US Visa Appointment to US Visa Status: Everything You Need to Know in (2024)
If you are planning to travel to the United States for work, study, tourism, or any other purpose, you will need to apply for a US Visa. A US Visa is a stamp or sticker that is placed on your passport by a US consular officer, which allows you to enter the US for a specific period and under certain conditions.
However, getting a US Visa is not as simple as filling out an online form and paying a fee. You will also need to schedule and attend a Visa interview at a US embassy or consulate in India, where you will be asked questions about your purpose of travel, your background, your finances, and your ties to India.
In this blog post, we will explain the steps you need to book your US Visa appointment in India and check your US Visa status and all the information you need to know in 2024.
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How to Book Your US Visa Appointment from India in 2024
After you complete and submit your DS-160 form online, you will need to pay the non-refundable US Visa application fee, which varies depending on the type of US Visa you are applying for. You can pay the fee online using a credit or debit card, or offline at an Axis Bank or Citibank branch in India. You will receive a receipt with a unique reference number, which you will need to book your US Visa appointment.
To book your US Visa appointment online, you can visit the website of the US Travel docs at https://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/. You will need to create an account in the US Visa Scheduling portal using your email address and password, and then log in to schedule your US Visa appointment, You will need to provide information such as:
- Your passport number and expiry date
- Your DS-160 confirmation number
- Your preferred location for the Visa interview (you can choose from New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad or Kolkata)
- Your preferred date and time for the Visa interview.
You will also need to schedule a separate appointment for biometrics collection at a Visa Application Center (VAC) near you, You will need to visit the VAC at least one day before your Visa interview to submit your fingerprints and photo, You will need to bring:
- Your passport
- Your DS-160 confirmation page
- Your appointment confirmation page
After you schedule both US Visa appointments online, you will receive an email confirmation with the details of your appointments. You will need to print this email and bring it with you to both appointments.
How Many Times We Can Reschedule US Visa Appointment
For Nonimmigrant Visas, such as tourist, student, or business Visas, you can reschedule your US Visa appointment up to 3 times without paying an additional fee. However, you must reschedule your US Visa at least 24 hours before your original appointment date and time. If you reschedule more than two times or less than 24 hours before your appointment, you will have to pay a new Visa application fee and start the process over again.
How to Check Your US Visa Status from India in 2024
Before you can schedule your US Visa appointment from India in 2024, you need to complete the online DS-160 form, which is the nonimmigrant Visa application form. You will need to provide information about yourself, your travel plans, your education, your work history, your family, and your contacts in the US. You will also need to upload a digital photo that meets the requirements of the US Department of State.
After you submit your DS-160 form online, you will receive a confirmation page with a barcode and a confirmation number. You will need to print this page and bring it with you to your Visa interview. You will also need this confirmation number to check your US Visa status online.
To check your US Visa status online, you can visit the website of the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) at https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx. You will need to select your US Visa type (such as B1/B2 for business or tourism, F1 for student, H1B for work, etc.), enter your DS-160 confirmation number, and enter the code shown on the screen. Then, you will be able to see the status of your Visa application, such as:
- Received: This means that your DS-160 form has been received by the CEAC and is being processed.
- Administrative Processing: This means that your Visa application is undergoing additional review by the US Department of State and may take longer than usual to process. This is not a refusal or a denial of your Visa, but it may delay your Visa issuance.
- Issued: This means that your Visa has been approved and printed. You will receive an email or a phone call from the US embassy or consulate where you applied, informing you when and how to collect your passport with the Visa stamp.
- Refused: This means that your Visa has been denied by the consular officer. You will receive a letter explaining the reason for the refusal and whether you are eligible to apply again or not.
The U.S. State Department has made significant strides in addressing the backlog of immigrant visa appointments. As of May 2024, there were 438,443 applicants ready for interviews, and 43,607 were scheduled for June. Efforts continue to reduce the remaining backlog of 394,836 eligible applicants. Additionally, a new visa appointment booking platform has been launched to streamline the scheduling process. Applicants are reminded to be fully prepared with all necessary documents to expedite their interview and assist in the backlog reduction.
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