How do I book a US F1 visa appointment in 2026? Step-by-step DS-160 and scheduling guide
From 1 April 2026, the rules for booking a US visa appointment changed — you must now submit your DS-160 form before you can book your slot. Here is exactly how to do both, in the right order, without the common errors that trip up most applicants.
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The two portals you need — and the new rule that changes everything
Booking a US visa appointment involves two completely separate portals. The first is the DS-160 portal, where you fill and submit your visa application form. The second is the visa scheduling portal (usvisascheduling.com), where you pay your fee and book your interview slot. Many applicants get confused because the portals look different and serve different purposes — but you must use them in sequence.
Here is the critical change: from 1 April 2026, you must submit your DS-160 form first before you can proceed to book your appointment. The old workflow no longer applies. So start with the DS-160 and only move to the scheduling portal once you have your DS-160 confirmation number in hand.
Step 1 — Filling and submitting your DS-160 form
Go to the official DS-160 portal (ceac.state.gov). The very first thing it asks you is to select your location. You will see all five Indian consulates listed. At this stage you may not know which consulate your appointment will be at — that is fine. Simply pick the one closest to where you live. You can sort that out later.
Save your Application ID immediately
Once you agree to the terms and conditions, the system generates your Application ID and prompts you to choose a security question. This is how you will log back into a partially completed form. I always take a of this screen the moment it appears — the Application ID is alphanumeric and easy to lose track of. Choose a whose answer you will not forget. Once you have saved those details, click Continue and the form itself begins.
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Book a Mock InterviewReview, submit, and save your confirmation page
Before you hit Submit, use the Review section at the top of the form to go back through every page and double-check all the information. Once you are satisfied, submit the form. You will receive a confirmation page — save it. You will need to bring it to both your biometric appointment and your visa interview.
What if you spot a mistake after submitting?
Here is a reassuring fact: in India, you have the flexibility to fill a completely new DS-160 form even after you have already submitted one. You simply bring both the old and the new confirmation page to your biometrics appointment and get it updated there. So if you filled the form in a rush and later realise something needs correcting, do not panic — fill a fresh form and bring both pages to biometrics. That said, I strongly recommend starting the DS-160 well in advance so you have enough time to get it right the first time.
Step 2 — Creating your account on the visa scheduling portal
Once your DS-160 is submitted and you have your confirmation number, head to usvisascheduling.com. The left side of the page shows terms and instructions — give it a quick read. The login panel is on the right. Since you are here for the first time, click 'Don't have an account? Sign up now.'
Before you start creating the account, make sure you have three things ready: your DS-160 confirmation number, your , and a you can access immediately. The system sends an to your email during sign-up, so you need to be able to retrieve it in real time.
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