I wish to renew my B1/B2 visa. How soon can I submit an application for renewal?
We encourage you to apply well in advance of your next trip to the United States since processing times can vary. Please visit www.ustraveldocs.com/in for information on how to make an appointment.
I have an undergraduate degree with 76% and no backlogs. However, my IELTS score is low. Will this affect my ability to get a visa?
The IELTS is not required to apply for a U.S student visa; however, many universities do require this test or others, such as the GRE, for admission. Consular officers may ask about them to assess your academic preparation. We look at the totality of a student during the interview, so you should be prepared to talk about your academic past in India and future plans.
I would like to finish my high school (grades 11 and 12) in the U.S. Can I apply for a F1 visa for this purpose?
There is no provision for an F1 visa to attend public high school in the U.S. Many international students attend high schools in the U.S. through an exchange program on a J1 visa. This website lists organisations that are designated by the U.S. Government to sponsor international students:
http://j1visa.state.gov/participants/how-to-apply/sponsor-search/?program= Secondary%20School%20Student&state=any. In addition, the Council on International Education Exchange’s website includes helpful information: http://www.ciee.org/
highschoolplus/.
I have been accepted for a master’s program to a university in New York. The program starts in July 2014. However, I am an Indian passport holder and currently live in Uganda with my mother who is employed there. Can I apply for a student visa from Uganda?
You may apply at any U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the world, but we recommend applying in the country where you habitually reside, as the consular officers there are better able to evaluate your eligibility for the visa.
My husband and I are both senior citizens. Our visitor’s visas expired in October 2013. We applied to renew our visas in December 2013. We have not paid visa fees as our plan to visit the U.S. in March got postponed. Can I pay the fees next month for the same applications or do I have to apply again with new applications?
It is unclear from your question where you stopped in the process in December, so we cannot answer your question. Visit the website www.ustraveldocs.com/in for more information on how to apply for a B1/B2 visitor visa.
I received a job appointment letter from a U.S. employer. The U.S. Consulate in Mumbai asked me to fill a visa application on this website: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/79965.pdf and pay visa fees of $340 and VFS service charge of $120 adding to a total of $460. Are these details correct? I want to verify the details of the employer before I make any payment. How can I check the credentials of the employer?
If you have been in communication with the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai about your case, you should continue to work with them. We are unable to provide specific information about your situation or to confirm the details of an employer; you need to evaluate the employer’s credentials on your own. For more information on visa fees, please visit www.ustraveldocs.com/in.
NOTE: The best place to find answers to your visa and general consular questions is on our official website at http://hyderabad.usconsulate.gov. In this column, we do not normally respond to or comment on questions relating to specific visa cases or refusals. We will, however, answer general questions about visas and items of general interest. If you have specific visa case questions, please contact support-india@
ustraveldocs.com.
Satya Ram
We encourage you to apply well in advance of your next trip to the United States since processing times can vary. Please visit www.ustraveldocs.com/in for information on how to make an appointment.
I have an undergraduate degree with 76% and no backlogs. However, my IELTS score is low. Will this affect my ability to get a visa?
Ajay Kumar
The IELTS is not required to apply for a U.S student visa; however, many universities do require this test or others, such as the GRE, for admission. Consular officers may ask about them to assess your academic preparation. We look at the totality of a student during the interview, so you should be prepared to talk about your academic past in India and future plans.
I would like to finish my high school (grades 11 and 12) in the U.S. Can I apply for a F1 visa for this purpose?
Remella Abhiram
There is no provision for an F1 visa to attend public high school in the U.S. Many international students attend high schools in the U.S. through an exchange program on a J1 visa. This website lists organisations that are designated by the U.S. Government to sponsor international students:
http://j1visa.state.gov/participants/how-to-apply/sponsor-search/?program= Secondary%20School%20Student&state=any. In addition, the Council on International Education Exchange’s website includes helpful information: http://www.ciee.org/
highschoolplus/.
I have been accepted for a master’s program to a university in New York. The program starts in July 2014. However, I am an Indian passport holder and currently live in Uganda with my mother who is employed there. Can I apply for a student visa from Uganda?
Kalyani
You may apply at any U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the world, but we recommend applying in the country where you habitually reside, as the consular officers there are better able to evaluate your eligibility for the visa.
My husband and I are both senior citizens. Our visitor’s visas expired in October 2013. We applied to renew our visas in December 2013. We have not paid visa fees as our plan to visit the U.S. in March got postponed. Can I pay the fees next month for the same applications or do I have to apply again with new applications?
K. Nagamani
It is unclear from your question where you stopped in the process in December, so we cannot answer your question. Visit the website www.ustraveldocs.com/in for more information on how to apply for a B1/B2 visitor visa.
I received a job appointment letter from a U.S. employer. The U.S. Consulate in Mumbai asked me to fill a visa application on this website: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/79965.pdf and pay visa fees of $340 and VFS service charge of $120 adding to a total of $460. Are these details correct? I want to verify the details of the employer before I make any payment. How can I check the credentials of the employer?
Syed Arif Ali
If you have been in communication with the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai about your case, you should continue to work with them. We are unable to provide specific information about your situation or to confirm the details of an employer; you need to evaluate the employer’s credentials on your own. For more information on visa fees, please visit www.ustraveldocs.com/in.
NOTE: The best place to find answers to your visa and general consular questions is on our official website at http://hyderabad.usconsulate.gov. In this column, we do not normally respond to or comment on questions relating to specific visa cases or refusals. We will, however, answer general questions about visas and items of general interest. If you have specific visa case questions, please contact support-india@ustraveldocs.com.
