US Visa Appointment India 2026: How to Book

How to Book US Visa Appointment in India

The US visa appointment system in India is unlike any other country's process. There is no VFS Global or TLS Contact — everything runs through the State Department's own infrastructure. You complete the DS-160 form on one website, pay the fee at a bank, book your appointment on a third website, and then attend two separate appointments at two different locations. It is more complex than the UK or Schengen process, but once you understand the sequence, each step is manageable.

The biggest challenge for Indian applicants is not the paperwork — it is getting an interview slot. Wait times at Indian consulates typically range from 30 to 90 days depending on the city, season, and visa category. Planning ahead is not optional.

The Full Sequence (In Order)

1. 1Complete DS-160 at ceac.state.gov
2. 2Create a profile at ustraveldocs.com/in
3. 3Pay the MRV fee ($185 for B1/B2) at a designated bank
4. 4Wait for payment confirmation (1-3 business days for bank payments)
5. 5Book OFC appointment (biometrics at an Offsite Facilitation Center)
6. 6Book interview appointment (at the US Consulate or Embassy)
7. 7Attend OFC appointment (fingerprints and photo — typically 1-2 days before interview)
8. 8Attend interview at the Consulate/Embassy
9. 9Wait for decision and passport return (3-10 business days after interview)

Critical detail: you need TWO separate appointments (OFC + Interview), and the OFC must happen before the interview. Some applicants miss this and try to book only the interview — the system will not allow this.

US Consulates and Embassy in India

India has 5 locations that conduct US visa interviews. Each serves a regional catchment area, but you can apply at any of them regardless of where you live.

Choosing the right consulate: You are not restricted to your nearest one. If Mumbai shows a 60-day wait and Kolkata shows 20 days, you can book in Kolkata. The only cost is your travel. Many applicants from Mumbai specifically book Kolkata or Chennai interviews to save 3-4 weeks of waiting.

Step 1: Complete the DS-160 Online Application

The DS-160 is the single most important form in the US visa process. Every US nonimmigrant visa applicant fills out the same form — tourists, students, workers, everyone.

Where: ceac.state.gov/genniv

Time needed: 60-120 minutes (save frequently — the session times out after 20 minutes of inactivity)

Tips for the DS-160:

• Save your Application ID — it is displayed at the top of each page. If your session expires, you can resume using this ID and the security question you set.
• Photo upload: You need a 600x600 pixel digital photo with a white background. This is NOT the same spec as Indian passport photos or Schengen photos. Many photo studios in India now know US visa specs, but verify the dimensions yourself. If your uploaded photo is rejected by the system, take a new one — do not try to resize or adjust a rejected photo.
• Travel plans: Be specific. "Tourism" is fine as a purpose, but if the officer sees you have no hotel names or city plans at the interview, it weakens your case. Enter at least your primary destination city and approximate dates.
• Employment history: The form asks for your last 5 years of employment including employer names, addresses, and job titles. If you have changed jobs recently, have the details of all previous employers ready.
• Social media: Since 2019, the DS-160 asks for your social media handles on platforms like Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. You must list them if you use these platforms. Provide your real handles — officers occasionally check.
• Security questions: These cover criminal history, terrorism-related activities, disease, and immigration violations. Read each question carefully. Answering "yes" to any of them does not automatically disqualify you, but answering "no" when the correct answer is "yes" is fraud.

After completing the form, you will see a confirmation page with a barcode. Print this page. You will bring it to your interview.

Step 2: Create Profile on USTravel Docs

Go to ustraveldocs.com/in and create an account. This is a separate system from the DS-160 — it handles scheduling and fee management.

You will enter:

• Your DS-160 confirmation number
• Passport details
• Visa category (B1/B2 for tourism)
• Your preferred consulate

This profile is where you will later book both your OFC and interview appointments.

Step 3: Pay the MRV Fee

The MRV (Machine Readable Visa) fee for a B1/B2 visa is $185. In India, you have several payment options:

How to generate the deposit slip: Log into your ustraveldocs.com profile, select "Schedule Appointment," and the system will offer a payment option. If paying at a bank, it generates a deposit slip PDF with a unique reference number. Print this and take it to the bank.

Amount in INR: The fee is denominated in USD but you pay in INR. The exact amount changes daily based on the exchange rate set by the bank. As of April 2026, it is approximately INR 15,500-16,000.

After payment: The receipt number takes 1-3 business days to reflect in the USTravel Docs system. Do not try to book appointments until the system confirms your payment. If it has been more than 3 business days and payment is not reflecting, contact the bank and the ustraveldocs.com help desk.

