How to fill in the DS-160 (U.S. visa application)

The DS-160 is the online application for a U.S. nonimmigrant visa, such as a visitor, student or work visa. Everyone who applies for one fills it in, one form per person, before the visa interview.

Last checked against the official form: October 16, 2026

Form: DS-160
Edition: Online form (OMB No. 1405-0182), as of the review date
Issued by: U.S. Department of State
Form language: English

Where it is filled in: Online only, on the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) website; there is no paper form to mail
Who fills it in: Every nonimmigrant visa applicant, including children and spouses, each with their own form
How long it takes: Most people need 60 to 90 minutes; the page times out after about 20 minutes without activity
Cost: No fee to submit the DS-160. The visa application fee (MRV fee) is a separate payment, and other charges, such as a visa integrity fee that some embassies collect when the visa is issued, may apply; check your embassy’s page for the amounts
What you bring: The confirmation page with its barcode, printed or saved, to the visa interview

What this form is

The DS-160, “Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application”, collects the personal details a consular officer uses to decide whether you qualify for a U.S. nonimmigrant visa. You answer on the CEAC website, one screen at a time, and submit it electronically to the U.S. embassy or consulate you choose.

Because it is completed on a government website, there is no blank DS-160 to print and fill in by hand. What you can keep and upload is the confirmation page with its barcode, or a printed copy of the review page. You can also use this guide to gather your answers before you start: passport, travel plans, addresses, work and school history, and, for students, the I-20 or DS-2019.

The screens follow the same order for most visa types: Personal Information, Address and Phone, Passport, Travel, Travel Companions, Previous U.S. Travel, U.S. Point of Contact, Family, Work/Education/Training, Security and Background, Photo, Review, and Sign and Submit. Some visa types add extra pages, such as the SEVIS pages for students. The portal is the final word on what it asks.

Who has to fill it in

You fill it in if:

You are not a U.S. citizen and want a nonimmigrant visa, such as a visitor, student, exchange or temporary work visa.
You are a spouse or child who applies for a visa too: each person needs their own DS-160.
You are the parent or guardian of a young child, or of someone who cannot do it themselves: you may complete and sign for them.

Use another application if:

You want to live in the U.S. permanently: immigrant visas and green cards have different forms.
You are a citizen of a country that can travel to the U.S. without a visa: you may need the ESTA travel authorization instead, which is not a visa.
You are applying for a U.S. passport: that is a different form (DS-11).

Field-by-field instructions

Getting started

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Location	The U.S. embassy or consulate that will receive your application, and where you plan to apply for the visa.	Pick the U.S. embassy or consulate where you will have your interview. Since September 2025, applicants generally have to apply in the country where they are a national or live, so choose the post for that country. The form is sent to that location and cannot be moved to another.
Security Question	A question and answer you create so that you can reopen your application later.	Choose a question and an answer you will remember exactly, and write the answer down with your Application ID. You are asked for it when you retrieve the form.
Application ID	The code the portal gives your application as soon as you start it; it appears at the top of the pages.	Write it down or save it right away, before entering anything else. Without it you cannot reopen an unfinished form or reprint the confirmation page.

Personal Information 1 and 2

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Surnames / Given Names	Your legal name as the passport shows it.	Copy your surname and given names from the passport’s photo page, including middle names, without nicknames or titles. Enter them in English letters.
Full Name in Native Alphabet	Your name written in your own script, if your language does not use the English alphabet.	Write it in your own script if it has one. If your name is only written in English letters, tick “Does Not Apply”.
Other Names Used	Any other names you have used, such as a maiden name or an earlier spelling.	Answer Yes and add each other name if you have used one. Answer No if you have not.
Date of Birth / Place of Birth	When and where you were born.	Enter your date of birth and place of birth the same way as in your passport. For the city, use the birthplace shown in the passport.
Nationality	The country whose passport you are using for this visa, and any other nationality you hold.	Choose the nationality of the passport you will use. If you hold or have held another nationality, answer Yes and give the details the portal then asks for.
National Identification Number	The identity number your country gives its citizens, if it has one.	Enter the number from your national ID if you have one. If your country does not issue one, tick “Does Not Apply”.
U.S. Social Security Number	A U.S. Social Security number, only if you have been given one before.	Enter it if you have worked in the U.S. and hold one. Otherwise tick “Does Not Apply”.
U.S. Taxpayer ID Number	A U.S. taxpayer identification number, only if you have been given one before.	Enter it if you have one. Most first-time applicants tick “Does Not Apply”.

