at the VAC and the Visa Interview?

At the Visa Application Center

At the VAC, staff take your ten fingerprints with an ink-free digital scanner and a digital photograph. Applicants under 14 or over 79 do not need to attend the biometrics appointment in person; a family member or representative can submit the documents listed in the appointment letter at the scheduled time.

At the embassy or consulate

Everyone must attend the interview in person, including children under 14 and adults over 79. Missing it marks you as a "No Show", and you then need to pay a new fee and restart the process. Friends, relatives, lawyers and business contacts cannot attend a nonimmigrant interview with you.

Security screening is strict. Mobile phones, smart watches, key fobs, laptops, cameras, large bags and backpacks, cosmetics, sealed envelopes and sharp objects are not allowed, and there is no place to store them. Carry papers in an unsealed plastic bag, a small cloth bag or a zip folder. If you need a medical device, the embassy asks for an original letter from a medical professional confirming the need.

The interview itself is short. The officer checks your DS-160 answers, may ask about your purpose, your job or studies, who is paying and your plans to return, and may look at documents. Answer in your own words and keep your answers consistent with the form. Visitor visa applicants must show that they qualify based on their ties to India; travel.state.gov notes that an invitation letter or Affidavit of Support is not needed and is not one of the factors used to decide.

Can You Renew a US Visa Without an Interview?

Since 2 September 2025, almost all nonimmigrant applicants, including those under 14 and over 79, generally need an in-person interview. The main exception for Indian travellers is a renewal. Under the State Department update of 18 September 2025, which took effect on 1 October 2025, you may qualify for an interview waiver if you are renewing a B-1, B-2 or B-1/B-2 visa within 12 months of its expiry, the earlier visa was issued for full validity, and you were at least 18 when it was issued.

India-specific conditions on the appointment service

• You apply in your consular district of residence and are present in India during the submission.
• All 10 fingerprints were taken when your last visa was issued.
• The previous visa was not lost, stolen or revoked.
• You have never been refused a US visa, unless the refusal was overcome or waived.
• Your passport is valid for at least 15 calendar days from the waiver appointment date.
• Your waiver appointment falls at least 15 calendar days before the 12-month window after expiry closes; otherwise you will be asked to book biometrics and an interview.

Eligible applicants pay the fee, book a waiver drop-off appointment, and drop off the DS-160 confirmation, the appointment letter, current and old passports with the earlier visa, and one 5 cm x 5 cm colour photo taken within 6 months, at one of the drop-off locations. Lawful residents who are not Indian citizens add proof of residence status. The appointment service's interview waiver page says to allow up to three weeks from drop-off until the passport is ready, and you cannot collect the passport during that time. A consular officer can still call you for an interview at any stage.

If you have a valid US visa in an expired passport, travel.state.gov says the visa is still valid until its own expiry date. Do not remove it; travel with the old passport containing the visa and your new valid passport.

What Documents Should You Carry to a US Visa Interview?

The travel.state.gov Visitor Visa page lists four required items for a visitor visa interview, and the officer may ask for more to check your purpose, your intention to leave and your ability to pay. Carry originals in a clear folder in the order you are likely to be asked for them.

Required for every applicant

• A passport valid for at least six months beyond your intended stay, plus all old passports.
• The DS-160 confirmation page with the barcode that matches your appointment.
• The fee payment receipt and appointment confirmation.
• A printed photo only if your DS-160 photo upload failed.

Evidence that often helps an Indian visitor file

• Employment proof: an employer letter showing your role, salary and approved leave, plus recent salary slips.
• Income and tax records: income tax returns, Form 16 or business registration and GST records for the self-employed.
• Bank statements showing a history that matches your declared income, and proof of assets such as property papers or fixed deposits.
• Family ties at home, such as a spouse or children staying in India.
• Your travel plan: a day-by-day outline, a hotel reservation or your host's address, and planned flight dates.
• Students: the I-20, SEVIS fee receipt, admission letter, transcripts, test scores and funding proof. Our US student visa documents guide covers the F-1 and M-1 file.
• Business visitors: an invitation from the US company, a letter from your Indian employer about the purpose and who pays. See our US business visa requirements guide for the B-1 file.

For the travel element, a flight itinerary for visa applications with a real PNR shows your planned dates without buying a fare before the decision, which matches the State Department advice not to buy tickets until the visa is issued. A BookForVisa flight or hotel reservation is a flat $15 per person, valid 48-72 hours, with free date changes on the booking day only, so order it close to your interview date.

Some travellers search for a dummy ticket for this step; what helps is a real, checkable reservation rather than an edited file or a template. Keep the dates on your reservation, DS-160 and day plan the same.

