US visa guide for Indians, 2026

1The basics

• Visa needed: Indian citizens need a US visa for every trip. India is not in the Visa Waiver Program, so there is no ESTA, no e-visa and no visa-free entry.
• Where to apply: Through the US Embassy in New Delhi or the consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. Since 1 October 2025 almost every applicant must attend an in-person interview, including children under 14 and adults over 79. The main exception is a qualifying B-1/B-2 renewal (see the interview waiver below).
• Validity (B-1/B-2): Up to 10 years (120 months), multiple entry, with no extra issuance fee for Indians. The officer may issue a shorter visa.
• Length of stay: Usually up to 6 months (about 180 days) per visit. The CBP officer at the airport decides your actual stay and records it on your I-94; follow the I-94 date, not the visa date.

2Which visa do you need?

Rule of thumb: tourism = B-2, business = B-1, study = F-1, work = H-1B/L-1. Applying in the wrong category is a top reason for rejection.

USA visitor visa guide Study in the USA (F-1) PhD in the USA US dependent visas

3Fees (2026)

The visa application (MRV) fee is paid before your appointment and is not refundable, even if the visa is refused. The fee receipt is valid for 365 days: you must book your appointment within that time.

The US$250 Visa Integrity Fee is set by US law (from 1 October 2025) and is charged only when a visa is issued, so if you are refused you lose only the application fee. As of 20 October 2026 it is not yet shown on the official fee pages, so check before you pay. The totals below include it in case it is charged.

Fees are listed in US dollars and paid in rupees at the consular exchange rate shown when you pay. The ₹98 rate is an approximation; check the rate on the official payment page. Fees are not refundable.

Other costs: photos ₹200–500, travel to the consulate ₹2,000–15,000, optional home delivery of your passport ₹1,500 per passport, and a medical exam ₹5,000–15,000 if one is needed. A realistic total for a tourist visa is about ₹45,000–75,000.

4How to apply

1. Choose the correct visa type.
2. Fill in the DS-160 form online. Match your passport exactly and print the barcode confirmation page.
3. Pay the application fee. The official information site for India is ustraveldocs.com/in; you pay and book through your account on usvisascheduling.com (NEFT, UPI, debit or credit card, or cash at listed bank branches). Keep the receipt. If a payment seems to fail, do not pay twice; contact the official support desk.
4. Book two appointments: biometrics at the Visa Application Centre (VAC), at least 2 working days before your interview at the Embassy or Consulate.
5. Biometrics (fingerprints and photo) take 15 to 30 minutes. Children under 14 and adults over 79 do not need to go to the VAC, but they must attend the interview.
6. Interview usually takes 2 to 5 minutes. Carry original documents and copies.
7. Decision: approved (the visa is usually printed within a few working days, often 2 to 5), more checks needed under section 221(g), or refused (for example under section 214(b)).
8. Collect your passport in person from the collection point you chose, or choose optional home delivery for ₹1,500 per passport (paid in cash to the courier). Under-18s cannot collect their own passport: a parent or guardian collects it with their original photo ID and a copy, the original consent letter signed by both parents, and copies of both parents' IDs. Uncollected passports go back to the Embassy or Consulate after 14 working days at a VAC (7 at a Blue Dart location).

Photo: taken in the last 6 months, in colour, plain white or off-white background, neutral expression, no glasses (medical exceptions only). Digital file: JPEG, square, 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 pixels, 240 KB or less. Printed photos are 51 × 51 mm (2 × 2 inches); in India one is needed only for applicants under 14 or if the upload failed.

5Waiting time for an interview

Official figures, last updated by the State Department on 17 September 2026. They change every month and are not guaranteed.

In July 2026 the average visitor waits were 7.5 months (New Delhi), 9.5 (Mumbai), 9.5 (Hyderabad), 4 (Kolkata) and 5.5 (Chennai), so waits have grown since then.

• Tips: Apply as early as you can; for a visitor visa that can mean 10 to 12 months before you travel. Waits vary by season and are often longer around December–January and in summer. You may book your first appointment at whichever consulate in India you prefer. New slots are sometimes released, often late in the evening, so check regularly yourself.
• Do not use bots or booking agents that use them. Automated tools on the appointment calendar trigger an "Access limitation" block on your account.
• Reschedule: only once (since 1 January 2025). If you miss your appointment or need to change it a second time, you must pay a new fee and book again. Cancel or reschedule at least 2 working days before, or you will be marked a no-show.
• Expedited pilot: a paid US$750 appointment (interview within 10 working days, subject to availability) for B visas started on 21 July 2026 in Mexico and was extended on 18 August 2026 to Canada and some Latin American posts. It runs until 31 December 2026 and is not available in India. It speeds up the appointment but does not guarantee approval.

Check today's official wait times

6Interview waiver (dropbox)

Since 1 October 2025 you can skip the interview only if you are renewing a B-1, B-2 or B-1/B-2 visa that was issued with full validity and is still valid or expired in the last 12 months (previously 48 months), you were 18 or older when it was issued, you have had no refusals (unless overcome), all 10 fingerprints were taken last time, the old visa was not lost, stolen or cancelled, and you apply from India in your own consular district.

