After completing your DS-160, the next step in your visa application is to schedule US visa appointment. This requires paying the visa fee and selecting the location and date for your visa interview. Some countries require an additional appointment for biometrics at a Visa Application Center.
The US visa appointment available dates vary from country to country and location to location. You can check the current wait times for visa appointments at the Bureau of Consular Affairs website.
You can schedule US visa appointment anywhere in the world. If you are traveling and would need to schedule your US visa interview appointment in a third country, you can very well do so.
It is not mandatory to schedule your appointment in the same location as in your DS-160. You are expected to schedule your appointment at the same location. But if you have to attend your visa interview at a different location, you are still allowed to do so.
IMPORTANT
You must complete the DS-160 form prior to scheduling your US visa appointment. If you haven’t yet, follow this detailed step-by-step guide on how to fill DS-160 form online for US visa.
Table of Contents
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How to use this step-by-step guide?
There are multiple websites for scheduling US visa appointments. Which website to use depends on the country where you plan to schedule your visa appointment
This step-by-step guide is for using the CGI Federal (US Travel Docs) website. You must use CGI Federal to schedule US visa appointments in Asia, Central America, parts of Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
I have listed out all sections and questions in this guide. For each question, there is a comment explaining what exactly needs to be entered.
Before you start your visa appointment on CGI Federal, go through my comprehensive guide on US visa appointment to understand the eligibility, prerequisites and country-specific appointment portals for scheduling the visa interview.
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Who Should Use CGI Federal (US Travel Docs) to Schedule US Visa Appointment
Determine the country where you plan to schedule your US visa appointment. If the country is in the below list, continue with the instructions here.
If the country is not in the below list, you may have to schedule your US visa appointment on AIS US Visa Info, NIV Appointment System or U.S. Visa Scheduling.
ASIA
- Bangladesh
- Cambodia
- China
- Hong Kong (and Macau)
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Laos
- Malaysia
- Mongolia
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Sri Lanka (and Maldives)
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Vietnam
OCEANIA
EUROPE
- Austria
- Bulgaria
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- Georgia
- Germany
- Hungary
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Moldova
- Norway
- Poland
- Romania
- Russia
- Slovakia
- Sweden
- Switzerland (and Liechtenstein)
- Ukraine
MIDDLE EAST
- Bahrain
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- Lebanon
- Oman
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
AFRICA
- Algeria
- Burkina Faso
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Egypt (and Yemen)
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Liberia
- Morocco
- Nigeria
- Sierra Leone
- Tunisia (and Libya)
CENTRAL AMERICA
- Costa Rica
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
- Panama
CARIBBEAN
- Dominican Republic
- Haiti
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Steps to Schedule US Visa Appointment on CGI Federal (US Travel Docs)
Before you jump into creating your profile and filling out your appointment application, you must first read through the instructions thoroughly. Below are the steps to get to the instructions.
- Head over to the US Travel Docs website
- Select the country from the map where you would like to schedule your appointment
- Select “Yes” to the question “Is this your first time applying for a visa and/or visiting our site?”
- Select “Nonimmigrant” to the question “Are you applying for a nonimmigrant or immigrant visa?”
- Nonimmigrant visa information and instructions will be displayed
- Read through the instructions to familiarize yourself with the application, the steps and the payment options
01. New User Registration
After you read through the instructions, follow the below steps to register a new profile.
- Go to the US Travel Docs website
- Select the country from the map where you would like to schedule your appointment
- Select “No” to the question “Is this your first time applying for a visa and/or visiting our site?”
- Click on “Create Account” button under “APPLY FOR A U.S. VISA”
- You will be taken to “New User Registration” section
Enter the following information in “New User Registration” section
- Select Country For Visa [Comment: Country will automatically be displayed. This field is not editable]
- Email [Comment: Enter your email where you would like to receive communication]
- First Name [Comment: Enter your given name from the passport]
- Last Name [Comment: Enter your last name or surname from the passport]
- Password [Comment: Enter a new password for your profile]
- Confirm Password [Comment: Enter the same password as you entered above]
- I have read and understood the Privacy Policy [Comment: Check this box]
- Type in the characters displayed in the box below [Comment: Enter the captcha]
Click on the “Submit” button to register a new profile. Make a note of your username (your email) and password. You will need these credentials to save and come back to your application later.
