Non-immigrant Visas

Required Documents / Photos

• An individual passport valid for travel to the U.S. If your passport will expire within six months, we strongly recommend you extend the validity prior to your interview date.
• All applicants need to submit a fully completed and signed Visa Application Form - DS-156 and DS 157. (Please do not fold the DS-156 application form as this may make the information unreadable to our computer systems).  In addition to the above forms, if you are applying for a F-1, J-1 or M-1 visa, you need to submit a fully completed and signed Application form DS-158.
• One recent (within the past six months) passport size photograph, 50mm X 50mm with a white or off-white background. Click here for details.

Important things to remember when filling out application forms:

• Respond to all the questions. If you have no response for a question, put "none" or "nil" - do not draw a line or write "n.a." or "not applicable"If you fail to answer all the questions, this could create problems with your application, so remember to have an answer for each question.
• Respond fully to each question. For example, No. 27 is "What is the purpose of your trip?" If you are going on a tourist visa to see your son who is working in Detroit, don't just put "tourist" as an answer, put " "going to visit son in Detroit". If you are a student, don't respond to "purpose of trip" with " to study", be specific - for example "going to study for B.E. degree at Louisiana State". Provide details whenever it is useful.
• The applicant must sign the application, even if someone else fills it out.

Please note that all of these application forms may be downloaded from http://travel.state.gov/visaforms.html.

There also may be certain suggested documents to bring to your interview. Please refer to the specific visa type for a list of suggested documents.

• H1B and H4 Visa applicants should bring all specified documents listed above, as well as, the I-797, I-129 (Petition for Nonimmigrant Visa) and LCA (Labor Condition Application).

Very important:

Remember: though suggested documents may assist you in your interview, the Consular Officer relies primarily on the interview to determine your eligibility for a visa. Documents are of secondary importance.

Caution: Use only valid Documents. Fraud or misrepresentation can result in permanent ineligibility for a nonimmigrant visa.

Visa Application Fees are as follows:

Visa fees for Indian Nationals effective July 11, 2008:

* Applicants for the following non-immigrant visa categories are exempt from paying the Non-Immigrant Visa Application Fee: A, C-2 , G, and NATO.

Applicants must visit a designated HDFC branch to pay both the visa application (MRV) fee of Rs. 6026 and the VFS service fee of Rs. 322 before scheduling their appointments through VFS.  Please see the list of banks in Chennai from which the American Consulate General, Chennai will accept demand drafts.

Important: Please write your complete name and passport number on the back of each draft.

Not an Indian National? Visa Fees for other countries can be found in the Visa Reciprocity Tables.

Photo instructions for non-immigrant visas

• The photograph must be an un-mounted full-face photo taken within the last six months. The photograph must be full front view, taken facing the camera - no side or angled views are acceptable. The most important goal of the photograph is that it identifies the person.
  
  
• The photograph should measure 2 inches x 2 inches (roughly 50 mm x 50 mm) with the head centered in the frame. The head (measured from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin) should measure between 1 inch to 1 3/8 inches (28 mm and 35 mm) from the bottom of the photo.
  
• The photograph must have a white or off-white background. Photos with colored, dark or patterned backgrounds will not be accepted.
  
• For persons wearing glasses, there must be no reflection around the eyes. Photos with reflections will not be accepted. A photograph wearing a traditional facemask or veil that does not permit adequate identification is not acceptable. Head coverings or hats are acceptable only due to religious beliefs and then only when the applicant's face is completely exposed.
• Since a separate visa is issued to each qualified applicant, an individual photo is required in all cases. Group photos are not acceptable.

Please follow these instructions carefully. If photographs presented do not meet these requirements, the visa may be refused.

For more information photo requirements: http://travel.state.gov/photorequirements.html