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Understanding The DS-160 Nonimmigrant Visa Application

The DS-160 form is known as the online nonimmigrant visa application. It is filed as part of the process requesting  temporary travel to the United States. It is also used for K (fiancé(e)) visas.

gardner mendoza understanding ds 160 application

Electronically submitting your DS-160 online application is only the first step in a lengthy and comprehensive visa application process. You should talk to an immigration attorney to avoid making DS-160 mistakes that can prove costly and set your travel plans back months.

The first step in applying for a nonimmigrant visa is to complete the online application through the U.S. Department of State. It takes about 90 minutes to complete the application. You should then move on to the next steps.

Consular officers use the information you enter on form DS-160 to process your visa application and, combined with a personal interview, determine your eligibility for a nonimmigrant visa.

The Department of State points out that visa applicants must submit a completed DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application for all nonimmigrant visa categories, including applicants who are applying for K visas. A K visa allows a foreign-citizen fiancé(e) to travel to the United States and marry his or her U.S. citizen sponsor within 90 days of arrival.

What Documents Do You Need to Complete DS-160?

Immigration processes are often lengthy and one missing document can derail them. The DS-160 nonimmigrant visa application is no exception. Ensure you have the following documents when you make an application:

  • Your Passport;
  • Travel itinerary, if you have made travel arrangements before applying.
  • Dates of your last five visits or trips to the United States, if you previously visited the United States, you must list up to five trips. You may also be asked for your international travel history over the past five years. 
  • Résumé or Curriculum Vitae – You may be required to provide information about your current and previous education as well as your employment history. 
  • Other Information – Some applicants, depending on their intended purpose of traveling to the United States, will be asked to provide additional information when completing the DS-160.

Certain applicants will need to have additional information and documents on hand to complete DS-160. These may include a SEVIS ID (printed on your I-20 or DS-2019 for students and foreign exchange visitors) and your I-129 if you are a petition-based temporary worker. Other temporary workers will be asked for details of their employer, including the employer’s address, when they complete their DS-160s.

What Language Must The DS-160 Application Be Completed In?

All answers on the form must be in English, using English characters only, except when you are asked to give your full name in your native alphabet. We occasionally hear of applications that are completed in languages other than English. These applications are denied and you may be required to start the application again.

Translations of questions on Form DS-160 are available in many languages from the drop-down menu in the right upper corner of the application to assist you in completing the form in English.

Does a DS-160 Application Have to be Submitted Immediately?

No. You can save the DS-160 application or go back to a partially completed online application. When you start a new DS-160, you will be issued a unique application identification (ID) number after choosing and answering a security question. Once you have the application ID number and have selected and answered a security question, you may exit the DS-160 application and return to it later, as long as you log back in within thirty days.

Next Steps After Completing the DS-160.

Don’t assume the process is over once you have completed the online DS-160. You should take a few more steps to move the process forward.

You must print and keep the DS-160 barcode page. You are not required to print out the whole application, but you may find it helpful to keep a copy for your records

You must then schedule a visa interview. The U.S. Consulate or Embassy in your home country will not schedule the appointment for you. You must find the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where your application will be processed, and make contact for an interview. Before you can schedule the interview,  you must pay the visa application processing fee. Review the country-specific instructions on the U.S. Consulate or Embassy website.

Talk to a Lawyer About the DS-160 Application

The DS-160 nonimmigrant visa application can be daunting to those who are not familiar with it. Thousands of applicants make serious mistakes that jeopardize their attempts to come to the United States every year. Please contact our award-winning immigration team to ensure a seamless application process, or call 757-464-9224.

Related posts:

  1. A Quick Reference Guide to Trump’s Executive Order Banning Immigration For 60 Days
  2. Pilot Program to Allow Domestic H-1B Visa Renewals Will Begin in January
  3. What Happens if I Move After Applying for Citizenship?
  4. Married Undocumented Immigrants May Gain Residency Without Leaving the U.S.

Filed Under: Immigration Blog Articles

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Well, hard to believe… job done! I’m frank to admit I had no idea that it would be so involved compared to 10 years ago when I did the renewal myself. Happily I was fortunate enough to find the best people to help get it done this time. When I was a working stiff it was mostly as a field guy in sales & marketing. High tech communication in those days was a pay phone in customers’ lobbies, so someone back in the office skilled in dealing w/problems was absolutely essential when I couldn’t be contacted. Most of those who supported me that way were good at what they did, some were outstanding. None were better than you!! This tedious & sometimes worrisome process would have been unbearable without your keeping it, & me, on track. So we want to extend our thanks to you and Radlyn. Hoping for Gardner & Mendoza to continue the good work for many years to come. - Anonymous
Gardner and Mendoza Law Firm is a great law firm no matter what kind of situation you may be in! For example I had court today, John Gardner, my attorney represented me today and got the charged dismissed totally the first time we both appeared in front of the judge in Virginia Beach Traffic Court. He uses every bit of knowledge he can to help you get the best results!! He also works very well with Latinos! They have a Spanish speaking person in their office at all times!! - Sebastian
My husband and I had a great experience with Mrs. Mendoza. She provided excellent information and a sense of urgency with every step of our immigration process. Her team was always supportive in getting us the information we needed throughout the whole process. This legal firm also treats their clients with the highest levels of respect. In all of Virginia I would say that the Gardener & Mendoza team is the best recommendation for same sex immigration cases and for immigration cases in general. It was a pleasure to work with them. - Anonymous
I Highly Recommend Radlyn Mendoza, An Excellent Immigration Lawyer. My wife and I were very worried about my wife’s immigration and legal status. We were quite impressed with Attorney Mendoza during our initial consultation. She proved to be a smart, knowledgeable, and very capable immigration attorney. She and her staff were very helpful and responsive to all of our requests. Kudos to her and staff, especially Leesa, for successfully handling our case. Thanks for a job well done. - Thomas and Cheong W.
My daughter received a reckless driving ticket going 60 in a 35 mph zone, so understandably, I was very concerned. In court, Mr. Gardner was able to get the reckless driving charge and ticket completely dismissed due to his knowledge of what the police officer had to present in court. Mr. Gardner was a familiar face to the judge and the clerks in the Virginia Beach courthouse. When we contacted John Gardner’s office at Gardner & Mendoza, he and his staff made us feel comfortable by explaining the whole process to us. His track record and the reviews online helped make the decision to choose Mr. Gardner over other attorneys easy. I highly recommend Mr. Gardner. He gave us peace of mind and won the case too! - Michelle

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