Visa question of the month - Technical problems in the visa profile

We are currently trying to apply for a B-1 visa for two colleagues for an urgent business trip to the USA. However, we are having great difficulty arranging a consular appointment via the new online profile. For one colleague, we already had a profile for which the payment is no longer stored after the system transfer. We cannot create a new profile for the second colleague, we keep getting an error message. Do you have any tips on how we can proceed?

Following the introduction of a new online profile for the US consular visa application process at the end of October 2024, numerous applicants have reported technical problems. The profile is essential in particular for the payment of visa application fees and the subsequent appointment at the US consulate (or to receive information on the postal submission procedure).
The responsible consular service provider is still USTravelDocs, only the web-based platform has been renewed.

As you yourself report, many people are currently struggling either with being able to create a profile at all or with the problems that arise in connection with a profile transfer.

We can give you the following tips for creating a new profile:

1. The US consulate currently recommends the use of Windows devices (instead of Mac or Apple).
2. First use the English-language website https://www.ustraveldocs.com/de/en/nonimmigrant-visa; the system seems to be more stable here. Select the green "Visa Login" button in the top right-hand corner.
3. Try different browsers, based on our experience we recommend Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.
4. If the profile creation page does not open, try opening it in incognito mode / private mode.
5. If a "Waiting Room" is displayed, please be patient. Generally, you will be redirected to the main page after a short time. This may also be displayed from time to time during profile editing if there are high access rates. If you are shown a session timeout, you can try to reload the page or go back in the browser.
6. If you have successfully created a profile once and the system crashes frequently, please do not create another profile. This will either cause the system to refer you to an existing applicant and block you or, in the worst case, cause further problems in the application process.
7. Alternatively, you can submit a request to the service provider USTravelDocs via the profile (left navigation bar: Feedback / Requests). Due to the high volume of requests, you will need to allow for longer processing times. Unfortunately, the other contact options (chat, call) are currently only possible to a limited extent.

If you have transferred an existing (old) profile to the new system and the consular fee payment you have already made is no longer on file, you can proceed as follows:

1. Please ensure in advance that all information in the profile has been transferred correctly (master data etc.). A common problem in this context is if you have used different e-mail addresses when creating the profiles. Ideally, these should be identical.
2. You can first try to deposit the payment yourself. To do this, log in to your profile. Click through the system to the payment information. Click on the "Claim Receipts" button and fill in the information (you will need the reference number of the previous payment as well as the payment date and payment method). However, this is only possible for payments made before October 26, 2024.
   The appointment calendar should then be displayed for you for appointment scheduling or alternatively the information on the postal submission procedure.
3. If you continue to receive an error message or the system does not allow you to proceed any further, you can only submit a request via the profile (left navigation bar: Feedback / Requests) regarding the payment that has not been deposited. Please be sure to upload your proof of payment including the corresponding reference number. Again, you will have to be patient until you receive a hopefully positive response.

The US consulates worldwide, which are affected by system changes, are working hard to resolve the technical problems. Other countries, such as France or the Netherlands, where new profiles have been introduced via other visa service providers, are also currently experiencing major difficulties. Applicants will probably have to be patient and take a little longer to apply for a US visa. We hope that the technical issues can be resolved soon.

You are welcome to entrust us with the visa application for your employees. Our support right from the start will save you time and, above all, nerves.