Address and Phone

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Home Address	Where you live now, and where you receive mail if it is different.	Write your current home address in English letters, as it is on your other documents. If your mailing address is different, say so when the portal asks.
Primary Phone Number	The phone numbers where you can be reached.	Enter your main number, and a second one if you have it. If you have no other number, tick “Does Not Apply” for that line rather than leaving it empty.
Email Address	The email address where the embassy or consulate may contact you.	Use an address you check regularly and that is spelled correctly. A typo here means you may miss messages.
Social Media	The social media platforms and usernames you have used in recent years.	Choose each platform from the list and enter your username, for every account you have used in the last 5 years. The portal does not ask for passwords. If you have used none, say so.

Passport

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Passport/Travel Document Type	The kind of passport or travel document you hold.	Most people choose “Regular”. Choose another type only if your passport really is diplomatic, official or a different kind.
Passport/Travel Document Number	The number of the passport you will use for this visa.	Copy it character by character from the passport’s photo page. You enter it again when you sign, so a typo will cause trouble.
Passport Book Number	A second number that some countries print in their passports, in addition to the passport number.	Enter it if your passport has one. It is also called the inventory control number, and where it is printed differs by country. If you cannot find one, ask your passport office, or tick “Does Not Apply” if there is none.
Country/Authority that Issued Passport	Which country issued the passport and where.	Choose the country or authority that issued it, then enter the city and state or province of issue as best you know it. If the passport does not show them, give where you applied for it.
Issuance Date / Expiration Date	The dates your passport was issued and when it expires.	Copy both dates from the photo page, exactly as printed.
Have you ever lost a passport or had one stolen?	Whether you have ever lost a passport or had one stolen.	Answer truthfully. If Yes, the portal asks for the number, the country and what happened.

Travel

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Purpose of Trip to the U.S.	Your visa category, which sets which visa you are applying for.	Pick the purpose first, then the exact visa type under “Specify” (for example a visitor, student or exchange visa). If you are unsure which one you need, check with the embassy or your school or employer before you choose.
Have you made specific travel plans?	Whether you have booked or fixed your trip.	If Yes, enter the arrival and departure dates and the cities. If No, give the date you expect to arrive and how long you plan to stay.
Intended Date of Arrival	The date you expect to arrive in the U.S.	Enter a realistic date. If your school or employer gave you a start date, use it as your guide.
Intended Length of Stay in U.S.	How long you plan to stay.	Enter a number and choose days, weeks, months or years. Make it match your purpose and, for students and exchange visitors, the program dates.
Address Where You Will Stay in the U.S.	The street address where you will stay in the U.S.	Write the address of your hotel, host, school or employer. If you do not have one yet, give the address of the first place you expect to stay.
Person/Entity Paying for Your Trip	Who pays for the trip.	Choose yourself, or another person, company or organization. If it is someone else, the portal asks for their name, address and relationship to you.

Travel Companions

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Are there other persons traveling with you?	Whether anyone is travelling with you.	Answer Yes if other people travel with you, and add their names and how they are related. Each traveller still needs their own DS-160.

Previous U.S. Travel

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Have you ever been in the U.S.?	Whether you have been in the U.S. before.	Answer Yes even for a short or tourist trip. Add each visit with the arrival date and how long you stayed.
Have you ever been issued a U.S. Visa?	Whether you have held a U.S. visa before.	Answer Yes if a visa was ever issued to you, then give the date and type. An ESTA travel authorization is not a visa.
Have you ever been refused a U.S. Visa, been refused admission to the United States, or withdrawn your application for admission at the point of entry?	Whether a U.S. visa or entry has ever been refused, or you withdrew an application.	Answer truthfully. If Yes, explain briefly what happened and when. U.S. authorities keep records of earlier applications.

U.S. Point of Contact

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
U.S. Point of Contact Information	A person or organization in the U.S. that can confirm your trip, called the point of contact.	Enter the name, address and phone of the host, school, employer or sponsor, and how they are related to you. For a student or exchange program, your school or sponsor usually gives you the contact to enter.

