How to fill the DS 160 Form: Step-by-Step Instructions

Form DS-160 (Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application) is an online application used to apply for the F-1 visa for Indian students.

• Form DS-160 must be filled out online on the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) website.
• You can save your progress as you complete the form and return it later. You can complete the process within 30 days.
• If you’re completing multiple DS-160s for your family, you can create a family application that will automatically fill in some details for each family member.
• To fill out the DS-160 form, your computer system must have Internet Explorer 11, or higher, Firefox, or Google Chrome 58. Browsers like Safari and Microsoft Edge are not supported for DS-160 applications.
• While filling out the form, you need a passport, travel itinerary, and national ID of your home country, among many other things.

Importance of DS-160 Form

The reasons why the DS-160 is important for visa applications are briefly explained-

• This form serves as the primary source of information for the U.S. Department of State and consular officers tasked with evaluating your eligibility for a nonimmigrant visa.
• For an F1 visa, the DS-160 application tells the United States government that you have been accepted into an accredited university program and that you have met all the eligibility requirements for study in the US.
• It is mandatory for all nonimmigrant visa categories, including visitor visas, tourist visas, work visas, and F-1 visas for academic study.

Documents Required for a DS 160 Form

Important documents are required for filing out the DS 160 form. We recommend that you have authenticated and updated documents. Below are the documents required:

• Passport
• Travel itinerary
• National ID number issued by your home country
• Social Security number or U.S. Taxpayer ID if you have one
• SEVIS ID (for student visa)- Your I-20 will have your Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) ID located in the top left corner.

How to fill DS 160 form Step by Step?

It is recommended to know how to fill out the DS 160 form before creating your account in the immigration portal. Given below are the series of steps on how to fill up DS 160 application form step by step:

Step 1: Visit the official website of the Consular Electronic Application Center. Select “Start an application.”

Step 2: Answer the security question, whichever is popping out

Step 3: The next pages will require you to submit your personal information such as name, residence, nationality, etc.

Step 4: Mention your passport details to the authorities

Step 5: Mention if you previously went to the US and the reason for it.

Step 6: The next section will ask details about your family information.

Step 7: Mention your education details as well as scores obtained. You can also mention your professional details here, if there are any.

Step 8: Try to answer the security questions properly

Step 9: Mention your F-1 visa details, which includes your SEVIS ID, school name and address, course information, duration, etc.

Step 10: Take a final look of the DS-160 form before submitting

Cost of DS 160 Form

There is no cost for applying for a DS 160 form. However, as the immigration authorities state USD 185 (INR 15,456.17) may be required for non-petition-based visas. This involves tourist, business, or TN visas. For applying for the petition-based visas, a cost of USD 205 (INR 17,127.10) will be required. To explain it further, petition visas require an employer to file a petition with the USCIS on behalf of the candidate. Whereas, a non-petition visa is issued for tourism, business, and medical purposes temporarily. You can easily differentiate between them as petition visas are H, L, O, P, Q & R visas, whereas non-petition visas include B1, J, E-3, D, etc.

DS 160 Processing Time

As reported by the official US immigration authorities, there is no standard processing time for the DS 160 form. The moment you are done filling up the application form, you can take a printout of the official confirmation page. You can carry it further to the visa interview. In case your application is accepted by the visa authorities, then the average processing time for tourist and visitor visas will be nearly 7-10 working days.

Tips to fill the DS 160 Form

Some tips to fill DS 160 form are given below:

• Do not leave blanks for any questions.
• Avoid providing false and misleading information.
• Upload your recent photograph (must not be more than 6 months old)
• The photo dimension must be 2x2 inches.
• Proofread your application multiple times before submitting it.

It is recommended to keep a printout of the DS 160 form in a PDF format. You will receive a confirmation page with a unique barcode after submitting. However, keep in mind that you can download the form only after submitting it in the portal.

FAQs

Ques. Can we fill out DS-160 after the visa appointment?

Ques. How much is the fee for DS-160?

Ques. How long does it take for DS-160 to get approved?

Ques. What is the purpose of the DS-160 form?