You drop your passport off at one of 11 locations in India; allow up to three weeks. An officer can still call you for an interview. H-1B, L-1, O-1 and student visa renewals no longer qualify.

7Interview tips

• Your DS-160 is read before the interview. Answers that do not match it are a main reason for a 214(b) refusal.
• Expect questions on the purpose of travel, your job and company, salary, past travel, and ties to India (job, family, property).
• Give short, clear and honest answers, for example the event name, city and dates.
• Business applicants face more questions. Be ready to explain the trip length and your exact business activities.
• Reach 30 to 40 minutes early. Phones and laptops are not allowed inside. Avoid touts outside the consulate.
• After a refusal, reapply only when something has changed, such as a promotion, a higher salary or new travel history.

8Common DS-160 mistakes

• Name not matching the passport. If your passport shows only one name, enter it as your surname and put "FNU" (first name unknown) in Given Names.
• Not mentioning US relatives (parent, sibling, child). This can be treated as misrepresentation and may lead to a permanent bar.
• Vague purpose of travel. Give a clear itinerary with dates.
• Job details that do not match your interview answers, letters or public profiles. Explain any gaps.
• Social media: list every handle you have used in the last 5 years. Do not leave it blank or use a fake "clean" account. Students, exchange visitors, H-1B/H-4 and several other categories must also set their profiles to public.
• Unrealistic plans, such as 8 cities in 7 days.
• Photo upload failure. The form times out after 20 minutes of inactivity, so save often and note your Application ID.
• Rushing the security questions. Answer everything fully.

After you submit the DS-160 it cannot be edited. A mistake needs a new form and a new barcode (or the Embassy may reopen it for you).

9Why visas are refused or delayed

• Weak ties to India (214(b)): the top reason for B-1/B-2 refusals. Your job, salary slips, ITRs, property and family matter more than your bank balance. The State Department's B-visa refusal rate for Indians was 16.32% in FY2024 and 22.04% in FY2025.
• Sudden large bank deposits: show 6 months of steady statements.
• Wrong category: for example, a business trip applied for as tourism.
• Student visa: mixed answers on "why this university" or weak plans after studies. F, M and J applicants must keep their social media public.
• Administrative processing (221(g)): your status may show "Refused" but this is often only a placeholder while checks are done. The State Department gives no fixed time frame; applicants commonly report 1 to 4 weeks for document requests, 4 to 12 weeks for H-1B employer checks and 3 to 6 months for security checks in some STEM cases. Reply to any request the same day. You have one year from the refusal to send requested documents; after that you must reapply and pay again.

10Big changes in 2025 and 2026

• $250 Visa Integrity Fee: in law from 1 October 2025 and charged when a visa is issued. The law allows a refund after the visa expires for people who follow all visa rules, but as of 20 October 2026 the fee is not yet shown on the official fee pages.
• Interviews for almost everyone: from 1 October 2025, including children under 14 and adults over 79.
• Dropbox: cut from 48 to 12 months, and B-1/B-2 (and H-2A) renewals only.
• Apply in India: applicants should apply in their country of nationality or residence.
• $100,000 H-1B fee: started on 21 September 2025 for new H-1B petitions, paid by the employer. A federal court set aside the rules for collecting it on 8 June 2026 and DHS is not collecting it for now, but a new proclamation on 18 September 2026 renewed the requirement and the appeal continues. Check the latest position before relying on it.
• H-1B selection: the random lottery was replaced by a wage-weighted selection, first used for FY2027.
• Social media: public profiles are required for F, M and J applicants, H-1B and H-4, and several other categories (from 1 October 2026 also I and TN/TD). Everyone must list the handles they have used in the last 5 years.
• Students and exchange visitors: a DHS rule (published 17 July 2026, scheduled from 15 September 2026) replaces "duration of status" with a fixed stay of up to 4 years plus 30 days. A court order of 14 September 2026 put it on hold and the case continues, so check for updates.
• Passport collection: in person by default; optional home delivery costs ₹1,500.
• Exchange rate: fees are paid at the consular rate, about ₹98 per US$ in mid-2026; check the rate when you pay.
• Visa bonds: now a permanent programme (final rule, 3 August 2026) for about 50 countries, including Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. India is not on the list.
• Travel ban: India is not among the 39 countries whose visas were fully or partly suspended from 1 January 2026.

11More useful facts

• Passport validity: your passport should be valid for at least six months beyond your stay, and for the appointment in India at least 15 days from the appointment date. A valid visa in an old passport can be used with your new passport.
• Student visas can be issued up to 365 days before the course starts, but students may enter the US no more than 30 days before the start date on the I-20.
• Passports returned to the Embassy or Consulate can be collected on Tuesdays between 2:00 and 3:00 pm without an appointment.
• Apply early and honestly: one consistent story across your DS-160, documents and interview matters more than any single document.