The US Department of State has introduced a significant change to its non-immigrant visa application process. From now on, all applicants must complete and submit the DS-160 form before they can schedule an interview appointment. The DS-160 is the official online form required for temporary visits to the United States. Previously, applicants were allowed to book their interview before submitting this form, but that is no longer the case. The new system mandates that the DS-160 be submitted first, and the confirmation barcode number from that submission must be used while booking the appointment. If the DS-160 number used for the appointment does not match the submitted form, the booking will be considered invalid and must be redone. Consular staff cannot make corrections on behalf of applicants.
This change is aimed at preventing appointment hoarding, improving data accuracy, reducing delays, and ensuring that only serious applicants proceed to the interview stage. The updated process involves filling out and submitting the DS-160 via the CEAC website, saving the confirmation page, logging into the appointment portal with the same DS-160 number, scheduling the interview, paying the visa fee, and printing all confirmation pages for the interview. This adjustment is particularly important for those who previously booked appointments without submitting their DS-160 form, as well as applicants seeking expedited or group slots.
In addition to this update, the US government has also revised its visa renewal policy. As of February, the eligibility window for renewing visas via the dropbox facility has been reduced from 48 months to just 12 months. This change is expected to impact several visa categories, including H-1B for skilled professionals, F-1 for students, B1/B2 for business and tourism, L-1 for intra-company transfers, and O-1 for individuals with extraordinary abilities. While these updates are intended to streamline the visa process, officials note that processing times may still vary based on staffing and workload at specific embassies and consulates.
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