You should apply for a US visa at least three months prior to your intended date of travel either online or offline. It is important that you give yourself a lot of time to secure an interview, prepare the documents and attend the interview. Following are the steps to successfully apply for an USA Visa:
- Identify your Visa Type There are various types of Visas available for foreign nationals to enter USA for business purpose like Non-immigrant Visa-B-1, E-1, E-2, etc and immigrant visa -EB-5. You can decide based on the nature, purpose, and duration of your travel before selecting type of Visa. The type applicable for you will also depend on your profession and overall profile. However, all the 185 types of visas can be broadly categorized into two basic types: Immigrant and Non-Immigrant visas. If you are going there for residence purposes, you will require immigrant visa; otherwise, non-immigrant visa.
Types of Visas – Click Here
- Complete your application Complete the Visa Electronic Application form. Be sure to read the Guidelines for Completing the Form All information must be correct and accurate. Once the form is submitted, you cannot make any changes. If you need assistance, please consult an immigration lawyer or translator. You will need your application form number to book your appointment.
- Pay your Visa fee Once you have determined the correct visa type and completed the application form, you must pay the visa fee. The visa fee page lists the visa types and correlating visa fee in U.S. dollars and local currency. To pay your visa fee, read the bank and payment options page. This page explains how to make your visa fee payment. You will create a profile and must keep your receipt number to book your visa appointment.
- Schedule your appointment Once all the relevant forms required for US visa process are filled, you will be called for a face-to-face interview. You are almost ready to schedule your visa appointment! Now you will need to login to your profile with the same credentials you used to pay your visa fee. Once you are in the system, you will see your dashboard. You must schedule two appointments, one for the Visa Application Centre (VAC) and one for the visa interview at the Embassy or Consulate.
You will need three pieces of information in order to schedule your appointment:
- Your passport ID
- The visa application fee receipt number.
- Printed copy of application form
- Printed copy of appointment letter
- Appear for interview for your Visa Application Centre appointment, you must present:
- A passport valid for travel to the United States with validity dates at least six months beyond your intended period of stay in the United States (unless country-specific agreements provide exemptions). If more than one person is included in your passport, each person desiring a visa must submit an application.
- Your application confirmation page.
- Your appointment confirmation page.
- One photograph as per U.S. visa specifications if the applicant is under 14 years of age. See photos and fingerprints for more details.
- Supporting documents based on your visa category
Additionally, for Indians, a mandatory medical test is required by a physician approved by the US embassy
- Track your passport If your visa application is approved, your passport and visa can be collected from the pickup location you selected when you scheduled for interview appointment. When your passport is available at selected location you will receive an email and an SMS that your passport is “Ready for Pick Up”. Domestic and international delivery services to applicant’s address are available as a premium service.