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If you wish to apply for a US nonimmigrant visa, you must submit the application via the online DS-160 form, regardless of the visa type. Below you will learn everything you need to know about the DS-160 form.

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What is the DS-160 form?

Officially, the DS-160 form is called the Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application. The DS-160 form is nothing more than an online application for a US nonimmigrant visa.

As of March 1, 2010, all nonimmigrant visa applicants (including infants and toddlers), without exception, are required to complete the DS-160 online application. The DS-160 form must be submitted in person and electronically to the respective US consulate along with a digital passport photograph prior to the interview appointment at the US consulate.

The application form can only be completed online at the U.S. Department of State (DOS) DS-160 website.

DS-160 Questions

The DS-160 online form consists of numerous questions, and the application is divided into several sections that ask for very different information.

The list of questions on the DS-160 form is very extensive and includes around 15-20 pages. It is not a rigid form, but depending on the information provided by the applicant, additional windows open in the online application. Thus, the questions differ depending on the

  • Age,
  • Gender,
  • Marital status,
  • Nationality,
  • Purpose of stay and
  • Visa category.

Attention: Answer all questions correctly and truthfully. Incorrect information can lead to delays in your application and even to the rejection of your visa. If you are no longer able to accurately track time information (e.g., last entry dates), please provide estimates that are as accurate as possible. If the information is not correct, click "Does not Apply".

The DS-160 online form questions are divided into several sections:

Personal data:

Personal, Address and Phone, Passport

Visa and travel:

Travel, Travel Companions, Previous U.S. Travel

Stay in the USA:

US Contact

Family data:

Family

Activity and training:

Work / Education / Training

Security Issues:

Security and Background


As mentioned, additional queries may be added depending on the individual application situation.

Complete documentation is more important than ever. Careful preparation of the visa application is essential and can minimize the risk of rejection. In addition, it is advisable to have all important information about the main applicant and the company at hand. Keep all important visa information - especially for registration procedures - carefully. Companies serviced by us have the advantage here that we record the key data of e-registrations in a DSGVO-compliant manner and have all relevant information quickly at hand if required.

Our tip

DS-160 Form fill online

When you start filling out the form, make sure you have all the important information handy - such as your passport or address information in the USA. As a rule, applicants need about 30 - 60 minutes per online application.

Before you start with the actual filling out of the DS-160 form, you will be asked in a first step to select the US consulate where you would like to file the visa application. In German-speaking countries, for example, this would be:

  • Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich for Germany
  • Vienna for Austria
  • Bern for Switzerland

 

  1. Then click on "Start An Application" and set a security question. You will need this to recall the application - possible via the button "Upload An Application" or "Retrieve an Application" on the home page.
  2. Answer all questions in the DS-160 form truthfully and in English and upload your photo afterwards.
  3. Check all the information provided ("Review") thoroughly.
  4. Submit the DS-160 form online ("Submit") to the US authorities.
  5. Save and print the confirmation page.

DS-160 photo

At the end of the questionnaire, you must upload online a digital, biometric passport photo in American format 5 x 5 cm. The file (e.g. jpg format) must not be larger than 240 KB. Please note thatGlasses are not allowed.

If your photo meets the specifications, a green check mark appears. Otherwise, you would have to make adjustments or use a different photo and try again. The U.S. Department of State Incidentally, on the DS-160 application page, provides a"Photo Cropping Tool"available for editing the photos and also provides information about the current visa photo regulations.

Personal advice on US visas Our experts will be happy to advise you on your request

DS-160 confirmation page

After successful online submission of Form DS-160, you will receive at the e-mail address provided in the application aDS-160 confirmation page (Confirmation). On this form you will find your photo and some personal information as well as the details of the visa category you have applied for and the US consulate where you have to apply for the visa. Furthermore, you will find the important DS-160 confirmation number. (Barcode), which you will need in the further visa application process.

Please be sure to fill out the confirmation page. You must present this along with other application documents at your interview appointment at the US Consulate. You will not be admitted to the US Consulate without the DS-160 barcode sheet.

Verify that all information on the DS-160 confirmation page is correct, especially that you have selected the correct US consulate there where you will also attend your subsequent interview appointment or which will process your application.
For example, if you wish to apply for your visa at another US consulate after submitting the DS-160 form, you must complete a new online form.

DS-160 Tips and hints

Read through our helpful hints before you begin filling out the DS-160 form.

DS-160 Session Timed out

Unfortunately, since the online form is more often affected by technical problems - frequent crashes, malfunction when uploading the photo, etc. - we strongly recommend that you cache the DS-160 form regularly.

DS-160 Confirmation number

In addition, write down your DS-160 confirmation number (also: DS-160 barcode number) right at the beginning, which always starts with "AA00...". You can use this number to log back into your DS-160 form at the above website at a later time and continue filling out the DS-160.

DS-160 Change specifications

You can access an existing DS-160 visa application that is still being processed using the DS-160 Confirmation Number and change the information provided in the form.

However, once you have submitted the final form online, no information in the application can be subsequently changed. You would then have to fill out a completely new DS-160 application form online.

DS-160 Technical problems and maintenance

Technical problems

If you are having technical problems completing the form, try using a different browser to access the DS-160 page or log in again at a later time. As a rule, technical difficulties are resolved promptly by the U.S. authorities.

The technical problems can be of a very different nature. In the past, it was sometimes not possible to upload the digital passport photo at the end of data entry or there were worldwide system failures. In both cases, the DS-160 cannot be transmitted to the consulate. In some cases, applicants are also logged out of the system in the middle of the filling process without this being desired.

Applicants who experience technical problems completing the DS-160 form will unfortunately need to be patient and periodically try to log back into the DS-160 online application and continue.

Our Tip:Always save the DS-160 online form regularly so that you can call up the data again at a later time. This way, you do not have to restart data entry in case of technical problems.

Applicants should also note that technical problems may delay making an appointment, as it is only possible to make an appointment at the U.S. Consulate after the DS-160 has been submitted online to the Consulate.

Maintenance

In most cases, maintenance work is carried out to correct technical problems and does not affect application forms that have already been submitted or fees that have already been paid.

However, the online nonimmigrant visa application form is also partially adjusted after maintenance work, as a result of which applicants must provide more extensive information in the DS-160 form. Most recently, new questions were added to the DS-160 form (including information on social media networks, email accounts, and phone numbers).

Our visa services

We advise you on the choice of the appropriate visa category and take over the complete processing for you or your company.

Online Auftritt vom US Visa Service
  1. First contact: We clarify which visa or which visa types are applicable in your case.
  2. Worldwide support: We will assist you with your request, no matter where you are located.
  3. Assignment: We send your HR department and the respective employees all the necessary documents and checklists.
  4. Visa processing: We take care of checking, correcting and compiling the application documents.
  5. Visa Interview Preparation: We will disburse the visa application fee for you and arrange the visa interview appointment. In addition, each applicant will be prepared by telephone for the formalities and procedures at the US Consulate.
  6. Visa issuance: We check your visa for accuracy and prepare your employees for entry into the USA by telephone.
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