Booking a US Visa Appointment from India
By Ananya Singh (Ananya Singh writes step-by-step first-international-trip guides for Indians — passport rules, visa cascade timing, immigration walkthroughs, and the unglamorous logistics that separate a smooth trip from a stranded one.) · Published · 9 min read
Booking a US visa appointment is a multi-step online process that trips people up in small but annoying ways. Here is the full walkthrough for Indian applicants — from DS-160 to that first available slot.
TL;DR — The Steps at a Glance
To book a US non-immigrant visa appointment from India, you need to: (1) fill and submit the DS-160 online application form, (2) pay the MRV visa fee, (3) create a profile on the US Travel Docs India portal and schedule your interview appointment, and (4) separately book a VAC (Visa Application Centre) appointment if required for biometrics. The process takes a few hours to complete properly and then a wait — sometimes weeks, sometimes months — for an available slot. Start at ustraveldocs.com/in and use the official US Embassy/Consulate sites for any policy questions. Do not use any third-party 'appointment booking' services that ask for your login credentials.
Step 1: Fill the DS-160 Application Form
The DS-160 is the US non-immigrant visa application form, filled entirely online at ceac.state.gov. This is not a quick form — budget a couple of hours, especially the first time. It covers your personal information, travel history, employment, education, family details, and security questions.
A few things that catch people out:
- The form has a session timeout. If you walk away mid-form and it times out, you can retrieve it using the Application ID the system gives you at the start. Save this ID somewhere safe as soon as you see it.
- Every country you have visited in the last five years needs to be listed. Every employer in the last five years. Every university. Be thorough and accurate — inconsistencies between your DS-160 and what you say at the interview window are flagged immediately.
- The photo upload has specific requirements: white background, recent, specific pixel dimensions. Many people upload a photo that gets rejected. Use a photo editing tool or get it taken professionally against a plain white wall.
- At the end, you get a confirmation page with a barcode. Print this page — this is your DS-160 confirmation and you will need it on interview day.
If you make a mistake after submitting, you can fill a new DS-160 and use the new barcode. Older versions become invalid when a new one is submitted for the same passport.
Step 2: Pay the MRV Fee
The MRV (Machine Readable Visa) fee is the non-refundable visa application fee. As of early 2026, the B-1/B-2 fee is around USD 185, which translates to roughly ₹15,000–₹16,000 at current exchange rates — though the exact rupee amount you pay depends on how the fee is calculated at the time of payment. Always check the current figure on the US Travel Docs India site before paying.
Payment is through the US Travel Docs portal. You can pay via NEFT bank transfer or by depositing cash at a designated bank (typically Axis Bank branches — the portal will show current options). Online payment via debit/credit card is also available. Once paid, the system takes 1–2 business days to reflect the payment in your profile. Do not try to book an appointment until the payment shows as confirmed in your portal account.
Keep all receipts. The MRV receipt number is linked to your appointment, and you will need it on interview day.
Step 3: Create Your US Travel Docs Profile and Book the Appointment
Go to ustraveldocs.com/in and create an account if you do not have one. Fill in your profile details — they should match your DS-160 exactly.
Once your MRV payment is confirmed in the system, you can schedule your interview. Select your visa category (B-1/B-2 for tourist/business, F-1 for student, H-1B for work, etc.), choose your preferred consulate city, and browse available dates.
This is where the pain usually starts. Available slots may be weeks or months out. Do not panic. Book whatever is earliest for now — you can reschedule later if a better slot opens. As discussed in our article on US visa wait times from India, checking the portal early morning and late evening for cancellation slots is the best strategy for getting an earlier date.
After booking the interview, the portal will also ask you to schedule a VAC (Visa Application Centre) appointment — this is where you submit your documents and get fingerprints taken, usually a day before or on the same day as your consulate interview, depending on the post. Both appointments are needed.
What to Bring on Interview Day
On the day of your appointment, arrive at least 30 minutes early. Security lines at US consulates in India can move slowly. Keep your phone in your bag or hotel room — phones are not allowed inside most US consulate premises.
Documents to carry in an organised folder:
- Printed DS-160 confirmation page (with barcode)
- Valid passport (original)
- Old passports with previous visas, if any
- MRV fee payment receipt
- Appointment confirmation printout
- Passport-size photographs (same spec as DS-160 photo)
- Supporting documents: bank statements, employment letter, ITR, property documents, hotel and flight bookings, invitation letter if applicable
The officer will call you to the window. They may ask for some documents, or none. Have everything ready but do not push documents into the window unless asked. Answer their questions directly. The whole interview typically takes 2–5 minutes.
What Happens After the Interview
One of three things happens: your visa is approved on the spot (the officer will indicate this and tell you how and when to collect your passport), your case is put in administrative processing (AP), or your visa is refused.
Administrative processing (the 221(g) slip) is not a refusal — it means they need more time or information. It can take anywhere from a few days to several months. You may be asked to submit additional documents. If you get a 221(g), wait for instructions; do not keep calling the consulate.
If approved, your passport with the visa stamp will be returned via courier (if you paid for that service) or collected at the VAC. Budget 3–5 business days for this after approval.
Use our visa tool for a quick overview of US visa types, check our full US tourist visa documents checklist for what to carry, and see our guide on US visa renewal from India if you are a returning applicant.
Frequently asked questions
Can I fill the DS-160 and pay the MRV fee in any order?
You can fill the DS-160 first and then pay the MRV fee, or pay first and then fill the DS-160. Most people fill the DS-160 first since it generates the confirmation barcode needed for the booking profile. What matters is that both are complete before you try to schedule an appointment, since the portal checks for a confirmed MRV payment before releasing the scheduling screen.
What if I make a mistake on my DS-160 after submitting it?
You can fill a completely new DS-160 with the correction. The old one becomes invalid once a new submission is made for the same passport. Use the new barcode at your interview. You do not need to cancel or restart your appointment — just bring the new DS-160 confirmation page on interview day.
Can I change which consulate I booked my appointment at?
Yes — you can reschedule your appointment to a different consulate city through the US Travel Docs portal before your interview date. The MRV fee follows you; you do not need to repay it. Note that each consulate operates slightly independently, so check if your chosen new location has any specific requirements (some post-specific forms or supplemental documents).
My MRV fee payment still shows as pending after 3 days. What do I do?
NEFT payments can take 2–3 business days to reflect. If it has been longer, check that you used the exact reference number the portal provided — even a small error means the payment cannot be matched to your account. Contact the US Travel Docs India helpline (the number is on the portal) with your payment receipt. Do not attempt to pay again without confirming the first payment failed, or you may end up paying twice.
Do I need to bring original documents to the US visa interview, or are photocopies enough?
Bring originals of everything important — passport, bank statements, employment letter, ITR — along with photocopies. The officer may look at originals or may only take copies. Some people are asked to leave documents; others are told to keep everything. Having organised originals shows you take the interview seriously, and you may need them if you are asked to submit additional documents during administrative processing.