Embassies of the United States worldwide are crowded with people who want to apply for all types of visas. Most of them are B-2 visitor visas. Considering the huge number of people who file for the visa, it is obvious why there are strict rules that lead to many visa applications being rejected.

In order to get approval and the permission to visit United States, every applicant should know how to apply properly. Visa applications are sent online by submitting the required information into the provided sections on the website of the United States Department of State Visa Appointment Service.

Getting Started

Every applicant has to complete a few steps in order to schedule an appointment in the United States’ embassy in their country. Filing for a visa to the United States requires:

• Filling out a nonimmigrant visa application (DS-160) and printing out the barcode which is displayed upon the successful completion of that application.
• Creating an account on the website usvisa-info.com in order to pay the fee and schedule the appointment. NOTE: completing the DS-160 application only isn’t enough. Without creating an account it is not possible to file for a visa properly.
• Pay the fee. The fee is determined by the type of visa you are filing. In order to pay the fee it is necessary to log into the website, choose a payment option, print out the CSC form (if you are paying via bank transfer), and go to the bank whose name is stated in the website.
• Schedule the appointment. Appointments are scheduled for a day or two after paying the fee. In order to schedule the appointment one should log into the Official Visa Services of United States website, and choose the date and time of their appointment (required information is listed below).

What You Need to Know Prior to Filing for the US Visa
If you want your visa application to be successful, there are some things you have to take into consideration. It is always advisable to consult an immigration attorney regarding your visa application. An immigration attorney can advise you on all issues and inquiries regarding your visa application and provide the advice on creating apositive outcome.

Other things you should know include:

• Every applicant must present a passport whose expiration date is after their stay in the United States ends.
• All information submitted in DS-160 must be true.
• Passport numbers and contact information must also be correct.
• Every applicant should be able to present documents that will assure the US embassy and the interviewer about their return to their native country. To elaborate, the chances of getting a B-2 Visitor Visa approved are higher if the applicant submits evidence that they have a job or family to return to a house in their home country, or any kind of regular income there.
• In order to increase your chances of getting B-2 Visitor Visa, you should take all other documents that you regard as helpful and present them to your interviewer. These can be documents about car ownership, birth certificates of children, college transcripts, etc.
• All documents provided should be relatively new, and you should try to correlate the time you need to obtain these documents and the time you want your appointment to be scheduled.
• Just in case, go through all documents thoroughly and carefully. Check if there are any mistakes. Mistakes can happen to anyone, but in many cases, these can be detrimental to your application.

NOTE: The fee is non-refundable. The fee is paid for the processing one’s visa request, and cannot be refunded if visa request is denied.

The Invitation Letter – Is it Important?
If you don’t have an “invitation letter,” do not worry. People usually bring an invitation letter to the interview because they think it’s the only thing they need, and they are convinced the letter will guarantee the approval of their application. However, the invitation letter has neither a positive nor a negative effect on the outcome of your B-2 Visitor Visa application.

DS-160
DS-160 is a form that contains various sections with numerous questions. Every applicant should pay attention to all the questions and double-check all answers. You will have to provide these details:

• Passport number and country where it is issued.
• Travel itinerary (this is just the approximate date of your planned visit to the United States).
• If you have already traveled to the United States, you will have to provide the date of last five visits.
• Information about education and work.
• Information about the birth of parents, spouses, children, and other family-related info.

Additional advice about filling out DS-160:

• All answers must be in English.
• If the applicant can’t speak English, somebody else can help him and the party who helped with filling out the application has to be identified.
• All questions are mandatory.
• You should take a photo of yourself, which should be in color, taken in the last 6 months, in front of a plain background, with you facing the camera. The website is set up to allow every applicant to adjust their photo according to the US embassy’s requirements and upload it later.
• When the application is done, the applicant will immediately see a confirmation of their visa application with a barcode. The application is also sent to the provided email address.

NOTE: The confirmation of a successful visa application is of huge importance and the document should be presented at the interview.

TIP: Make sure all answers are correct, that is why double-checking is important. Correcting wrong answers can result in re-scheduling the interview.

Scheduling Your Appointment
In order to schedule an appointment, you need:

• Your DS-160 barcode number.
• Your payment receipt number.
• Your passport number.

Before applying for a visitor visa, the best approach is to consult an expert. Immigration attorney Spojmie Nasiri can provide all the information you need to know and advise on everything you should do to get your B-2 visa request approved.