Click on “New Application/Schedule Appointment” from the left side menu to start scheduling your appointment. When you click on “New Application/Schedule Appointment”, you will be taken to “Visa Type” section.
02. Visa Type
Enter the following information
- Select whether you are applying for a Nonimmigrant Visa or an Immigrant Visa [Comment:Select “Nonimmigrant Visa” for B1/B2. If you are scheduling an appointment for other types of visas such as H1B, L1, etc, select the appropriate type]
- Immigrant Visa
- Nonimmigrant visa
Click on “Continue” to go to the “Location” section.
03. Location
Enter the following information
- Please Select Your Country or State of Residence [Comment: Select the location where you want to schedule your visa appointment]
Click on “Continue” to go to the “Language” section.
04. Language
Enter the following information
- Language Of Interview [Comment: Enter the language in which you want to give your visa interview. You will be asked questions in this language]
Click on “Continue” to go to “Visa Category” section.
05. Visa Category
Enter the following information
- Please select a visa category that applies to you [Comment:Select “Business/Tourism, Crew and All Other Visas” from the options]
- Business/Tourism, Crew and All Other Visas
- Students and Exchange Visitors
- L1 (Blanket)
- H&L visas
Click on “Continue” to go to “Visa Class” section.
06. Visa Class
Enter the following information
- Select Visa Class: [Comment:Select “B1/B2 – VISITOR FOR BUSINESS AND PLEASURE” from the options]
- B1 – VISITOR FOR BUSINESS
- B1/B2 – VISITOR FOR BUSINESS AND PLEASURE
- B2 – VISITOR FOR PLEASURE OR MEDICAL TREATMENT
Click on “Continue” to go to “Review” section.
07. Review
Enter the following information
- Please make sure all selected information is correct before continuing [Comment: Review the information and make sure everything you have entered is correct so far]
Click on “Continue” to go to “Personal Data” section.
08. Personal Data
Enter the following information
- PASSPORT DETAILS
- Passport Number [Comment: Enter you passport number as in your passport and DS-160]
- Passport Issuance Date [Comment: Enter your passport issue date]
- Passport Issuance Place [Comment: Enter your passport place of issue]
- Passport Expiration Date [Comment: Enter your passport expiration date]
- Date of Birth [Comment: Enter your date of birth as shown in your passport]
- Nationality [Comment: Enter your nationality]
- First Name [Comment: Enter your given name from your passport]
- Last Name [Comment: Enter your last name or surname from your passport]
- Country of Birth [Comment: Enter your country of birth]
- Gender [Comment: Enter your gender]
- DS-160 Confirmation Number [Comment: Enter your DS-160 confirmation number]
- CONTACT INFORMATION
- Phone Number [Comment: Enter your phone number]
- Mobile Phone [Comment: Enter your mobile number]
- Email [Comment: Enter your email]
- MAILING ADDRESS
- Address Line 1 [Comment: Enter your address]
- City [Comment: Enter your city]
- State [Comment: Enter your state]
- Postal Code [Comment: Enter your postal/zip code]
Click on “Continue” to go to “Dependents” section.
09. Dependents
Enter the following information
- Please click “Add by Name” or “Add Existing Applicant” if you have a group/family member (including a child) who needs to apply for a visa with you. [Comment: Click on the “Add by Name” button to add the dependents that need to attend the visa interview with you]
If you would need to add your dependents, click on “Add by Name” button and enter the following information.
