A: No, if you already hold a valid visa, you need not come to the Consulate for Fingerprinting, you may travel as long as your visa is valid. You will be electronically fingerprinted at a Port of Entry on arrival in the US.

A: No. If you are holding a valid US non-immigrant visa in an expired Indian passport, you may carry both your expired and new Indian passport together and travel between India and the United States until the non-immigrant visa expires. You do not need to obtain a new non-immigrant visa.

If you do not wish to carry your old passport along with the current passport, you will have to apply for a visa to be affixed in the new passport through the Interview process. All fees are payable for getting the new visa issued.

A: You have to schedule yourself for an Interview as the Drop-Box facility has been discontinued.

A: No, it is not advisable to apply for B-1/B-2 visa. Under this visa category the applicant cannot accept any payment from the U.S. Company. The applicant should apply for the H-3 visa category.

A: There is no provision in the U.S. Law, under which an U.S. visa can be renewed. The applicant should apply for a fresh visa.

A: You can arrive in the US right up to the last date of validity indicated on the visa. The duration of stay in the US is determined by the Immigration Officer on arrival. The maximum duration of stay on a B1/B2 visa is 6 months. Your visa can expire while you are still in the US - just ensure that you do not overstay the period permitted by the Immigration Officer!

A: You can re-apply through the Interview process.

A: If the visa is still valid in the old passport, then there is no need for the applicant to apply for a fresh visa. Carry both the passports (the old as well as the new passport), and the applicant can travel to the U.S. using this valid visa.

A: The applicant must carry a Police report (FIR), filed at the police station closest to the crime scene and a photocopy of his lost passport showing the valid U.S. visa. You are strongly recommended to keep photocopies of your passport's data pages and of the US visa. A US non-immigrant visa is a valuable document. Inform the US Embassy/Consulate from where your visa was issued immediately if you have lost your passport. You would need to obtain a new non-immigrant visa. At the time of your interview please present the Police First Incident Report (FIR) from the Police precinct where the passport was lost in India or overseas as well as a photocopy of the lost Passport and valid US visa, if possible.

A: Yes, the applicant in cases like these has to apply for an H1B visa.

A: An applicant must convince consular officer that he/she has "a permanent residence abroad which he/she has no intention of abandoning." Each case is different, and what might serve as compelling evidence in one case may not work in another. Examples of circumstances which applicants have presented as proof of return include: a good job, significant property or financial holdings, family, school enrollment, a good social standing. Unfortunately, some people who have had these things and have been issued visas have remained in the U.S. The best one can do is to be prepared to present his/her circumstances to the interviewing officer and to explain what will compel him/her to return. One note of caution: Applicants often bring lots of document to interviews. That is fine, but one should not be surprised or angry if the officers are unable to review documents which are brought in. Because officers are often pressed for time, they may not be able to look at many or even any documents. Also, officers are aware that documents may be counterfeited or altered, so they may be wary of accepting them. Therefore, one should also be prepared to explain (quickly) one's situation orally or to answer any questions by the interviewing officer.

A: There is no quota for B1/B2 visas.

A: They do refuse people for insufficient documentation (Section 221(g)), but such cases are the minority. Persons who are refused 221(g) are in most cases expected to return with the additional documentation/evidence and eventually qualify for a visa.

A: The visa category is determined by the purpose of travel. Journalists going for pleasure or commercial business can travel on B1/B2 visas. The line between what is permissible with a B1/B2 vs. I can get a little murky sometimes. Obviously, a journalist going to work in a U.S. office of his news organization should get an I, as should someone who is being sent to the U.S. to do reporting for his organization. On the other hand, someone going for a relatively short time to gather information for an article could probably just as easily travel with a B1/B2.

A: B1/B2 is OK, provided you are only getting expenses and/or an honorarium. Things may get murky if the period of time is extended (say, more than a couple of months) or the honorarium gets to be in the range of actual payment. In such a case, it would be safer to ask the university to send an IAP-66 and apply for a J-1 visa.

A: The Department of State instructs consular officers to issue maximum validity visas to the extent possible. It saves time and effort for both consulate and the applicant. The maximum validity for B1/B2 visas for Indian citizens is 10 years. This is based in principle on reciprocity. (Note: For all other categories, however, the maximum validity is 5 years or less.) The consular officer may limit the visa to a shorter validity, if he feels this is justified. An officer is more likely to do this if the applicant is traveling to the U.S. for the first time, as opposed to having traveled to the U.S. or other countries previously.

Persons who have been issued 6-month (B1/B2) visas and used them properly will normally be issued 10-year visas the next time they apply.

A: No, you can apply even if you have no definite plan to immediately go on trip to USA. You may intend to go some later date too. But if you are given 6 months visa, you have to go to US within next 6 months, else it will expire and you will have to apply for new visa. If you get 10 years visa, it is not mandatory to go to US within a specified time period. You can go to US anytime within next 10 years.

A: If you intend to visit the United States for any length of time, you should obtain a B1/B2 visa which grants you permission to appear at a Port of Entry for the purpose of entering to visit the United States. If your visit to the U.S. is strictly incidental to your travel to a third country, you may apply for a Transit (C1) visa.

