Most people need to attend the U.S. visa interview in person.

If both parents or at least one parent is applying for a U.S. visa at the same time as a child under the age of 14 years, the child need not visit the consulate for an interview and the parent(s) may bring in the child's application and apply on the child's behalf.

Non-applicants are not allowed to accompany the applicants. However, if the child under 13 years of age is applying alone or the applicant has disabilities, someone may accompany them under some circumstances. You need to fax such requests several days in advance of the interview, and include the reason for such request.

• Arrive no more than 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. However, arrive at least 15 minutes in advance.
  
  
• Bring all the mandatory and supporting documents with you.
  
  
• Please review the security measures in advance regarding what can or can not be brought to the interview.
  
  
• Pass through the security check point and enter the waiting room.
  
  
• Submit your Form DS-160 confirmation page and other documents at the intake windows.
  
  
• Wait in the waiting room until called for fingerprint scanning at fingerprinting windows.
  
  
• Once fingerprinting is done, wait until called for interview with a visa officer at interview windows.
  
  
• Each person will need to present his or her case individually.
  
  
• All the intereview officers speak English and Mandarin. Therefore, if you don't speak English or if you are not comfortable with it, it's fine to have an interview in Mandarin. However, students and J1 exchange visitors should answer the questions in English due the fact that the officer needs to assess your English language skills.
  
  If you speak neither English nor Mandarin, you will have a tough time with U.S. visa interview in China.
  
  

If your visa application has been approved, you will get a post office receipt. They will place your visa in your passport and mail it to you within 5 working days. Alternatively, if you choose that optiona, you can go to the China Post Office near the Consulate with the post office receipt to pick up the passport 2-3 working days after the interview date.

You should inspect your visa very carefully as soon as you receive it. If you see any error, report them immediately by fax to Consulate.

Depending upon the visa category and the country of citizenship, applicants may be charged visa issuance fee before the visa is issued.

If the Consulate asks for additional information, you can either send them through attachments through the Consulate's web form or fax them. You can the contact information for your consulate through the U.S. Consulates and Embassy in China web page.

Unless specifically instructed, you don't have to back in person again or schedule an appointment again.

Once your information is received and processed, the decision regarding your visa application will be made.

If your visa is refused, you will be given a letter. You should read that letter carefully to analyze the next steps.

If your application needs to go through the administrative processing or it is incomplete or needs to be investigated for fraud, it may cause additional delays (few weeks) and its outcome may be impacted. Most administrative processing requests are resolved within 2 months. However, the exact timing would vary based on individual circumstances.

If you selected a self pick-up on the EMS mailing slip, you will need to contact the post office directly to find out whether they have received the passport from the Consulate.

If you selected that your passport should be mailed to you, you can either visit www.ems.com.cn and use your tracking number which can be find on the orange EMS mail slip or call 11185 from anywhere in China.

In case you need to travel (to the country other than the U.S.) while your U.S. visa application is pending, you can request through the Consulate Online Contact Form for your passport returned to you. Once you are back from your travel and if your visa is approved, the Consulate will contact you (by email and phone) with instructions to return your passport to the Consulate.

USA Visa Interview Guide