The Do's and Dont's of applying for a Visa Interview
F-1, or Student Visa : This visa is the most common for those who wish to engage in academic studies in the United States. It is for people who want to study at an accredited U.S. college or university or to study English at a university or intensive English language institute.
Visa Category Visa Fee in US Dollar Visa Fee in INR Student $160 INR 8640 Current Conversion Rate1 US $ = INR 54
VFS Service Charges (For all applicants)VFS service charge – INR 365 (including service tax@12% and education cess @0.36%)HDFC Bank Charges – INR 22(including service tax@12% and education cess @0.36%) Total Service Charge – INR 387
Important Notice - Applicants having paid the old Visa fees $140 would be honored to appear for a visa interview till July 12, 2012 with the same HDFC Visa receipt copy.
_______________________________________________________________________
DS-160 form
The DS-160 is available at http://ceac.state.gov/genniv/
Tips on completing the DS-160: After reviewing the Nonimmigrant Visa Application Process, all visa applicants must submit a form DS-160 online application prior to making an appointment.
For an overview of the form, view the Mission India DS-160 Internet Guide and DS-160 FAQs
The interviewing post you select at the starting of form DS -160 will also be accepted if you end up scheduling appointment in other post
All questions must be answered in English using English characters only. Indian applicants should check “Does Not Apply” to the prompt for “Full Name in Native Alphabet.”
All applicants are required to submit a photograph on the DS-160. Detailed photograph requirements are on the U.S. Department of State website athttp://travel.state.gov/visa/guide/guide_3877.html The DS-160 “times out” after 20 minutes without user activity, and your data will be lost. To safeguard against data loss, click the “Save” button frequently and download the file. Select a place on your computer to save the application file, browse to that location, and click the “Save” button on the “Save As” window.
The completed DS-160 application form will generate an alpha-numeric barcodeconfirmation page. Print this page using a laser printer. Ink-jet or dot-matrix printers do provide sufficient resolution to print a usable barcode.
Once you have printed the barcode confirmation page, hit the “Back” button and email yourself the same so you have a backup copy. The emailed file will be in PDF format, and thus requires Adobe Acrobat to view or print.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Photo Specifications
Immigrant Visa applicants need to submit their photos at the VFS Centre along with their documents.
Specifications of Photograph required for the Visa Application form
Kindly click on the following link to check the photo specifications
http://travel.state.gov/visa/guide/guide_3877.html
___________________________________________________________________________________
VISA APPOINTMENTS
Access the VFS online appointment system to schedule appointments, cancel appointments, modify your courier address or download your appointment letter.
https://www.vfs-usa.co.in/ApplnForms/SchduleMenu.aspx
_______________________________________________________________________
VISA DOCUMENTS
For Mumbai district applicants only: Drop off your required documents three working days prior to your appointment at a VFS center in Mumbai, Pune or Ahmedabad.
Applicants applying at the U.S Embassy, New Delhi / U.S. Consulate Chennai, Hyderabad or Kolkata need to carry the following documents at the time of the interview
Mandatory Documents
Valid original passport. You are recommended to have passport valid for at least six months beyond your interview date.
One photograph as per specification.
CEAC Barcode printout.
Valid HDFC Bank visa fee receipt. (Embassy copy)
Original interview appointment letter.
Original form I-20 or DS-2019 as applicable.
Form I-901 (Sevis Fee Receipt)
Additional Supporting Documents required at the time of interview
Principal Applicant
Evidence of financial resources: proof of liquid assets sufficient to pay for the entire first year of education and living expenses as well as proof of readily available funds to cover the remaining year(s) of studies.
Proof of your relationship to the sponsor (such as your birth certificate), the sponsor's most recent, original tax forms, and the sponsor's bankbooks and/or fixed deposit certificates
Original degree certificates along with mark sheets.
Original Bachelor degree transcripts or high school diploma along with mark sheets from previous institutions attended.
Relevant test scores, e.g. TOEFL and SAT, GRE, GMAT or LSAT
Unlike F-1 visa applicants, M-1 applicants must demonstrate the ability to pay all tuition and living costs for the entire period of their intended stay and cannot work while in M visa status.
Spouse / Dependent Children
An approved form I-20 from the principal applicant's U.S. school or program with the dependent's name included;
A copy of the Form I-20 of the Principal Applicant.
Photocopy of the Principal Applicant’s valid visa (if applying separately).
Original Marriage Certificate (for spouse) along with your entire wedding photo album.
