US DS-160: Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application

DS-160

All non-immigrant visa applicants, as well as applicants for K visas, must submit the DS-160 Non-Immigrant Petition. It is required for travelers who want to enter the United States temporarily

The application is completed online and afterwards you will be required to book an appointment and attend a visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate closest to you.

What is the DS-160?

The DS-160 is the standard online application used by the U.S. Department of State for nonimmigrant visas. It gathers your personal details, passport and travel information, purpose of travel, U.S. contact, family, work and education history, and a set of security and eligibility questions. You also upload a compliant digital photograph as part of the form.

It replaces the older paper DS-156/DS-157 forms and is filed exclusively online through CEAC. The consular officer who interviews you works directly from your DS-160 answers, which is why accuracy and consistency with your supporting documents matter so much.

• Official name: Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, form DS-160.
• Covers all nonimmigrant categories — B, F, M, J, H, L, O, P, K and more.
• Immigrant (permanent) applicants use the DS-260 instead, not the DS-160.

Who needs to complete a DS-160?

If you are applying for a temporary (nonimmigrant) U.S. visa, you almost certainly need a DS-160. It is required regardless of age, so a separate form must be completed for each family member, including babies and young children who cannot answer for themselves — a parent or guardian completes and submits it on their behalf.

• Tourists and business visitors applying for a B-1/B-2 visa.
• Students (F and M) and exchange visitors (J).
• Temporary workers and specialists (H, L, O, P and similar).
• Fiancé(e)s and spouses applying for K visas.
• Each traveller files their own DS-160 — there is no combined family form.

What you need before you start

Have everything to hand before you begin — the online session can time out, and it is far easier to enter accurate answers when your documents are in front of you.

• A passport valid for your intended travel (with its number and issue/expiry dates).
• Your travel itinerary or intended dates and length of stay, if known.
• Details of your U.S. point of contact, host, hotel or sponsoring organisation.
• A digital passport-style photograph meeting the Department of State specifications.
• Dates of your last five U.S. visits (if any) and any prior U.S. visa details.
• Employment and education history, including addresses and dates.
• For students/exchange and work visas: SEVIS ID and I-20/DS-2019, or the approved petition receipt (I-797) number.

How to complete and submit the DS-160, step by step

The process runs entirely inside CEAC. Save your progress and note your application ID as you go so you can return if the session is interrupted.

• 1.
• 2. Note the 10-character application ID (AA...) that CEAC assigns — you need it to resume, and set a security question.
• 3. Complete each section: personal, passport, travel, U.S. contact, family, work/education, and security questions.
• 4. Upload your digital photograph and confirm CEAC accepts it (check it if it is rejected).
• 5. Review every answer carefully, then electronically "sign" and submit the form.
• 6. Print the confirmation page showing the barcode and application ID.
• 7. Pay the MRV visa fee and schedule your interview appointment (as instructed for your location).

After you submit: the confirmation page and barcode

Submitting the DS-160 generates a confirmation page displaying a barcode and your 10-character application ID (beginning "AA"). This page is the proof that your application has been transmitted to the Department of State.

Print the confirmation page and keep it safe. You must bring it to your visa interview — the consulate scans the barcode to pull up your submitted application. You do not need to print the entire DS-160; the confirmation page alone is required. If you cannot print it at the time, you can email the confirmation to yourself from CEAC and print it later.

• Output is a confirmation page with a scannable barcode and application ID (AA...).
• Print it — bringing it to the interview is mandatory.
• You can email the confirmation to yourself from CEAC to print later.
• The full application does not need to be printed, only the confirmation page.

Common DS-160 mistakes to avoid

• Losing the application ID (AA...) — without it you cannot retrieve an incomplete form.
• Letting the session time out without saving — CEAC clears idle sessions, so save regularly.
• Uploading a non-compliant photo that CEAC rejects — check the photo requirements first.
• Answers that don’t match your supporting documents (names, dates, employer) — keep everything consistent.
• Selecting the wrong consulate/location or the wrong visa category at the start.
• Forgetting to print the confirmation page before the interview.
• Assuming you can edit after submission — you cannot; you would have to start a new form.

Who Needs To Complete a DS-160?

