Do You Want To Get Visitor Visa For USA- Here’s The Procedure

Visitor Visa for USA

(Procedure, technicalities and problems while applying)

There are two types of visa

• non-immigrant with temporary stay and other is
• immigrant with permanent stay

Visitor visa fall in the category of first one. In US it also known as B-2 Visa. This visa is obtained for temporarily pleasure like tourism, medical treatment, attending any ceremony or function. Any person who wants to visit us or his family member lives there he can get this visa. But there are certain number of countries whose citizen are exempt to take this visa if the stay is less than ninth days under Us visa waiver programme (VWP). The detail is given on the site of US-Visa (USA department of state bureau of consular affairs) and list of country participating in this programme is also there.

Some immediate facts relating to visitor visa:

• It is known as B1-B2 or simply B2 visa
• One have to apply for it and get it stamped on passport, after approval by the relevant authority this visa can be obtained.
• It is granted for specific purpose and the person after going in US must not indulge in any sort of business or study. If the object of visit is business than procedure is different.
• Maximum stay is 6 month or less but t can be extended by submitting an application of visitor visa extension with certain fee.

Procedure to get visitor Visa:

Each applicant must have a valid passport. Submit the application form, pay the fee and appear for interview in nearby US consulate in his country.

Now following procedure for the application is for citizens of India:

Step 1: Digital Photograph

A digital photograph is required for applying this visa and this picture must comply with certain criteria. Details of criteria is as under:

• The photo must be in square
• Minimum dimension must be 600×600 and maximum dimension is 1200×1200 pixels
• It must be in 24 bit per pixels in the photo
• File format should be JPEG and its size must be in 240 KB
• The photo must contain full face neck and shoulders of the applicant with non-smiling face. Only applicant must be in the photo no need for additional people.
• Applicant must face directly toward the camera and background must be in plain light colour
• Eyeglasses are allowed if the lenses are not coloured and not so thick in which eyes cannot be seen easily.

But now a days it is not required to take photo along with yourself because this facilities is provided by the application services centre.

Step 2: Fill Visa Application Form DS-160

Applicant is required to fill the visitor visa application form which is named as form DS160. This application form is given on https://ceac.state.gov/GENNIV/default.aspx. When the form is completed than 10 digit code is given to applicant, this code is used to take print out of this application because it will be needed for appointment of interview.

Further detail

All the information must be given truthfully concerning family details and personal details. The place where applicant will stay in USA and recent tour if made to USA. Applicant need to appear in interview in respective Consulate if US.

While Filling form DS-160

• There are boxes applicant needs to give all relevant information in these boxes. There are also some questions which are asked than it is necessary to give answer in English not to use native language.
• Form also contains some question which are self-explanatory and enough space is given to fill t
• If no field is applicable than select “does not apply”
• This form can be temporarily saved and if 20 minutes passed and there Is no activity in the process than current session will expire and all data will be lost and again form will be filled.
• After completing the form review it so that any mistake can be corrected and lastly take print out of this form
• The hard copy of the form is needed in the visa process

Step 3: Pay Fee

The fee has to pay to carry out this application process. It can be paid either cash or through electronically that is via bank transfer. This fee can only be paid in prescribed bank like axis bank or city bank of India. Once the payment has been made it is effective for one year during which interview has to be given if the period lapse than again fee has to be paid.

Procedure to pay fee:

As per the polices applicable in India and keeping in mind the process of visa there are following ways to pay fee. The applicant has to select the option US visa appointment system.

1. Payment through NEFT:

Most banks in India follow NEFT system it is called National electronic fund transfer. Payment can be made through this but first check whether the concerned bank has MPIN service or not. This service is called immediate payment service which is made between banks like intra banks payment.

Not if the bank has that service than applicant need to log in after that he will get a account number through which payment will be made. Now this password needs to be saved otherwise the process of appointment schedule cannot be made.

2. Payment through IMPs:

It is also called payment through mobile transfer. The applicant can pay the fee through mobile phone using IMPS system but before payment the applicant need to have an account with in bank. Now applicant will send a message to his bank to make payment on his behalf, after some time applicant will receive a 12 digit number which will be used to make interview appointment.

3. Cash payment at bank:

As already stated that fee can be paid at any branch of the axis or city bank across India. In this way the applicant has to get print of fee slip from US Travel Doc website. Fill up this form and present it on cashier counter along with fee, after that bank will give receipt to the applicant on which a receipt number will be given. This number is use full to seclude the interview appointment.

• In all three ways when payment is made the receipt will get active after almost 3 hours after this the applicant can proceed further.

Step 4: Schedule an Appointment

Once the fee has been paid than applicant has to schedule for appointment with US consulate. This appointment consist on two steps firstly applicant has to give his information bio metrically like fingerprints and photograph and secondly personally interview with consulate. To take online appointment use the official website www.ustraveldocs.com.in.

Procedure for scheduling the interview:

From 26 September 2012 all the US Visa and Visitor visa appointment must be made through Stanley. It is organization which controls the administration relating to the visa applications. It is a third party agency. An appointment has to be made with this Stanley system online for interview.

Is there any document which is needed?

• Certain document are also needed these are as under:
• A valid passport which have a expiry date beyond the dates of stay
• Receipt of payment
• DS-160 form with the confirmation slip which has been obtained after filling up the form
• Valid e-mail address

Whether appointment can be made on emergency basis:

Yes. It can be allowed if the applicant have a sufficient reason like medical or any other just reason than emergency appointment can be made with US embassy. If the given cause is false than it can have bad effect on the applicant’s application.  If the reason has been denied than for one year the applicant cannot make another emergency appointment.

