US Visa

• Immigrant Visa

  This type of US visa is for people who are travelling to the United States for obtaining permanent residency. It includes people shifting due to work relocation, living with a spouse or who have an immediate family member, etc. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services or USCIS approve all petitions for immigrant visas.

• Nonimmigrant Visa

  Non-immigrant visas are the most common category and are required by people travelling to the United States of America for a short period. It is granted to people who are travelling for the purpose of tourism, education, business, medical treatment, participation in an exchange program or for some personal work. There are more than 15 non-immigrant US visa types including US tourist visa, business visa, work visa, student visa, exchange visitor visa, transit or ship crew visa, religious worker visa, domestic employee visa and journalist & media visa.

• Business Visa

  The US business visa offers entry to people for business-related purposes. People who are travelling to the US to meet business associates, attend educational, scientific, professional or business conferences, settle an estate or negotiate contracts can apply for a B1 business visa in the USA.

• US Tourist Visa

  With so many great places to visit in the US, foreigners coming here for the purpose of tourism or vacation can apply for a B2 US visa. It includes people who are travelling to the US to meet their friends and families or for some recreational purposes.

• US Student Visa

  The US has some of the best universities in the world and offers a scope of higher education to talents from all over the world. The US student visa is available to students who want to pursue their education in the United States. Students seeking academic education should apply for the F1 visa USA offers and students of vocational studies should apply for the M1 visa category.

  Students should apply for a visa after being accepted by their School in the US once they receive their I-20 form. Applicants of student visas should apply within 120 days of the I-20 start date and should travel within 30 days of the I-20 commencement date.

• US Work Visa

  Work visa for the US is for people who wish to temporarily work in the US as non-immigrant. According to the nature of the job and specialisation, they can choose the appropriate category under a USA work visa. While a person working in a specialised job that requires highly specialised knowledge should apply for a US H1B visa, the intracompany transferee can apply for an L1 visa USA. Other US work visa categories include H1B1, H2A, H2B, H3, H4, L2, O, P and Q.

• US Exchange Visitor Visa

  The US Exchange Visitor visa is available for people who are travelling to the US to participate in an exchange program. An authorised sponsor in the US should have accepted people seeking this visa. The sponsor will provide the participant with the DS-2019 form. All applicants of US visitor visa should select the ‘J’ visa category.

• US Journalist and Media Visa

  Indian journalists or representatives of the Indian media to the US to cover a story, incident or event can apply this type of US visa. This type of visa is only granted to people from the Indian media whose home office remains in India. The purpose of applicants for this visa is to gather news. Applicants of this visa should apply for the ‘I’ visa category.

  Other popular non-immigrant US visa types are transit visa, ship crew visa, religious worker visa, domestic employee visa and investor visa USA.

  Non-immigrant US Visa Types	Purpose of Travel to the US
  A	Foreign government officers and diplomats
  A1-2, G1-4, NATO1-6	Renewal of visa in the US for A, G and NATO categories
  A-2, NATO1-6	Foreign military personnel posted in the US
  B-1	Athletes, professionals & amateurs (competing for prize money) Business visitors Domestic employees including nannies
  B-2	Tourism, vacations or pleasure visitors People travelling for medical treatment
  BCC	Border Crossing Card - Mexico
  C	Transiting through the US
  D	Serving airline or sea vessel crew members in the US
  E-1	Treaty traders
  E-2	Treaty investors
  E-3	Australian worker - professional speciality
  F-1	Students - academic and language
  F-2	Students who are dependents of an F-1 visa holder
  G-1-G-5, NATO	Employees of specific international organisations and NATO
  H-1B	People working in speciality occupations which requires highly specialised knowledge
  H-1B, J1	Physicians
  H-1B1	Free Trade Agreement (FTA) professionals - Chile, Singapore
  H-1C	Nurses travelling to areas with scarcity of medical professionals
  H-2A	Temporary workers - seasonal agricultural
  H-2B	Temporary workers - non-agricultural
  H-3	Non-employment training in a program
  H-4	Dependents of H visa holders
  I	Media, Journalists or representatives of information media
  J	Exchange visitors
  J, Q	Exchange visitors - international cultural
  J-1	Exchange visitors - au pairs, Exchange visitors - professors, teachers, scholars
  J-2	Exchange visitors - Spouse of J-1 visa holder or children below 21 years of age
  K-1	Fiance(e)
  L	Intracompany transferees
  M-1	Students - vocational
  M-2	Students who are dependents of an M-1 visa holder
  O-1	Foreign citizens with exceptional abilities in science, arts, athletics, education or business
  P	Athletes, entertainers and artists
  R	Religious workers
  T-1	Human trafficking victims
  U-1	Criminal activity victims

• How to Apply for Non-immigrant US Visa

  • Determine the type of US visa that you need to apply for according to the purpose of your travel
  • Fill up the DS-160 form or the non-immigrant visa electronic application form at the official website of the US Consular Electronic Application Centre and submit it
  • Pay the application fee for US visa online through NEFT
  • Print the confirmation page of DS-160 form
  • Log in to your profile and book an appointment for Visa Application Centre (VAC) and at the US Embassy or Consulate. Enter your passport number, the 10-digit barcode number mentioned on your DS-160 confirmation page and the visa application fee receipt number
  • Complete your profile and choose a pickup location to receive your passport
  • Visit the Visa Application Centre to let the officials take your photograph and fingerprints
  • Visit the US Embassy or Consulate on time for your interview along with all the required documents and appear for the interview
  • The US visa will be granted if you successfully clear the interview
  • Collect your passport from the pickup location