Family

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Father’s Surnames and Given Names / Mother’s Surnames and Given Names	Your father’s and mother’s names and dates of birth.	Enter their full names and dates of birth. If you truly do not know a detail, tick “Do Not Know”, but do not leave a parent’s section empty.
Do you have any immediate relatives, not including parents, in the United States?	Whether you have close relatives in the U.S., such as a spouse, fiancé(e), child or sibling.	Answer accurately. If Yes, give each relative’s name, relationship and status in the U.S. when the portal asks.

Work, education and training

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Primary Occupation	What you do now: your job, studies or other main activity.	Choose the occupation that fits, such as student, and then give the employer or school name, address and your start date. Do not choose “Not Employed” unless it is true.
Briefly describe your duties	A short description of your current work or course of study.	Write one or two plain sentences, for example the job title and main tasks or your field of study.
Were you previously employed?	Your earlier employment.	Answer Yes and list your previous employers with dates and job titles, as many as the portal asks for. If you have never had a job, answer No.
Have you attended any educational institutions at a secondary level or above?	The schools you have attended after primary school.	Answer Yes and list each school with its address, field of study and dates. Skip primary school.
Have you traveled to any countries/regions within the last five years?	Other countries you have visited recently.	If you have travelled abroad in the last 5 years, answer Yes and list each country or region. Think back carefully before you answer.

Student and exchange pages (SEVIS)

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
SEVIS ID	The number that identifies your student or exchange record in the U.S. system.	Copy it from your I-20 or DS-2019, where it starts with the letter N. A single wrong digit can cause problems, and use the newest document if you have more than one.
Program Number	For exchange visitors, the number that identifies the sponsor’s program.	Copy it from your DS-2019 exactly as printed. Your sponsor or school can confirm it.
Additional Point of Contact Information	People in your home country who can confirm the details you gave, when the portal shows this page.	Enter two people who live in your country and are not close family, with their addresses and phone numbers. Use a street address, not a post office box.

Security and Background

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Security and Background	A series of Yes or No questions about health, criminal history, security, immigration violations and other matters.	Read each question in full and answer it truthfully. Do not leave any unanswered. If you are unsure whether a question applies to you, ask the embassy or a qualified lawyer before you submit.
Explain	The box that opens when you answer Yes to a question.	Give a short, clear and true explanation with dates and places. Do not copy an example from someone else.

Photo

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Upload Your Photo	The photo that goes on your application.	Upload a recent colour photo, taken in the last 6 months, on a plain white or off-white background, facing the camera, without glasses. It must be a square JPEG of 600 x 600 to 1200 x 1200 pixels, not bigger than 240 KB. The portal can test your photo before you start; the State Department photo page is the reference.

Review, Sign and Submit, Confirmation

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Did anyone assist you in filling out this application?	Whether another person helped you fill in the form.	Answer Yes if a friend, agent or family member helped, and give their details. Answer No if you filled in the form alone.
Sign Application	Your electronic signature, saying the answers are true and complete.	Review every page first. Then enter your passport number and the verification code, click the button to sign, and submit. After you submit you cannot change the answers.
Print Confirmation	The page that proves the DS-160 was submitted. It shows a barcode and your Application ID.	Print it, or email it to yourself, right away. Check that the barcode is clear and not cut off. This page is not a visa; it is the record the embassy uses to find your application.

