Use the Internet to navigate to the the U.S. Department of State website, and complete the Online Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application, form DS-160.
Schedule a visa application appointment through the website of the U.S. consulate general that holds jurisdiction over your area of residence. All appointments must be scheduled online; walk-in applications are not accepted. Print the confirmation page that displays a barcode. You must have the printed confirmation page to enter the consulate.
Gather all required supporting documents.You must have a valid passport with at least six month remaining validity, one color passport-style photograph, evidence concerning the reason for your trip, proof of your ability to financially support yourself while in the U.S. and proof that you will return to your home country. Proof of return includes strong family or work connections, property assets and other binding obligations that would require you to return home.
Pay the nonrefundable visa application fee. The fee must be paid at the designated payment locations before the visa appointment. Only the U.S. consulate or embassy where you apply is able to tell you where you must make the payment, but it usually is at a local certified bank. You must show the receipt that proves the fee has been paid for your application to be accepted. Refer to the website of your nearest U.S. consulate for information on where to make the payment.
Attend the visa application interview at your designated time. You are required to take a digital biometrics fingerprint scan if your application is accepted. Most consulates offer to return your passport that contains the visa to you by mail as long as you pay for the return shipping fees. A visa issuance fee may be required once your visa is issued. Not all countries are required to pay issuance reciprocity fees.