A: You need to pay your fees and schedule a US visa interview appointment for a non-immigrant visa. At the same time you may also collect the green card surrender form (Form I-407). When you arrive at the visa section on the date of interview you have to complete this form and submit it along with your passport at the Intake Window.

A: It is illegal to overstay in the US unless you have obtained lawful permission from the USCIS. This is reflected on Form I-797 (Notice of Action), determining that you were granted permission to remain legally in the US for an extended period on your non-immigrant visa. You must present a Form I-797 Extension of Status Approval Notice during your subsequent visa interview.

A: You must mention your current home address of India and not the address noted in your passport. It is in order for the current home address to differ from the address noted in your passport.

A: You can arrive in the US right up to the last date of validity indicated on the visa. The Immigration Officer on arrival determines the duration of stay in the US. Your visa can expire while you are still in the US - just ensure that you do not overstay the period permitted by the Immigration Officer.

A: Yes. Application process is same except that you yourself have to show enough financial resources to prove that you can sponsor your trip yourself. Carry last 3 years income tax returns, bank statements/passbook that shows steady flow of money over last few years. Any other ties such as good paying stable job or business you can show is also important.

A: That is really a personal decision. It is not required to hire any travel agent or visa consultant for visitor visa process under most circumstances. All the information you require for visitors visa is right here on this web site, immihelp.com. They charge a lot of money to fill the forms which are available for free on this web site, they are fillable forms and we have step by step guide to help you fill the forms. Many consultants make lots of false promises such as getting early appointment dates, they know people in the consulate and we will get favors through them, advice them for wrong or misleading answers for the interview. Whether you use any consultant or not, you are responsible for your own application and answers, and if the consulate officer finds out any incorrect or misleading answer, you will jeopardize the chance of getting visa and it may also have an adverse impact on future attempts.

A: Yes, you can. You will have to take a visa for Canada (or any other country) that you would like to visit. You can get visa for Canada (or any other country) either from your home country or from USA. (Foreign embassies in USA)

If you have multiple entry US visa (designated by "M" in visa stamp), you can return back to USA after visiting Canada. Usually 10 years (or 5 years) visas are multiple entries. Shorter visas such as 1 month, 6 months may be either single entry or multiple entry. Make sure you check for this before leaving USA to Canada.

A: You must first cancel your current appointment before being able to change your appointment. If earlier appointment is available, cancel current appointment and re-enter all the information again. You can use the original receipt number to make the new appointment. You can reschedule only once.

Reschedule/Cancel appointment

A: US consulate makes an exception in such a case. Follow the steps as below:

1. Visit the participating HDFC bank and purchase a visa fee receipt in the name of your child.
   
   
2. Complete DS-156 visa form.
   
   
3. Take your baby along with you to the interview.
   
   
4. Take baby's original passport, e-visa form DS-156 and HDFC bank fee receipt along with your supporting documents to the interview. If visa is granted, visa will be stamped in the baby's passport.
   
   Note: Applicants scheduled at the Mumbai Consulate needs to submit the above to the Ahmedabad, Mumbai or Pune application center at least 5 working days prior to the interview date.

A: No. US consulate has no way to track the documents sent by the sponsors and match it to the applicants (visitors). Send the documents directly to the applicant, who can share them with the consular officer at the time of the interview.

A: US immigration law makes no provisions for offers of guarantee or bond for issuing non-immigrant visa. The burden of proof of non-immigrant intent is entirely on the applicant. Send all documents directly to the applicant.

A: That depends upon how you scheduled an appointment: Online: Apply for a non immigrant visa. Click 'Retrieve/Modify saved application'. You can change the address there. You can also download the modified form.

Application center: Fill new DS-156 form and resubmit at the application center.

Note: Modifications must be done at least 2 working days before the interview for applicants scheduled at New Delhi, Chennai or Kolkata or 5 working days before the interview for Mumbai. For Mumbai, you will also have to resubmit your new forms to VFS at least 5 working days before the interview, failing to do may result a delay in the delivery of the passport.

A: Please specify your current home address. It is fine for those 2 addresses to be different.

A: Contact VFS application center and provide the details of your old and new passport and HDFC fee receipt. VFS officer will verify everything and note new passport number in the system. You can now schedule your appointment using the new passport number. Make sure to carry both the passports and HDFC fee receipt to the interview, otherwise the appointment will be cancelled.

A: No.

A: You don't really have to get the new visa. You just carry the proof of your name change (such as marriage certificate in your case) while traveling to the USA.

A: That is absolutely false. If you have 10 years visitors visa, you can visit the United States any time within next 10 years.

A: US consulate strictly follows the information given in the passport for visa issuance purposes. However, if you feel that a correction is required, you can send your original passport along with the correction form through VFS. If approvable, the correction will be made and new visa will be stamped. If it is the fault of the US consulate, there is no charge for fixing typographical mistakes. However, if your name in the passport does not match with the one in application, or if you would like a different name than in the passport, you may want to get you get your name changed in the passport first.