Original Birth certificate (for each child). Additional financial resources to support the dependants
_______________________________________________________________________
PASSPORT TRACKING ( after Visa Interview)
If you have already submitted an application for a Visa. You can track your application by entering your passport number.
Please click here to track your passport.
https://www.vfs-usa.co.in/ApplnForms/TrackYourPassport.aspx
Get your visa status now on your mobile phone!!!! just type in visa (space) US (space) passport number and sms to 57333
_______________________________________________________________________
Pending Application Procedure
Visa processing is kept on hold / pending status for various reasons, such as administrative processing, requirement of additional documents, medical tests, insufficient validity of passport, etc. If your visa processing has been kept on hold / pending status due to any of the above reasons, the Consular officer will issue you a pending letter also known as 221g letter listing the reason for the same.
U.S. Embassy and other Consulates use specific colour coding to indicate the type of 221g and based on the colour coding of the letter issued to the applicant different set of instructions are provided to be followed by the applicants for further processing of visa application.
On receipt of the 221g letter at the time of interview at U.S. Embassy or any of the U.S. Consulates in India applicant can submit their required documents and passport at any of the VFS U.S. Visa Application Centers by paying a service charge of Rs.183/- inclusive of service tax @12% and education cess @0.36% per applicant.
Note: In Kolkata, such cases can be submitted from Monday to Friday between 8:00 am to 12:00 pm only
Documents required for submission to VFS
Original 221 (G) letter
Original Passport & photocopy
DS-160 Confirmation Code (If applicable)
All required documents suggested by the U.S. Embassy/U.S. Consulates.
VFS courier envelope received along with your 221 g letter (if applicable)
If you were scheduled at the U.S Embassy New Delhi then you require the following documents in addition to the above for 221g submission:
HDFC Bank fee Receipt (Original and Photocopy)
An authority letter from you in case a representative is visiting the VFS centre for submission of your documents.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Visa Correction
Visa correction is at the discretion of the U.S. Embassy / Consulate. You must return to the Embassy / Consulate where your interview took place along with your original passport and pertaining documents in order to get your visa corrected.
Optionally, you may use the services of VFS by submitting the original passport at the nearest VFS Application Centre with a covering letter explaining the correction required. You will be required to pay per applicant, a VFS service charge of INR 365 inclusive of service tax @12% and education cess at 0.36%. This amount can be paid in cash or via demand draft favouring ‘VFS GLOBAL SERVICES PVT. LTD.”. VFS will forward your passport to the respective U.S. Embassy / Consulate in India where your visa was stamped. Your passport will then be returned back to you by courier.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No-Show Procedures
Applicants who fail to appear for their scheduled interview appointment at the U.S. Embassy / Consulate General are considered as No-Show applicants. If you are a No-Show, your VFS service charge receipt is deactivated. You are required to reactivate your fee receipt prior to scheduling a new interview appointment.
Applicants scheduled at the U.S. Consulate General Mumbai who have failed to submit their documents a minimum of 3 days prior to their interview are not allowed to appear for their interview appointment. These applicants are also considered as No-Show and must reactivate their fee receipt prior to scheduling a new interview appointment.
Note that your HDFC receipt is valid for a period of 1 year (365 days) from the date of purchase and entitles you to one appearance at the Embassy / Consulate General. You may not purchase a new Visa fee receipt if it is still valid. Please check the validity of the Visa fee receipt before you proceed to schedule a new interview appointment.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steps for a No-Show applicant to schedule a new appointment
Go to the nearest VFS application center a minimum of two working days after your scheduled interview. Bring your original HDFC receipt.
Pay the VFS service charge of INR 183 inclusive of service tax @ 12% and education cess @ 0.36% per applicant to reactivate your receipt. Note: VFS cannot reactivate receipts earlier than stated.
If something substantial in your situation has changed (e.g. travel plans, employment), a new DS-160 is required. Use the saved version to update your information and submit the new form. This will create a new CEAC barcode. If nothing in your situation has changed, use your original CEAC barcode when making your appointment.
Return to this website and schedule a new appointment within the validity period of the receipt following the same procedure used in making your original appointment.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Passport Correction
If the passport No is incorrectly input during the payment of Visa Fees you are required to visit the U.S Visa application centre any working day between 8:00 am - 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm for the Correction. You need to carry the Original HDFC Receipts and Passport Bio Page for the Changes. Kindly Note VFS do not charge any fees for this Service
_______________________________________________________________________
Please refer https://www.vfs-usa.co.in/USIndia/allaboutvisa.html for all other queries.
Cheers,
Karthik Venkatachalapathi