Key terms

Term on the form	What it means
Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC)	The State Department’s website, ceac.state.gov, where the DS-160 is completed and submitted.
Application ID	The code the portal gives your application when you start it. You need it to reopen an unfinished form or reprint the confirmation page.
Barcode confirmation	The barcode on the confirmation page that the embassy scans to find your submitted DS-160. It must be readable.
Nonimmigrant visa	A visa for a temporary stay in the U.S., for example to visit, study or work for a limited time.
Visa category	The type of visa you apply for, chosen on the Travel page from your purpose of trip. The wrong category can mean a new form and a new interview.
MRV fee	The visa application fee paid separately from the DS-160, usually before the interview is booked. Other fees can apply, for example a visa integrity fee that some posts collect when the visa is issued. The amounts and how to pay are on your embassy’s page.
Principal applicant	The person who is applying for the visa in their own right, as opposed to a family member who applies as a companion.
Does Not Apply	The tick box you use only when a question truly does not apply to you, for example when you have no U.S. Social Security number.
Do Not Know	The option for a detail you really do not know, for example a relative’s date of birth. It is not an answer to use for anything you could find out.
SEVIS ID	The system and number used to record students and exchange visitors in the U.S. It is printed on the I-20 or DS-2019.
I-20	The document a U.S. school gives a student to show their admission and program details. It carries the SEVIS ID.
DS-2019	The document an exchange program sponsor gives an exchange visitor. It carries the SEVIS ID and the program number.
Point of contact	A person or organization in the U.S., such as a host, employer or school, who can confirm the purpose of your trip.
Sponsor	The organization or person that supports your trip or program, such as an exchange program provider, a school or an employer.
Consular officer	The U.S. official at the embassy or consulate who reads your application and decides on the visa at the interview.

Common mistakes

1
Choosing the wrong visa category
The purpose and visa type you pick decide which visa you apply for. If it is wrong, you may need a new DS-160 and a new interview. Check which category fits before you choose.
2
A name that does not match the passport
Copy your surname and given names exactly from the passport’s photo page, including middle names. Nicknames or a different spelling cause trouble at the interview.
3
Not saving the Application ID
The portal times out after about 20 minutes without activity and unsaved answers are lost. Write the Application ID down at the start, press save, and use “Save Application to File” if you leave.
4
Waiting too long to finish
An unfinished form is deleted if it sits untouched for about 30 days. Check the State Department’s DS-160 FAQ for the current rule, and finish it in one or two sittings.
5
Selecting the wrong embassy location
The form is sent to the location you choose at the start and cannot be moved. Pick the post where you will have your interview, which generally has to be in your country of nationality or residence.
6
Using a photo that does not meet the rules
The portal checks the photo. A selfie, glasses, a coloured background or a file that is too large or small can fail. Test the photo first, and keep a printed 2 x 2 inch photo in case the embassy asks for it.
7
Answering the Security and Background questions carelessly
Answer every question truthfully and in full. A wrong answer, or one left out, such as an earlier visa refusal, can cause problems later.
8
Leaving fields blank or misusing Does Not Apply
Use “Does Not Apply” and “Do Not Know” only when true. Do not use them to avoid a question you can answer.
9
Submitting without checking the review page
You cannot edit a submitted form. Read every page of the Review step, and compare dates, passport number and the SEVIS ID with your documents.
10
Printing a confirmation page that is unclear
The barcode must be readable. Also check that the barcode number on your appointment is the one from your latest DS-160.

Questions and answers

Is the DS-160 a PDF I can print and fill in?

No. The DS-160 is completed online on the Consular Electronic Application Center website, and you submit it there. What you print afterwards is the confirmation page with the barcode.

How long does the DS-160 take?

Most applicants need 60 to 90 minutes. The page times out after about 20 minutes without activity, so save often and write down your Application ID.

Is there a fee to submit the DS-160?

No fee is charged for the DS-160 itself. The visa application fee (MRV fee) is paid separately, and other charges, such as a visa integrity fee that some posts collect when the visa is issued, may also apply. The amounts and the way to pay are on your embassy’s website.

What do I bring to the visa interview?

Bring the DS-160 confirmation page with its barcode, your passport and the other documents your embassy lists. You do not need to bring the full application. The interview is a separate step with a consular officer, and submitting the form does not grant a visa.

Can I change the DS-160 after I submit it?

No. Once submitted, it cannot be edited. If something important is wrong, you may need to fill in a new DS-160 and update the barcode on your appointment; contact the embassy to ask what to do.

What if I lose my Application ID?

You need the Application ID and your security answer to reopen an unfinished form or reprint the confirmation page. If you cannot recover them, you may have to start a new DS-160.

Does each family member need a DS-160?

Yes. Every applicant, including a spouse and children, files their own form. The portal has an option to create related applications that reuse shared details such as the address.

Can someone else fill it in for me?

A helper can type for you, but you must say so in the form, and you sign it yourself. A parent or guardian may complete and sign for a young child. You are still responsible for every answer.

What language do I answer in?

Answer in English using English letters. The only place for your own script is the field for your full name in native alphabet.

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