- Relationship [Comment:Select the relationship of your dependent from the options]
- Spouse
- Child
- Father
- Mother
- Daughter
- Son
- Other
- DS-160 Confirmation # [Comment: Enter your dependent’s DS-160 confirmation number]
- First Name [Comment: Enter your dependent’s given name from the passport]
- Last Name [Comment: Enter your dependent’s last name or surname from the passport]
- Gender [Comment: Select your dependent’s gender]
- Date of Birth [Comment: Enter your dependent’s date of birth as shown on the passport]
- Country of Birth [Comment: Enter your dependent’s country of birth]
- Nationality [Comment: Enter your dependent’s nationality
- Passport Number [Comment: Enter your dependent’s passport number]
- Passport Issuance Date [Comment: Enter your dependent’s passport date of issue]
- Passport Issuance Place [Comment: Enter your dependent’s passport place of issue]
- Passport Expiration Date [Comment: Enter your dependent’s passport date of expiration]
- Primary Phone # [Comment: Enter your dependent’s primary phone number]
- Alternative Phone # [Comment: Enter your dependent’s alternative phone number]
- Email [Comment: Enter your dependent’s email]
Click on “Save” to save your dependent’s information.
If you have more than one dependent that needs to attend the visa interview with you, click on “Add by Name” to add more dependents.
When finished adding all your dependents, click on “Continue” to go to “Age” section.
10. Age
Enter the following information
- Are you (the visa applicant) under 14 years or age? [Comment: Click “No” to continue]
- Are you (the visa applicant) 80 years of age or older? [Comment: Click “No” to continue]
11. Previous Visas
Enter the following information
- Do you have a previous B-1/B-2 visa (visitor visa)? [Comment: Click “No” to continue. Click “Yes” if you had a previous B1/B2 visa]
NOTE
If you select “Yes” to the above question, you will be asked a few questions to determine if you qualify for the visa renewal and interview waiver.
12. Documentation Delivery
Enter the following information
- Specify Documentation Delivery [Comment:Select “Pick Up” or “Delivery” from the options]
- Pick Up [Comment: Select this option if you would like to pick up your passport from visa application center or courier head office]
- Delivery [Comment: Select this option if you would like to receive your passport by mail to your home]
Click on “Continue” to go to the “Payment Options” section.
13. Payment Options
On this screen, you will see different payment options. Click on each option to see the instructions on how to make the visa fee payment.
At this point, the visa application is already saved. Familiarize yourself with the payment options and pick the payment method that works best for you.
Available Payment Methods
- Electronic fund transfer (ETF) from a local bank account
- Cash payment at a designated local bank
- Country-specific local payment options (mobile payments, wallets, etc)
a. Electronic fund transfer (ETF) from a local bank account
Follow the below steps to pay your visa fee by electronic fund transfer
- On this screen, select Electronic Fund Transfer
- A unique account number will be displayed
- Make a note of this unique account number as you will need this to make your visa appointment
- Make an electronic fund transfer to this unique account number from your local bank account
You will be able to schedule your appointment on the next business day after the visa fee payment is made.
NOTE
If more details such as bank name, bank address, etc are required to make an electronic fund transfer, those details will also be displayed along with the unique account number.
NOTE
You must transfer the correct amount. Incorrect amounts can lead to delays.
b. Cash payment at a designated local bank
Follow the below steps to pay your visa fee by cash at a designated local bank
- On this screen, select Cash at Bank
- A link to download/print the visa application deposit/collection slip will be displayed
- Print the visa application deposit/collection slip
- Fill all the necessary details on the deposit/collection slip
- Take the deposit slip with you to the bank and make the visa fee payment
- You will be given a receipt, save the deposit slip and receipt
You will be able to schedule your appointment on the next business day after the visa fee payment is made.
c. Country-specific local payment options (mobile payments, wallets, etc)
Follow the below steps to pay your visa fee by a local payment option such as mobile payment, wallet, etc. These options differ from country to country.
- On the payment screen, select your country specific local payment option (such as mobile, wallet, etc)
- Instructions on how to make the payment will be displayed
- Make the visa fee payment and make a note of the receipt or transaction number
You will be able to schedule your appointment the next business day after the visa fee payment is made.
After the payment, come back to the website and login with your credentials. You will see a “Continue” option on the left side menu. When you click this “Continue” option, you will be taken directly to the “Payment” screen.