Form DS-160 has to be filled out and submitted by anybody who intends to enter the United States on a temporary visa or who will be going to the United States on a K-1 visa in order to be married. Citizens of Mexico who want to apply for a TN visa are also required to fill out and submit Form DS-160 (Canadian citizens applying for a TN visa do not need to file a non-immigrant petition).

All travellers, including children, are required to have their own non-immigrant petition. If the applicant is 16 years old or younger or if they are physically unable to fill out the form on their own, they are allowed to get assistance from a third party. On the last page of the Form, labelled “Sign and Submit,” you are required to provide the name of that individual.

It is important the information entered on your petition matches your passport and travel information as any discrepencies could cause complications with your visa decision.

Documents Required For A DS-160

You may be asked to produce the following documents in order to complete your non-immigrant petition:

• Your travel document
• Digital copy of your photograph
• If you've already decided where you'll stay, what you'll do, and when you'll fly to the United States, include it in your trip schedule.
• If you've travelled to the United States before, please provide the dates of your last five travels. You may also be asked to supply information about your travel
• If relevant, provide a resume and curriculum vitae. You may also be required to provide information about your previous education and work history.
• If you're visiting the United States for business, you may be asked to supply your employers details.

DS-160 For B1/B2 Visas

Non-immigrants are the only people who may apply for a B-1 or B-2 visa and as such are required to complete the DS-160 Non-immigrant Petition. The holder of this visa is authorised to travel to the United States for either business or leisure purposes.

B visas are available for almost all occasions that call for short-term travel. The trip of students is an exception to this rule. These requirements are met by F-1 visas. Travel for business purposes requires a B-1 visa. Whereas the B-2 visa is for tourism-related activities, such as visiting friends and family or going on vacation. The majority of applicants are processed as a single combination B1/B2 visa. As a result, rather of limiting you to just one reason for travelling, this enables you to go for either work or pleasure.

The B1/B2 visa is valid for ten years from the date of issue. You will be able to stay in the United States for up to six months at a time with this visa. Your visa will remain legitimate even if you get a new passport during this time period.

DS-160 Application Requirements

The non-immigrant petition requires your passport, travel itinerary, national ID number from your home country, and Social Security Number or U.S. Taxpayer ID. You will also need your travel and career histories, with family and travel partner bios.

If you are going to the U.S. to study, you will need a copy of your SEVIS ID and the school or colleges address. Temporary employees should have their I-129 available.

How to Fill Out Your Non-Immigrant Petition

Filling out the non-immigrant petition is a time-consuming exercise due to the number of required fields. However, with our assistance, you should be able to do the task without difficulty. Following are the procedures necessary to complete your DS-160 form:

You will be required to choose the nation from where you are applying for the visa, provide a captcha code, and submit a digital image of yourself.

You are required to give your details. This section comprises your name, gender, marital status, maiden name (if applicable), location, and date of birth, followed by the “Personal 2” section. Here, you must submit your taxpayer identification number, nationality, any other nationalities you may have obtained, and Social Security Number. You should also indicate whether you are a permanent resident of a nation other than your place of birth.

You will then be sent to a page titled “Address and Phone,” where you must provide your postal address, home address, and phone number. For the latter, you may provide your main and secondary phone numbers as well as your office number. In addition, your email address will be required.

You will be required to give your passport details. This will contain the document’s kind, passport book number, and document number. Additionally, you must identify the nation where the travel document was issued.

You will also be required to provide the passport’s expiry date, insurance date, and information on whether it has ever been reported misplaced.

You must indicate the objective of your journey to the United States, if you have made particular travel arrangements, and whether someone else is paying for your trip. In addition, you will be asked whether you are traveling with others and will be required to answer questions detailing your connection to these individuals.

You must include information about your company or US contact (if applicable), as well as their connection to you. You must also include their address.

You will be asked to provide information about your family, including your parents’ names, dates of birth, and US residency status. Additionally, you will be asked if you have additional relatives in the United States.

Employment, Education, and Training

You will be asked specific questions regarding your education and present position. The information will contain your employment start date, your work description, and your monthly pay. Previous job history must also be disclosed.

Background and Security

You will be required to discuss if you have health issues or have misused drugs in the past. Concurrently, you will be asked whether you have ever experienced legal issues, such as being arrested for a crime or anything similar.