Non immigrant US visa process in India

Any applicant applying for non immigrant visa( Tourist, work, Business, student purpose) need to follow the the following process in order to applying for US visa.

1. Pay the application and VFS service fee at authorized HDFC branch.(also pls see visa fee)
2. Setup an appointment for the interview at VFS. Take an appointment and complete the online application via web at VFS website ( www.vfs-usa.co.in) Or via walk-in to VFS service centers.
3. This step is ONLY if your applicable consulate is Mumbai : You have to send following as per the checklist of the document, to the VFS prior to the interview.
   1. Copy Appointment Letter. ( This you can printout at the time on taking appointment)
   2. Original Completed and signed All Visa Application Forms.( This you can print out at the time of taking appointment)
   3. Complete Copy of passport.
   4. One recent photograph as per the required specifciation.
   5. Orginal HDFC fee receipt ( Consulate copy)
   6. Demand draft for Issuance fee.

You can either drop this package to any of the VFS service center at Ahmedabad, Mumbai or Pune. OR Alternatively you may courier the same to the following address of VFS main office:

US VFS Tirupati Apartments,
Bhulabhai Desai Road, Mumbai 400 026.

VFS recommends that these must reach a minimum of 5 working days prior to your scheduled interview date. It is recommended that you forward your documents to VFS immediately after scheduling an interview.

4. Go to consulate on the day /time of the appointment for interview with all the required /suppliment documents and originals. Along with the interview your electronic finger print will be taken.
5. If visa granted passport will be delivered by courier at your address.

The following picture shows the necessary steps and procedure to be followed for US Visa purpose in India.

FAQ :

What is a non-immigrant visa?

A non-immigrant visa is most frequently a tourist, business, student or specialty worker travel document that permits you to travel to the United States during the validity of the visa to accomplish a specific purpose, such as visiting, studying or working in a specialty job.

How Do I know which consulate is applicable for me ?

If you are resident in India, you are required to appear for an interview at the visa section having jurisdiction over the territory/state where you have been currently resident during the past six months.

• New Delhi: States of Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal.
• Chennai: States of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and the Union Territories of Lakshadweep islands and Pondicherry.
• Mumbai: States of Maharashtra, Goa, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Union Territories of Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
• Kolkata:States of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, Meghalaya, Orissa, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam and the Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

USA visa fee

Current US Visa Fee for Indian Nationals

• Visa fee details
• List of HDFC Branches where applicantion fee can be paid

There are two type of fee asociated for each non-immigrant visa application.
One is basic application fee, which is non-refundable, known as Application Fee. In the event of your application accepted, Visa Issuance Fee also to be paid.
Other then this there is also a service fee which should be paid to the VFS for all their admistrative and logitics services like appointments, courier service for passport delivery etc.

Generally following 3 type of fee needs to be paid by each non immigrant visa applicant, with some exceptions to certain type visa categories where issuance fee is not requried.

Note:

• The INR equivalent amount of application fee and issuance fee is subject to change depending on exchange rates. At present it is 1US$ = 46.00 Rs. Applicable from Nov 16, 2005.
• DDs issued by cooperative banks are not accepted.
• Once you pay the , VFS computer systems gets the details about the payment.The fee receipt gets activated in VFS systems 2 working days from date of issue. Do not attempt to take an appointment till then.
• HDFC Bank's fee receipt can be used to make an appointment within 1 year from date of issue. The receipt is deemed as utilized once the interview has taken place, and cannot be used to make a subsequent appointment.

Visa application and VFS service fee can only be paid at a designated branch of HDFC Bank at the following branches.

HDFC Branch lOCATIONS

FAQ :

What about people located in other cities where there is no HDFC bank listed in here? How do they pay the fee?

Any one( Friend or relative) on behalf of the applicant can go to any of these HDFC brach and can pay the fee, the person will need the photocopy of first page of the passport of each applicant though.

I have an appointment after Nov 16th, and I have already prepared the demand draft for visa issuance fee for Rs.2300, now since the visa fee has revised what should I do ?

Applicants scheduled for an interview from 16 November 2005 onwards are required to carry a demand draft with the revised amount.

If you have already purchased your draft or submitted your draft to VFS (Mumbai Consulate applicants), prior to this date you may carry to the visa interview an additional draft of Rs 100/- in favour of the �US Embassy, New Delhi or the �American Consulate General, Mumbai (or Chennai or Kolkatta)� drawn in the city where the interview is being held. DDs issued by cooperative banks are not acceptable