What is the procedure to get this appointment?

When the visit fee has been paid and the application form has been filed than on next stage while making an appointment there appeared a message showing the early appointment. The applicant will find it unnecessary because there appears no date but still his need to fill that emergency request area and tell them a genuine reason.

Once the request has been sent than US embassy will send a massage via address [email protected] accepting or rejecting the appointment. Sometime this e mail is not shown in e mail in box in that case applicant has to search it in spam or junk folder.

In case the appointment has been rejected that applicant still needs to schedule the appointment on normal basis.

What kind of grounds can be raised and supporting documents?

The following reasons as grounds can be raised for scheduling the emergency appointment.

Attending funeral:

The applicant may get this earlier opportunity of appointment if he gives the reason that his immediate family member who was living in US has died and he wants visitor visa to attend his funeral and he has also file an application of taking body back to his homeland. The following documents are required:

• Evidence of immediate relation with deceased
• A letter made by the funeral director containing the date time and details of deceased

Business emergency:

If the applicant want appointment on basis of urgency business meeting or training the duration of which is less than 3 months than he have to give proof of:

• The letter of invitation by the US company to attend the meeting or for training and that letter should also contains the details of meeting or training their urgency and loss suffer if it cannot be attended.

Medical reasons:

If the applicant or his relative needs quick medical treatment he can raise this ground to get early appointment but for this he need original documents consisting of:

• The financial statement as a proof to show willingness for this treatment
• A letter from the doctors telling the illness and its treatment in the US
• The letter from the US doctors willing to do treatment and it’s cost

Exchange of students:

Those students who have to continue a valid educational degree in US within 60 days but the regular appointment is not available than he can file this emergency visitor visa appointment. There is condition that applicant who want to get this appointment, his visa application must be refused in the last 6 months. He is also needed some documentary proof:

• Evidence that student has paid the fee in US university
• Original form ofI-20 or DS-2019 proving whether degree programme is starting within 60 days or not’.

Whether the appointment can be changed?

The date of appointment can be altered but this is allowed only once. The applicant can log in his profile at www.ustraveldocs.com and then cancel the current date and select the next date. The applicant should change this date very carefully because if period lapses than fee can be paid again for the appointment.

 Cancelling the appointment date?

The applicant can also cancel the date of appointment but in this way his fee will not be refunded. Applicant can do that by logging in profile.

Step 5: Fingerprints and Pictures

Under the previous system fingerprints were taken at the time of personal interview, but now under new rules fingerprints and pictures are given first before personal interview can be scheduled. This system is adopted to lessen the rush of applicants at VAC office. These VAC offices are also known as OFC (offsite facilitation office) and this program is known as “Bio Visa”. No additional fee need to be pay, applicant can schedule this appointment at any of the 5 offices established across India.

The applicant can take the appointment at www.ustraveldocs.com/in  or

can call at the centers +91 120 6602222 or + 91 22 67299400

And those applicant who are in USA they can all at 1-310-616-5424

What happens at the VAC office or OFC?

Applicants cannot have two appointments (fingerprints and personal interview) at the same day instead he has to make a gap of 1 or 2 days.

• After arriving at the VAC office:
• Prints of all 10 fingers will be taken without ink
• Initially the digital scene of 4 fingers of left and then right hands fingers are taken
• Than digital scene of thumbs of both hands is taken
• If there is any cut on hands it doesn’t exempt the applicant form giving prints, in that case sufficient time will be granted to the applicant so that his fingers get healed and print can be taken.
• After taking the imprints photographs of face are also taken but child under 7 years of age are required to bring hard copy with them

Reason behind these fingerprints:

When the applicant arrive In USA, again his fingerprints are taken and then these prints are compared with earlier one to determine the authenticity.

Exemptions from fingerprints:

Child under the age of 14 years and adults beyond 79 years are exempted from this procedure. The consulate is has the authority to exempt any person from this procedure it has some grounds on which person is exempt:

• Abnormality of fingers
• Burnt fingers
• Permanent dislocation of fingers
• Fingers without having prints

To get more information about exemption visit the page: https://travel.state.gov/visa/laws/telegrams/telegrams_2777.html

Step 6: Personal Interview

Now the time has come for which so much hassle has been made it is time for personal interview with embassy. So at last when the appointed day came gather all the required and supporting documents and reach the concerned office. These documents must be with the applicant:

• Passport
• Digital photograph
• Confirmation page of DS-160 stamped by the visa application centre
• Fee receipt
• Interview appointment letter and
• Required documents

What need to be done at the day of interview?

• Arrive at the concerned office
• Than a through security check will be done at consulate so that approval can be granted to enter the premises. There are certain things which are banned these are as under:

1. Any kind of electronic item
2. Food and drinkable item
3. Any types of bags like shoulder bags or purses
4. Any fir catching items
5. An kind of sharp tool like knives nail cutter
6. Weapons
7. Umbrella
8. Perfumes or body powder
9. Sealed envelopes may it be medicine or any other thing

These are some things which are mainly prohibited but it does not mean only these are included other things can be included.

• Than verification of thumbs and fingers will be taken
• After that applicant have to sit in waiting area to wait for his turn
• Than interview will start and it commence in the glass window the applicant will answer all questions through the micro phone. And all the documents will exchanged through the small window.
• If the interview is accepted than it will be informed to the applicant or else if it is rejected it will be communicated or it may be put on hold