• Passport
  
  
• One photograph
  
  
• Original DS-156, nonimmigrant visa application form.
  
  
• Original DS-157, supplemental nonimmigrant visa application form.
  
  
• Visa Fees
  Application fee and service charge to be paid in advance at participating HDFC bank before taking an appointment.
  Visa fee receipt issued by HDFC bank with two bar code stickers to be carried to the consulate at the time of interview.
  
  
• Interview appointment letter.
  Sample
  
  
• For US consulate in Mumbai only: Additional questionnaire.
  
  
• Copy of Notice of Action (Form I-797).
  
  

• Photocopies of the first page, address page and last page of your current passport.
  
  
• The original Notice of Action Form I-797 of the Principal Applicant.
  
  
• Form I-129 of the Principal Applicant, and letter from employer that describes the relationship with the Principal Applicant and the purpose of travel.
  
  
• Photocopy of the Principal Applicant's valid visa (if applying separately).
  
  
• Original marriage certificate for spouse along with entire wedding photo album.
  Make sure that the groom and the bride are easily identified in the photographs. It is important to have the specific photographs showing important parts of the marriage ceremony. e.g., for Hindu marriage, putting sindoor in bride's "maang", putting "mangalsutra" around bride's neck, rounds around the fire etc.
  
  
• Original birth certificate for each child.
  
  
• Wedding invitation card.
  
  
• All 36 pages of the principal applicant's passport (if not applying with principal applicant). If a copy of the passport is submitted, it should be a GOOD copy and the photo must be clearly identifiable.
  
  
• Copy of the principal applicant's work experience letters.
  
  
• Pay stubs from principal applicant's current place of work and income tax return.
  
  
• If your spouse is currently working in the US on an H1-B visa, please submit the pay slips for the current calendar year and federal tax returns (IRS Form 1040 and W-2s) for all the years in which he/she has been employed in the U.S. on the H-1B visa. Submit the primary applicant's last 6 months bank statements as well.

Consulate will not accept documents received directly from the company by mail or fax. The applicant should bring all documents to the interview. Consulate will not make this information available to anyone and will destroy the documents after review.

You don't really have to change your name after marriage, such as changing last name to have same as husband's last name (or in South India, removing father's name as last name and adding husband's name as last name). If you have changed your name after marriage, you should get it changed in your passport before applying for H4 visa. Otherwise, H4 visa will be issued in the name that appears in the passport.