Step 4: Book Your Two Appointments

Once payment is confirmed, you can schedule both appointments through ustraveldocs.com:

OFC (Offsite Facilitation Center) Appointment:

This is where your biometrics (fingerprints and photo) are collected. OFC locations are in the same cities as the consulates but at different addresses. The OFC appointment is short — typically 10-15 minutes. Schedule it 1-2 days before your interview.

Interview Appointment:

This is at the US Consulate or Embassy itself. Available dates and times are shown in a calendar format. You pick from what is available.

How appointment slots work:

The system shows available dates when you select a consulate. If no dates are available, the system displays "No available appointments" — this does not mean the consulate is closed, it means all slots are booked for the foreseeable future.

New slots are released periodically. The pattern is not published officially, but experienced applicants report that:

• Early morning (5:00-7:00 AM IST) is the best time to check for new availability
• Cancellations create individual openings throughout the day
• Batch releases happen periodically when the consulate adds new interview dates (often monthly or bi-weekly)
• Kolkata and Chennai consistently have shorter waits than Mumbai and Delhi

Reschedule policy: You can reschedule your appointment once without restriction. The second reschedule may require creating a new profile and starting over (the system limits reschedules to prevent slot hoarding). Do not book a slot you do not intend to keep just to "hold" it.

Interview Day: What to Expect

Arrival: Get to the consulate 15 minutes before your appointment time. Do not arrive too early — there is limited waiting space outside, and security will not let you in until your slot.

What you can bring inside:

• Passport (current and all old passports)
• DS-160 confirmation page (printed)
• Appointment confirmation (printed)
• MRV fee receipt
• One clear folder of supporting documents
• One 2x2 inch photograph (US spec)

What you CANNOT bring inside:

• Mobile phones, laptops, tablets, smartwatches
• Bags larger than a small clutch
• Food, water bottles
• Weapons, sharp objects

There are locker/storage services outside most consulates (run by private vendors, typically INR 50-100 per device). Leave your electronics there before entering.

Inside the consulate:

1. 1Security screening — Metal detector and bag check at the entrance
2. 2Initial counter — Your passport, DS-160, and appointment letter are checked for completeness
3. 3Biometrics verification — Even though you already gave biometrics at OFC, they may verify your fingerprints again at the consulate
4. 4Interview queue — You wait until your window number is called. This can take 15 minutes to 2 hours depending on volume
5. 5The interview — You stand at a window and speak to a consular officer through glass (like a bank counter). The interview is typically 2-5 minutes for B1/B2 applicants

Common interview questions for Indian B1/B2 applicants:

• What is the purpose of your visit?
• Who will you be visiting? (if applicable)
• What do you do for work? How long have you been there?
• What is your monthly salary?
• Have you been to the US before?
• Do you have family in the US?
• When do you plan to return?

Keep your answers brief and honest. The officer is assessing your credibility and ties to India, not testing your knowledge of the US. One or two sentence answers are ideal.

Outcomes:

• Blue slip (approved): The officer says "Your visa has been approved" and keeps your passport. It will be returned with the visa in 3-7 business days.
• Green/yellow slip (221(g) administrative processing): Your case needs additional review. Your passport is kept. No timeline is given — it can take 2-12 weeks.
• White slip (214(b) refusal): The officer tells you your application is refused. Your passport is returned immediately or by courier. You can reapply, but you need to demonstrate changed circumstances.

After the Interview

If approved: Track your passport at ustraveldocs.com/in. Most passports are returned within 5-7 business days by Blue Dart courier to the address you specified. You will receive an SMS and email when it is dispatched.

If under administrative processing: Check your status at ceac.state.gov using your DS-160 barcode. The status will show "Administrative Processing" until cleared. There is nothing you can do to speed this up. Do not contact the embassy asking for updates — they will not provide them during administrative processing.

If refused: Read your refusal notice carefully. It will reference Section 214(b), which means the officer was not convinced you would return to India. You can reapply immediately — there is no waiting period. But reapplying with the same documents and circumstances is unlikely to change the outcome. Common ways to strengthen a reapplication: change in employment, property purchase, marriage, higher savings, or a more specific and well-documented travel plan.

Current Wait Times and Planning

As of April 2026, typical interview wait times at Indian consulates:

These change frequently. Check the State Department wait times page for live data before planning your application.

Student visa applicants get priority scheduling during May-August to accommodate fall semester enrollment. If you are a B1/B2 applicant during this period, expect longer waits as consulates allocate more slots to students.

Interview waiver (dropbox) eligibility: If you have previously held a US visa that expired within the last 48 months and are applying for the same visa category, you may qualify for a dropbox submission (no interview needed). This significantly reduces wait times. Check eligibility on the ustraveldocs.com portal.