How Much Money Do You Need for a US Visitor Visa?

Travel.state.gov does not set a fixed bank balance for a visitor visa. You need to show that you can pay all the costs of your trip, or that another person will cover some or all of them. The officer looks at whether the money fits your income and whether the trip makes sense for your circumstances.

Practical points for Indian applicants: keep 6 months of statements ready, explain large recent deposits, and do not move money from relatives into your account just before the interview without paperwork showing where it came from. If a family member in India or the United States is paying, carry proof of their income and your relationship. A sponsor's Affidavit of Support is not needed for a visitor visa and does not replace your own ties to India.

Health care in the United States is expensive, and the visa does not cover medical costs. Travel insurance is not a listed visa requirement, but it is a sensible part of your trip budget, especially for parents visiting children.

How Long Does a US Visa Take From India?

There are three separate waits: the wait for an appointment, the decision at the interview, and the return of your passport.

Students can be issued an F-1 or M-1 visa up to 365 days before the course start date, but cannot enter the United States more than 30 days before it, according to travel.state.gov's Student Visa page. Plan your interview early in the season, when demand from students is high.

What Happens After the US Visa Interview?

At the end of the interview, the officer tells you the outcome. There are three common results.

Approved

The officer keeps your passport, the visa is printed and placed in it, and the passport comes back by your chosen delivery method. Track it through the appointment service; you will get an SMS and email when it is ready. Check the visa as soon as you get it: your name, date of birth, passport number, visa class, number of entries and expiry date. The visa expiry date is not how long you can stay; CBP sets your admission period at the airport.

Refused under section 214(b)

Most visitor visa refusals are under section 214(b), which means the officer was not convinced that you qualify, usually because ties to India or the purpose of the trip were not shown clearly. There is no appeal. You can apply again with a new DS-160 and fee when your circumstances have changed or you can present your situation better, but repeating the same file rarely changes the outcome.

Refused under section 221(g)

A 221(g) refusal means that information is missing or the case needs administrative processing. The officer tells you what to provide. If you are asked for documents, submit them through the drop-off arrangements on the appointment service, which delivers them to the embassy or consulate; the drop-off locations page states that from 15 October 2026 a fee of INR 1,500 per individual application is collected when the passport is submitted. You can check your case status online with your interview location and DS-160 barcode number.

What Are Common Mistakes in US Visa Applications From India?

• Choosing the wrong visa class, for example applying as a tourist when the trip is really for work or a long course.
• Errors in the DS-160 that do not match your passport, or a barcode that does not match the appointment, which can stop you attending.
• Paying the fee twice after a failed transaction instead of contacting support.
• Booking the interview outside India without a residence reason, which the State Department says can make it harder to qualify.
• Relying on an invitation letter instead of your own ties to India.
• Buying full-fare non-flexible tickets before the visa is issued.
• Bringing a phone, smart watch or backpack to the consulate, with nowhere to store it.
• Using a photo with glasses or one older than 6 months.

Also be wary of anyone promising a guaranteed visa or an early slot for a fee. The only official appointment channel is the US Department of State appointment service linked from the US Embassy and Consulates in India.

What Do Real US Visa Applications From India Look Like?

Example 1: software engineer from Bengaluru, two-week holiday

Ananya, 29, plans a 14-day trip to New York and California. She fills in the DS-160 choosing Chennai, pays INR 18,130 through UPI, books the Chennai VAC and an interview two business days later. Her folder has an employer letter confirming leave, 3 months of payslips, her ITRs, 6 months of bank statements, a short day plan, hotel reservations and a flight reservation with a real PNR, all with the same dates as her DS-160.

Example 2: retired parents from Ahmedabad visiting their son

Ramesh, 67, and Usha, 64, want to spend two months with their son, an H-1B worker in New Jersey. They apply together using the dependent option and interview in Mumbai. Their file shows pension statements, property papers, bank records and their son's address and status. They know an Affidavit of Support is not needed, so they focus on their own income and their home in Ahmedabad.

Example 3: renewing a visitor visa in Delhi

Vikram, 41, holds a full-validity B-1/B-2 visa that expired 4 months ago. He was 31 when it was issued, has never been refused, and gave all 10 fingerprints last time. He qualifies for an interview waiver, pays the fee, books a drop-off appointment, and submits his old and new passports, his DS-160 confirmation and a new photo. He plans no travel for three weeks while the passport is with the consulate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Friendly reminder: BookForVisa prepares flight and hotel reservations to support visa applications and onward-travel proof. Requirements vary by destination, consulate, visa category and applicant situation. A reservation supports your file; it is not a paid ticket for travel and does not guarantee visa approval or entry.