The DS-160 is the official online application form for a US nonimmigrant visa: a visa for a temporary trip, such as tourism, a family visit, business meetings, study, an exchange programme or temporary work. Every applicant for these visas completes it, including children (a parent fills it in for them).
Nonimmigrant or immigrant?
- Nonimmigrant visa: you plan to visit for a limited time and then leave. The application form is the DS-160. This course is about this form.
- Immigrant visa: you plan to live permanently in the United States (a "green card"). That uses a different form, the DS-260, and is not covered here.
Common nonimmigrant visa types
| Visa | Purpose |
|---|---|
| B-1 / B-2 | Business meetings (B-1), tourism, visiting family, medical treatment (B-2). Often issued together as B1/B2 |
| F-1 | Academic study at a US school or university |
| J-1 | Exchange visitor programmes (students, researchers, trainees) |
| H-1B and other work visas | Temporary work, usually with an approved petition from a US employer |
| K-1 | Fiancé(e) of a US citizen (also uses the DS-160) |
Which visa you need depends on the main purpose of your trip. You cannot work on a visitor visa, and you cannot study full-time on a B-2.
Do you even need a visa?
Citizens of some countries can visit the US for tourism or business for up to 90 days without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program, using an online travel permission called ESTA. If your country is in that programme and your trip qualifies, you may not need the DS-160 at all. Check the official list on travel.state.gov first.
The whole process at a glance
- Choose the right visaBased on the main purpose of your trip
- Complete the DS-160Online at ceac.state.gov, then print the confirmation page
- Pay the visa feeAs your US embassy or consulate explains on its website
- Book an appointmentAt your nearest US embassy or consulate
- Attend the interviewBring your passport, confirmation page and documents
- DecisionApproved, more information needed, or refused
The DS-160 itself costs nothing to complete. You pay the visa application fee separately, following the instructions of the US embassy or consulate where you will apply. Every embassy's website explains its own payment and appointment system.
Use only the official website
The DS-160 is completed only at ceac.state.gov (the Consular Electronic Application Center). Websites that look official and ask you to pay to "submit your DS-160" are not the US government. Official US government websites end in .gov.
Why accuracy matters so much
When you finish, you sign the form electronically, confirming that every answer is true. A consular officer reads your DS-160 before and during your interview. Giving false information on purpose can make you permanently ineligible for US visas. An honest "yes" to a difficult question is far better than a false "no".
In this course you will learn how to prepare, how to answer every section correctly and honestly, and what happens after you submit.
Practice task (15 min)
- Write one sentence: the main purpose of your planned trip to the US.
- Decide which visa type fits that purpose (for example B1/B2, F-1 or J-1).
- On travel.state.gov, check whether your country is in the Visa Waiver Program, and find the website of your nearest US embassy or consulate (it ends in .gov).
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