The new DS-160 online visa application form

Ask the US Embassy

Wednesday, September 01, 2010

Question: I heard that the new DS-160 online application form is complicated. Is it okay for me to use a travel agent to fill out the form?

Answer: Since April 2010, all applicants applying for non-immigrant visas at the US Embassy in Kingston have been required to use the new DS-160 Non-immigrant Visa Electronic Application. The introduction of the new online application form to US embassies and consulates worldwide helped streamline how we process applications and how applicants apply for visas.

The DS-160 online application form is not significantly different from the previous forms that applicants have been filling out online for years. The issues that have arisen with the DS-160 form involve either technical problems such as illegible photos and bar codes, or applicants not properly filling out the form. Here are some tips for properly completing your online visa application.

Ensure that all information is accurate: While the online application helps streamline the visa process, some applicants who have difficulty using computers or the Internet may require help filling out the form. This assistance can come from friends, relatives, travel agents or application processing services.

No matter who helps you fill out your application, it is vital to ensure that all questions are answered and that all information is accurate. The legal standards we use to judge visa applications have not changed.

During the interview, applicants will be held responsible for all information that is on their application. Applicants must ensure that the information on their application is candid, true, and accurate. Furthermore, the DS-160 only requests information that is necessary in your particular circumstances. If you make a mistake, such as a male accidentally checking the box designated for female, he will not then be prompted to answer a series of questions that all males are required to answer.

On the old application form, the officer would be able to correct any mistakes, since any mistaken response would not affect the applicant's other responses. We can no longer do this. You would need to leave the Embassy and complete the application form over again before we could process your application.

Fill out the application completely. Do not leave any question blank (unanswered). The new application requires you to answer each question before you can proceed to the next one. If any information is absent that the officer deems necessary, the interviewing officer may consider your application incomplete and require you to leave and return for a later interview after you have answered all the questions.

Answer all questions honestly and completely. Please note that neglecting to include potentially adverse information may result in your ineligibility for a visa.

Ensure forms and photos are legible. The DS-160 is a fully integrated online application form that is submitted electronically to the Department of State via the Internet, unlike the previous application forms DS-156 and 157, which were printed on paper and submitted by hand.

Now, instead of a whole application, applicants must only print a confirmation sheet with a scannable barcode and submit this form at the time of interview. This form will allow officers to access the application that you filled out online. Therefore, please ensure that the barcode is clear and legible.

Also, please bring a passport photo with you to your interview, even if you upload a photograph online. This ensures that even if your photo is unusable, you will still be able to proceed with your visa application. As before, the format is one 2" x 2" passport-sized photo, facing straight ahead, with a white or off-white background.

For more information about the DS-160, as well as a link to the application itself, please view the DS-160 section of Embassy Kingston's website available at http://kingston.usembassy.gov/download_forms. html.

The American Embassy staff in Kingston will answer any questions you may have regarding US consular law, regulations and/or practice. In order to respect the privacy of applicants, the embassy will not answer questions on specific personal applications. Send your questions to: editorial@jamaicaobserver.com and we will send them to the embassy.

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The new DS-160 online visa application form