DS-160 Form: How to Complete Your U.S. Visa Application

Form DS-160 is the online application for U.S. nonimmigrant visas and K (fiancé(e) and spouse) visas. You should complete and submit the form through the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC), then keep the barcode confirmation page for your visa appointment.

USA visa DS-160 form

Before you begin, gather your passport and travel details, check the photo requirements and review the instructions for the U.S. embassy or consulate where you will apply.

Table of contents

Follow these steps to prepare and submit your DS-160.

Step 1: Check the fee and appointment process

You do not need to pay the visa application fee before you start Form DS-160. Fee-payment methods and appointment steps vary by U.S. embassy or consulate, so check the instructions for the location where you plan to apply. Some posts require payment before you can book an interview; others provide a different sequence.

Step 2: Prepare your documents and photo

To accurately complete the DS-160 form for a U.S. non-immigrant visa, you’ll need to have specific documents and details ready. Gather the following before you begin:

To get a compliant U.S. visa photo instantly, simply upload a full-face portrait to Visafoto. The service will automatically adjust the background, size, format, and quality to meet DS-160 standards.

Before uploading, it's recommended to review the official U.S. visa photo requirements to ensure your photo meets all criteria.

Here is a DS-160 photo example:

USA visa photo

Step 3: Get your DS-160 Application ID

You must submit Form DS-160 online via the official Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) at ceac.state.gov/ceac/. To begin, select the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you plan to attend your visa interview. Then enter the CAPTCHA verification code and click on “Start an Application.”

After you start the application, you will receive an Application ID, a unique code used to retrieve your form or reprint its confirmation page. You will also choose a security question and answer so you can return to a saved application.

Be sure to:

If you are unable to complete the DS-160 form in one session or if your browser session expires, you can use the Application ID and security answer to resume your application from where you left off. The system automatically saves your progress for up to 30 days.

Step 4: Enter your personal information

Answer DS-160 questions in English, using English characters, except where the form specifically asks for your full name in your native alphabet. Use the spelling of your name shown in your passport. Translations of the questions are available from the language menu, but your answers still need to be in English unless that exception applies.

Answer all questions truthfully. Attempting to hide or misrepresent information can lead to visa denial. Fields marked as "optional" are not mandatory, but all other fields must be completed accurately and completely.

U.S. Visa Denied: What to Do

DS-160 guidelines and tips

Important: You can return to a partially completed DS-160 on CEAC for 30 days using your Application ID and security-question answer. Use the buttons at the bottom of each page to save your answers as you go. To continue after 30 days, save the application file to your own device.

Here are essential tips to help you fill out the DS-160 form correctly:

  1. Visa type: Choose the category that matches your purpose of travel. Visitor visas may be B-1 (business), B-2 (tourism) or a combined B-1/B-2 visa. See our guide to B-1/B-2 visas for details.
  2. Passport: Select the passport type shown on your document. Check whether the usual six-month validity rule or a country-specific exemption applies.
  3. Spelling: Enter surnames and other data exactly as shown in your passport, without modifications.
  4. U.S. address formatting: Follow American conventions when entering your U.S. address: house number first, then street, and apartment number at the end (e.g., 123 Main Street Apt. 4B).
  5. Social media section: If the form asks for social media information, provide the identifiers or handles you used on its listed platforms during the past five years, including more than one handle on a platform. Do not enter passwords. If you have not used any listed platform, select "None". See our guide to U.S. visa social media screening for more context.
  6. Purpose of travel: Ensure that your stated purpose matches your selected visa type. Enter the travel and U.S. contact details requested for your circumstances.
  7. Previous visas: Enter the exact visa number and date of issuance for your most recent U.S. visa, if applicable. If you've ever been denied a U.S. visa, indicate the refusal and briefly explain the reason.
  8. U.S. contact information:
    • If visiting someone, list their full name and contact details.
    • If traveling for business, include the company’s information.
    • If you’re a tourist without contacts in the U.S., list your hotel’s address and phone number.
  9. Family information: You must provide your parents' full names, even if they are deceased. If you have close relatives (spouse, children, siblings, fiancé(e)) living in the U.S., this must be disclosed.
  10. Spouse's previous names: If your spouse has ever used another name (e.g., a maiden name), it must be included.
  11. Educational history: Provide the education and training details requested on your form.
  12. Photo compliance: Check the digital photo's format, size and appearance before submission. If the upload fails, follow our DS-160 photo-error guide.

Social media disclosure and online-presence checks

DS-160 has asked most visa applicants for social media identifiers since 2019. This is separate from the State Department's more extensive online-presence review for specified visa categories. The Department has instructed applicants in those categories to set their social media profiles to "public" or "open"; that instruction is not a blanket rule for every B-1/B-2 visitor applicant. Read the official explanation of DS-160 identifiers.

As of September 2026, the online-presence review covers F, M and J students and exchange visitors; H-1B and certain H-4 applicants; and specified A-3, C-3, G-5, H-3, K, Q, R, S, T and U applicants. From 1 October 2026, it will also cover I, TN and TD applicants. Check the State Department's current category list before applying.

Take an image with a smartphone against any background, upload it here and instantly get a professional photo for your visa, passport or ID. No registration required. You will see results in seconds.
Additional options
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Source

Source photo example that you need to take in order to make a passport or visa photo at visafoto.com

Result

Result example: a correct visa or passport photo that you will receive

Final step: Review, sign and submit

Once all sections of the DS-160 form have been completed, you’ll proceed to the final step: uploading your digital photo and submitting the form.

Attach your photo: Upload the square JPEG file prepared in Step 2. If the upload does not work, continue according to the form's instructions and check the photo box on your submitted confirmation page.

In case of errors, check this guideline: DS-160 Photo Rejected: What to Do

Review your entries: Use the review pages to check your answers before submission. Correct any errors now. If you discover a mistake after submitting, contact the U.S. embassy or consulate where you will apply for its correction and appointment instructions.

Sign and submit: Follow the form's prompts to sign electronically and submit your application. Keep your Application ID so you can retrieve the confirmation page if needed.

Check and print the confirmation page: The barcode page is required for your visa interview; you do not need to print the full application. If the page shows your photo, the upload succeeded and no separate print is required under the general rule. If it shows an X, the upload failed: provide one compliant 2 × 2-inch (51 × 51 mm) printed photo with the confirmation page and contact the applying embassy or consulate for its submission instructions. See our DS-160 photo-error guide for troubleshooting.

Save a copy of the confirmation page and follow your embassy or consulate's instructions for fee payment and interview booking.

Last updated: 24 September 2026