Before you start
The DS-160 is the online form almost every US nonimmigrant visa applicant completes — it's free to fill in yourself at ceac.state.gov/genniv, the official Department of State portal (see our full USA visa guide for the whole application process). It typically takes 60–90 minutes for someone with their documents ready. Have these on hand before you begin:
- Your current passport, and any previous passports with US visas in them
- Your travel itinerary, or a best estimate of dates and where you'll stay
- Your employer's name, address and phone number (or school details, if a student)
- Names, addresses and dates of birth for immediate family
- A compliant digital photo (see photo specs on our USA guide)
- Details of your last five international trips, if you've traveled abroad before
Section 1: Getting started
Choose your embassy or consulate location first — this determines where your printed confirmation page and any follow-up correspondence get routed. Once you start, you're given an Application ID. Write it down immediately; it's the only way to resume a saved application, and losing it means starting over.
Section 2: Personal information
Enter your name exactly as it appears on your passport, including any names you've used before (maiden name, alias, nickname used officially). National identification numbers, home address, and phone numbers come next. Small inconsistencies here — a middle name dropped, a transposed digit — are a common reason applications get flagged for manual review, so double-check against your passport character by character.
Section 3: Travel information
State your specific purpose of travel and select the correct visa class (tourism and business share the B1/B2 category). If you don't have exact dates yet, give your best estimate — you're not locked into these dates, and the consular officer understands plans can shift. What matters more is that your stated purpose, your itinerary, and your financial evidence all tell a consistent story.
Section 4: Travel companions
If anyone is traveling with you, list them here — including whether they're part of the same tour group or family unit. Each traveler 14 or older generally needs their own separate DS-160, even if traveling together.
Section 5: Previous US travel
Disclose every prior US visit and every prior visa, including ones that were denied or revoked. This section is cross-checked against US government records — omitting a prior refusal doesn't hide it, it just makes your form inconsistent with what the officer can already see.
Section 6: Address and phone number
Your current home address and at least one working phone number and email. Consulates do occasionally use the email you provide for update notifications, so use one you check regularly.
Section 7: Passport information
Enter your passport number, issue and expiry dates, and issuing authority exactly as printed. If you've ever lost or had a passport stolen, you'll be asked about that here too.
Section 8: US contact person
Provide a contact in the US — this can be a hotel, a friend, family, or a business contact, and doesn't need to be someone sponsoring your trip financially.
Section 9: Family information
Details on your parents (even if deceased or whereabouts unknown — you can indicate that), spouse if married, and sometimes other relatives depending on your answers.
Section 10: Work, education and training
Your current occupation, employer details, monthly income, and — separately — your education history and up to five previous employers if applicable. This section, combined with your financial evidence at interview, is what establishes your ties to your home country: a consistent, verifiable job and income history is one of the strongest signals you can give.
Section 11: Security and background
A long series of yes/no questions covering health, criminal history, prior immigration violations, and more. Read each one carefully rather than defaulting to "no" — the questions are broad by design, and a truthful "yes" with a brief explanation is almost always handled better than an inaccurate "no" that contradicts other records.
Section 12: Photo upload
Upload a photo meeting the Department of State's specification (see the photo requirements table on our USA guide) — square, plain white/off-white background, no glasses, taken within the last 6 months.
Section 13: Review and submit
Review every section for typos or mismatches before submitting — once submitted, the DS-160 generally can't be edited, only a fresh form started. After submission, print the confirmation page with the barcode; you'll need it for your biometrics appointment and interview.
Common mistakes that cause delays
- Names or dates that don't exactly match the passport
- Selecting the wrong consulate/embassy location
- A non-compliant photo (glasses, shadows, wrong dimensions)
- Leaving prior US visa refusals or overstays undisclosed
- Inconsistent travel dates between the DS-160 and the interview answers
- Vague or evasive answers to the security/background questions
This guide is independent, educational content based on the DS-160 form's public structure at ceac.state.gov. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by the US Department of State. Always complete your actual application at the official site and follow its current instructions.