Enter the following information on the “Payment” screen
- Receipt Number [Comment: Enter the receipt number of your visa fee payment]
Click “Continue” to schedule your visa appointment.
NOTE
If your receipt has become active, you will be taken to the schedule appointment screen. If not, you will be shown an error saying that the receipt number is not valid. In that case, try again after some time. Remember that the receipt number becomes active on the next working day of your payment.
NOTE
If you are renewing your previous visa, you may see an additional screen asking to select your visa priority. You may see 2 options – “Regular” and “No Show”. You must select “Regular”. “No Show” is for those who couldn’t make it to their previous appointment but using the same visa fee receipt number to schedule another appointment.
14. Schedule Fingerprints and Photo Appointment (applicable only in some countries)
On this screen, pick the date and time for your fingerprints and photo appointment.
Click on “Continue”.
Print your fingerprints and photo appointment confirmation. You will need a copy of this appointment confirmation for your fingerprints and photo.
NOTE
Appointment for fingerprints and photo is ONLY REQUIRED in certain countries such as India, Mexico, etc. The appointment for fingerprints and photo must be scheduled at least 1 day ahead of your actual visa interview at the Embassy or Consulate.
15. Schedule US Visa Interview Appointment
On this screen, pick the date and time for your visa interview appointment.
Click on “Continue”.
Print your US visa interview appointment confirmation. You will need a copy of your appointment confirmation for your visa interview.
NOTE
The appointment for visa interview must be scheduled at least 1 day after your fingerprint and photo appointment.
NOTE
The US visa appointment available dates can vary greatly from location to location. There may be several days wait in certain countries and cities. Before you book US visa appointment, I recommend checking the current wait times at the Bureau of Consular Affairs website to get an idea on when you can find an available slot.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
I need to travel urgently. How can I apply for an expedited appointment?
If need to travel to the US urgently, you may qualify for an expedited US visa appointment. Keep in mind that you must have a strong reason and must be able to provide documentary evidence to prove it.
The following reasons are generally considered eligible for expedited appointments.
– Medical care for self or companion
– Death or funeral of an immediate family member
– Business related emergency travel
– Students starting or resuming study
You must first schedule your appointment for the earliest available date. After which, you will see a menu item in your dashboard called “Emergency Request” or “Expedited Request”. Fill and submit the expedited request. If you qualify for an expedited appointment, you will be notified via email with instructions to schedule your expedited appointment.
We are traveling together as a family. How do I schedule a family appointment?
If you are traveling as a family, you can schedule one visa appointment for the entire family.
Follow the instructions below.
1) Create just one profile/account for yourself (primary applicant) in the appointment system. Add your family members as “dependents”
2) On the payment page, you will be given a single receipt number and the total visa fee amount (for the entire family) to be paid
3) You must make the total visa fee payment for that receipt number
4) When the receipt number becomes active, you will be able to schedule a single appointment for the entire family
5) On the day of the appointment, you all have to arrive at the consulate at the scheduled time and everyone in the family will be interviewed together
I cannot log into my account. It says my account is frozen and wait for 72 hours. What should I do?
If the appointment system notices that your activities are suspicious, it freezes your account for 72 hours. Once your account is frozen, you will not be able to log in for 72 hours.
I assume that the following activities can trigger an account freeze –
1. Going into the appointment page too often on a given day.You will be shown a warning message if you have accessed the schedule appointment page too often – “You are approaching the maximum number of times you may view this page. Please complete your transaction at this time.”
2. Leaving the appointment page open in other tabs/browsers while you do other work.
If your account is frozen, there is not much you can do. You will have to wait for a good 72 hours to be able to access your account again.
There are no available appointments. My travel dates are approaching. What should I do?
If you are not finding any available appointments and your travel dates are approaching, trying the following.
1) Keep an eye on the current wait times in your location and also at all other locations in your country. When you see a drop in the wait times in any of those locations, check for available appointments in that location. You may be able to find an earlier appointment that way.