• How to Apply for Immigrant US Visa

  • File a petition with the USCIS or the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. The petition can be self-filed or by any relative or your potential employer at the USCIS office in America
  • Self-petitioners can fill up the I-360 form and send it to the USCIS lockbox in Chicago since USCIS does not have a public counter presence in India
  • The USCIS will approve the petition and give you a priority date
  • Apply for an immigrant visa or non-immigrant visa of the category ‘K’
  • Obtain a Police Clearance Certificate or PCC from the Regional Passport Office of your city. If you have lived in a country other than India for more than a year after turning 16 years, you would need to submit a PCC from the passport office of that country as well
  • Undergo a medical examination by an Embassy/ Consulate approved physician
  • Fill up the immigrant visa electronic application form or DS-260 form online at the official website of the US Consular Electronic Application Centre and submit it. If you are applying for the ‘K” class visa, you need to fill up the DS-160 form in place of the DS-260 form
  • Print the confirmation page of the DS-260 form. Applicants of the ‘K” class visa should print the confirmation page of the DS-160 form
  • Log in to your profile and make an appointment at a Visa Application Centre and a visa interview appointment at the US Embassy or Consulate
  • Complete your profile and choose a pickup location to receive your passport
  • Visit the Visa Application Centre to let the officials take your photograph and fingerprints
  • Visit the US Embassy or Consulate on time for your interview along with all the required documents and appear for the interview
  • The US visa will be granted if you successfully clear the interview
  • Collect your passport from the pickup location

• Supporting Documents:

  • Flight tickets and travel itinerary
  • Letter of Employment (in case working for an organisation)
  • Financial Statements
  • ITR payments
  • Any support affidavit required by the Embassy/ Consulate
  • I-20 form (for student visa USA applicants)
  • Other supporting documents according to the US visa type

• DS-160 Form/ DS-260 Form

  Each applicant of a non-immigrant US visa needs to submit a duly completed DS-160 form online before booking a visa appointment at the Visa Application Centre or US Embassy or Consulate. All applicants of US travel visas for immigrants need to submit a DS-260 form in order to make a VAC or Embassy/ Consulate appointment. The DS-160/ DS-260 form is a certification from the applicant’s side, which confirms that all information mentioned in the form stands true. Furnishing any incorrect information in the form will eliminate your chances to enter the United States of America.

  All DS-160/ DS-260 forms need to be signed electronically and a printed copy of the confirmation page should be brought along to the interview. It is important for every American visa applicant to have submitted this form as the barcode on the DS-160/ DS-260 confirmation page is needed at the time of booking a US visa appointment.

• I-20 Form

  Every person applying for a US student visa needs to possess an I-20 form. The form clearly states that the applicant has been accepted to a school in the US and thus requires a student visa. The USA does not guarantee a visa to each applicant with an I-20 form. Only when the applicant student has submitted all the required documents and has cleared the visa interview, they are granted a student visa.

• Do’s to Ensure Smooth Processing of US Visa Application

  • The applicant’s passport should be valid for at least six months after their scheduled date of departure from the United States after completing the stay
  • Photographs of children under 14 years should be according to the guidelines issued by the US Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs
  • The appointment at the Visa Application Centre should be at least a day before the appointment at the Embassy or Consulate
  • People with no PCC certificate and medical examination report will not be allowed to enter the US Embassy or Consulate
  • People who have been denied a US visa earlier should apply for a fresh DS-160 form.
  • People travelling to the United States in groups of 10 or more people can apply for a group visa appointment. This may include people travelling on professional/ industrial training, study tours, school trips, performing artists, etc.

FAQs

• Q: How early should I apply for a US visa?

  Ans: The general rule of thumb is to apply for a US visa as early as possible to get your visa before your scheduled date of departure. Non-immigrant visa applicants should apply for a US visa at least three months before their scheduled departure. US student visa seekers should apply within 120 days of getting the I-20.

• Q: Is it mandatory for all US visa applicants to be present for their visa interview?

  Ans: No. Children below the age of 14 years do not have to be physically present at the Visa Application Centre or Embassy or Consulate for their visa interviews.

• Q: How many days does it take for a US visa application to get processed?

  Ans: It usually takes seven to ten working days to process a US visa application from the date of the interview. In some rare cases, the US visa application can take more time to get processed due to individual circumstances and requirements.

• Q: Why was my non-immigrant US visa application rejected?

  Ans: The exact reason for the refusal of an American visa can differ from one applicant to another. However, the most common reason for the rejection of a non-immigrant US visa is due to Section 214(b) of the US Immigration & Nationality Act. Under this section, your Consular Officer believes that you don’t have a strong reason to return back to India and are going to immigrate to the USA. To avoid rejection on such grounds, you can take the following steps:
  1. You intend to return back to your home, which isn’t in the USA
  2. You are travelling for a short period of time due to a specific purpose and will return back to India once your purpose is fulfilled
  3. You can afford your trip to the USA
  4. You meet all the requirements of the visa category you are applying for and the category allows you to undertake your planned activity.

• Q: Can I reapply for a non-immigrant US visa after it was rejected once?

  Ans: Yes. In case you were denied a non-immigrant US visa under Section 214(b) of the US Immigration & Nationality Act, you can reapply if your circumstances have changed and you have new information.

• Q: Do I need to fill up the I-94 form to enter the US?

  Ans: No. Foreigners who are visiting the US via air or sea for a short period of time no longer need to submit an I-94 form or the Customs & Border Protection (CBP) form. The CBP now gathers all the information about a traveller’s arrival and departure directly from their e-travel records. However, foreign nationals arriving in the US via the land need to fill up an offline I-94 form provided by the CBP. The I-94 form should be submitted to the immigration officer at the time of exiting the US.