USA Visitor Visa popularly known as B2 Visa is a tourist visa to US. This non-immigrant visa is issued to any foreign citizen who wants to visit US temporarily for tourism, medical treatment, pleasure, visiting family, children, friends, or relatives, attending family functions, special events, or ceremonies. People who qualify these requirements can eligible for US Visitor Visa.
Read on to know how you can apply for visitor visa application for USA from India.
Step 1- Confirm Eligibility for Visa
First of all the applicants need to confirm whether they are eligible for US Visitor Visa or not. Go through the application and qualification items of the Common Non-immigrant Visas to determine your eligibility. Note that you need not to apply for visa in case you’re travelling for pleasure or businesses if your country is involved in the Visa Waiver Program. In this case, you can stay in the US for maximum 90 days.
Note– The individuals aging less than 14 or over 79, or those who have received a U.S. visa previously, which is expired within last 12 to 48 months and willing to travel US for pleasure or entertainment can obtain a visa without attending the interview.
Step 2- Complete Visa Application Form
Form DS160 (the Visitor visa application form) should be completed by the applicant online. After completing the application successfully, the applicant will receive a 10-digit barcode as a part of confirmation. This completed US Visitor Visa form is important to set up visa interview appointment. So make sure you get a printed copy of this page.
Step 3- Pay the Application Fee
The applicant can pay the fee as a bank transfer, in cash or electronically at designated Axis bank or CitiBank branches in India. It is recommended to create a profile at the official website of US Visa Service and schedule the appointment. The payment confirmation screen at the website will show you the payment options and additional details of initiating the payment. The amount of fee for Visitor Visa ranges around $160 i.e. INR 10,880.
Note– Appointment for US Visitor Visa interview must be fixed within 12 months of making the payment.
Step 4- Take appointment for Visa Interview
After paying the fees, the applicants need to schedule two appointments for visitor visa processing. The US Visitor Visa appointment process comprises of an appointment with an Offsite Facilitation Center (OFC), where the applicant will be required to provide Biometrics information along with photograph and fingerprinting. The second appointment is for a personal visa interview with the Embassy or Consulate.
Step 5- Fingerprinting at Visa Application Center (VAC)
After fixing the appointment with the embassy or consulate, the applicant needs to schedule an appointment for fingerprinting. Make sure the appointment is fixed two days before the interview with the embassy. As per the new rules, the applicants are required to provide their Biometrics info at the Visa Application Centre. This is to speed up the processing of US Visitor Visa Application. Schedule the visa interview appointment at the Consulate or Embassy prior to the VAC appointment.
Additional Information
You’ll need to bring the following documents for Visa Application Centre appointment-
- Confirmation page of your DS-160 form
- Confirmation page of your appointment
- One photograph according to the US Visitor Visa specifications in case the applicant ages under 14.