USA
All about Tourist Visa for USA from India
The USA is a perfect dream destination to dig into its years old museums, falls, beaches and landscape beauty. If you are planning to unearth the country for its divine food and much more, you can be really close to it.
Plan for a holiday to the USA and bet it will be one of the best decisions of your life. However, before you do so- you will need a tourist visa to enter the USA.
The USA fascinates and proposes several reasons for travelers across the globe to visit the country. Indians at large travel to the U.S for holidays or to visit family and friends living there. Traveling USA for holiday is the idea which no other proposition could beat.
Do Indians need Tourist Visa for USA?
No disparate from the rest of the world, yes Indians definitely need a tourist visa to enter and visit the USA. It is wise that before applying for the visa, one should be sure of the places to visit. As no matter the purpose is just a holiday, there will always be rules to follow.
Is there a Visa on Arrival in the USA for Indian citizens?
No, USA does not give tourist visa on arrival to Indian citizens. Only some parts of South America and North America of the continent allows for a visa on arrival.
Documents required for the USA Tourist Visa
Nobody likes paperwork but, sometimes there’s no escape! Even when the purpose of travel is holiday and visit family or friends, you need a list of verified and mandatory documents that may include:
- Original Passport and it should have six months validity date after arrival in the USA.
- All old passports.
- Digital and Hard Copy of the photograph as per the defined specifications.
- Interview Appointment letter.
- DS160 US Visa Application confirmation page stamped at the Visa Application Center.
- Payment receipt of the fee paid.
Other supporting documents could include:
- Your travel itinerary.
- Bank Statements and other proof of funds.
- TAX and PAN details along with the previous year tax documents.
- Business Card, if any.
But what is the purpose to ask for these documents?
The idea is to fulfil the expectations of both the tourist and the host. In other words, these documents are asked for the purpose to avert any kinds of hassles. It will indicate the :
- Validity
- Legitimacy
- Financial Affordability
- Clear intent to return home country, India.
- Criminal History, if any.
USA Tourist Visa Fee for Indian Citizens
The fee is charged depending on the type of USA visa applied for. The USA tourist visa fee for Indian citizens is 11840 (varies as per the USD rates).
How to apply for a USA Tourist Visa?
There is a lot of hype about the US visa application and approval. The process is simple but the whole procedure may take some time. You can apply for a US tourist visa following simple steps.
- Download and fill the Visa Electronic Application Form (DS-160).
- Pay the required visa application fee.
- The candidate can then schedule the interview. Keep a few information handy like your passport number, CGI number of visa fee receipt and the ten (10) digit barcode number mentioned in confirmation page of DS-160
- Last, visit the U.S. Embassy on the date of interview. Do not forget to carry all your original documents printed and verified. Also, take the supporting documents along with.
USA Tourist Visa processing time
Getting a US visa is worth the wait. While you are busy building your own castles in the air, the embassy is on their toes to either approve of or cancel your application. If everything goes fine, embassy will take 3 to 5 days to process the visa and about 10 days for you to receive it.
The minimum validity for your Indian passport should be at least six months to receive approval for your visa when travelling to the USA. It is counted after the completion of your intended duration of stay in the country.
No, the fee paid for visa application to visit the USA is non-refundable, and will not be returned to you irrespective of approval or cancellation of your visa application.
If your tourist visa to the USA is damaged, you must reapply for it to receive a new one. However, if it has been issued recently, you will not be required to complete the interview process to receive a new visa in the place of a damaged one.
The validity of a USA visa is non-extendable. Thus, once the validity of your visa expires, you need to apply for a new one.
While the ideal time taken to process a USA visa for an Indian citizen is 3-5 days, it can extend up to 12 weeks for verification requirements. So, prepare to apply for it at least three months before your planned trip.