2) Try checking for available appointments after midnight or early morning. There will be fewer people on the system, so it would be easy to find an appointment during those times.
3) Attend your interview in another country. Look up the current wait times in other countries that are easy for you to travel to. You will have to pay the visa fee in that country again as the fee is not transferable between countries.
I want to schedule my appointment in a different country than the country in my profile. How do I change this?
The country on your account defaults to the country where you have created your account for the first time. This is fine if you create an account and schedule your appointment in the same country.
The system also uses the name, date of birth and passport number to look up any duplicate accounts. So, if you create a new account, the system will flag it and will ask you to merge.
If you need to change the country on your account or merge your new account with the old one, you must contact USTravelDocs customer service. They have the ability to change the default country on your profile or merge your old account with the new one. Their customer service is very helpful in fixing such issues.
I don’t want to schedule my appointment. Can someone else use my visa fee receipt number?
When you make the visa fee payment, the receipt number (also referred to as MRV number, CGI number) will become active. Once you use this receipt number to lookup available appointments, it’s then associated with your profile. You cannot transfer the visa fee to another applicant.
If you have never used the receipt number in your profile, you can have other applicants use it for scheduling their appointment.
NOTE: The visa fee is valid for 1 year from the payment date. It can only be used to schedule an appointment in the country where the payment was made.
I can’t make it to my appointment. The system says I cannot reschedule anymore. What should I do?
An appointment can be rescheduled for only
1) a certain number of times and
2) until certain days before your appointment.
If you are approaching the number of times you are allowed to reschedule, you will see a warning. At this point, you cannot reschedule any more. If you continue, your appointment will be canceled and your receipt number becomes unusable. You have to pay the visa fee again to schedule your appointment.
I’m renewing my visa. Do I qualify for interview waiver?
If you are renewing your visa, you may qualify for an interview waiver if the following conditions are met.
1) You are applying for the same type of visa as the previous visa
2) You are applying at the same location as your previous visa
3) Your previous visa is still valid or expired in the last 1 year
If you qualify for an interview waiver, you can use the dropbox facility to submit your documents at the visa application center.
The procedure to renew a visa is the same as scheduling a new appointment. While scheduling your appointment, you will be asked questions about your previous visa. If you qualify for the interview waiver, the system will prompt you to use the dropbox submission. Instructions and required documentation are sent to your email.
My visa was neither approved nor denied. I was told that my case requires administrative processing. What should I do?
If the visa officer is not convinced with your answers during the interview, they may issue you a Section 221 (g) and put your case in administrative processing. Administrative processing is required if additional background checks or verification of information is necessary.
If your case requires administrative processing, the visa officer will give a yellow paper (referred to as Section 221 (g)) and will ask you to check the status of your case online. Administrative processing usually takes 4-6 weeks, but in extreme cases, it can take several months.
NOTE: Do not check your visa status right after your visa is approved. It will usually be administrative processing and it can cause panic. This is quite normal and US consulate would need to do some final checks before attaching the visa sticker in your passport.
My visa was approved but the online status stays it’s in administrative processing. What should I do?
Do not check your visa status right after your visa is approved. It will usually be in administrative processing and it can cause panic.
Administrative processing after visa is approved is quite normal. US consulate would need to perform some final checks before attaching the visa sticker in your passport. During this time, your case status will be administrative process/review.
I couldn’t attend my visa appointment. Can I use the same visa fee receipt to schedule another appointment?
Yes. You will be considered a “No Show” applicant. You can use the same visa fee receipt number to schedule a new appointment.
After your visa interview date, your visa fee receipt number gets deactivated. You have to wait two working days for the visa fee receipt number to become active again. After which, you can schedule your appointment.
While scheduling your new appointment, right after you enter your receipt number, you will be asked to select the visa priority – “Regular” or “No Show”. You must select “No Show” and continue scheduling your new appointment.
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Conclusion
That’s it, folks! Follow this step-by-step guide to schedule US visa appointment. If you have any questions or stuck at any step, feel free to comment here or email me.
