US B1/B2 visa from India: the complete 2026 guide
Indian citizens need a B1/B2 visa to visit the United States for tourism, family visits or business meetings. You fill the DS-160 form online, pay the $185[source] application fee, give biometrics at an Offsite Facilitation Centre and attend an interview at a US consulate. The officer decides mostly on your DS-160 and your answers, so a consistent, honest profile matters more than a thick folder.
Who needs a B1/B2 visa
Indian passport holders are not part of the US Visa Waiver Program, so every visit for tourism, a family event, medical treatment or short business meetings needs a visitor visa. The B1 part covers business visits such as meetings, conferences and contract negotiations. The B2 part covers tourism, visiting relatives and medical treatment. In practice most Indians receive a combined B1/B2 visa, and Indian nationals are usually issued it for up to 10 years with multiple entries.
A visa lets you travel to a US port of entry and ask for admission. The Customs and Border Protection officer at the airport decides how long you can stay on that trip, usually up to six months for visitors. You cannot work, study full time or take paid employment on a B1/B2 visa.
The numbers that matter in 2026
| What | Figure |
|---|---|
| Visa application (MRV) fee | $185[source] |
| Visa Integrity Fee (new, rolling out) | $250[source] |
| Adjusted refusal rate for Indian B visa applicants, FY2025 | 22.04%[source] |
| Same rate in FY2024 | 16.32%[source] |
| Longest next-available interview wait in India (Hyderabad, 17 Sept 2026) | 12 months |
Refusals for Indian visitors rose by almost six percentage points in a single year. That is more than one in five applicants. Most of those refusals were under Section 214(b), which is about whether the officer believes you will come back, not about missing paperwork.
Step by step: how to apply from India
- Fill the DS-160. This is the online nonimmigrant visa application on the State Department's CEAC website. It asks about your travel plans, family, education, work, past travel and security questions. Upload a photo that meets the US photo rules. Save the application ID, because the form times out.
- Create your appointment profile. Use the official US Mission India appointment portal linked from the US Embassy website. Never pay a third party for a "confirmed slot". The State Department does not sell slots through agents.
- Pay the visa fee. Pay the $185[source] MRV fee in rupees through the payment options on the official portal. Keep the receipt. The fee is non-refundable, even if you are refused.
- Book two appointments. In India you normally book a biometrics appointment at an Offsite Facilitation Centre (OFC) and a separate interview at the embassy or a consulate (New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad or Kolkata).
- Give biometrics at the OFC. Bring your passport, DS-160 confirmation page and appointment letter. Fingerprints and a photo are taken.
- Attend the interview. The interview is short, often two to three minutes. The officer has your DS-160 on screen and asks a few questions about your trip, your job and your ties to India.
- Passport collection. If approved, your passport is kept for visa printing and returned through the courier or pickup point you selected.
Which consulate should you choose?
You can apply at any of the five US posts in India. Wait times differ a lot between them. On 17 September 2026 the State Department showed next-available B1/B2 interviews about 12 months away in Hyderabad, 11.5 in Mumbai, 10 in New Delhi, 7.5 in Chennai and 6.5 in Kolkata. Use our US visa wait time tracker to compare. Since September 2025, applicants are generally expected to interview in their country of nationality or residence, so booking an appointment abroad to skip the Indian queue is no longer a dependable plan.
Choosing a post with a shorter queue is legal and sensible. Using automated bots to grab slots, or paying someone who does, breaks the scheduling system's terms and can get your profile blocked.
Interview waivers in 2026
Interview waivers ("dropbox") were narrowed sharply in 2025. Today most first-time applicants and many renewal applicants must attend an in-person interview. Some renewals of a previous full-validity B1/B2 visa that expired recently can still qualify. The rules change often, so check the eligibility questions on the official appointment portal before you assume you can skip the interview.
Documents to carry
The officer is not required to look at any document. Bring them anyway, organised, so that you can answer a follow-up question with proof in seconds. See the full US visa document checklist for salaried, self-employed, retired, student and minor applicants.
- Passport, valid for at least six months beyond your planned stay, plus all old passports
- DS-160 confirmation page with barcode
- Appointment confirmation and fee receipt
- One photo as per US requirements, in case the upload was rejected
- Proof of employment or business, and of income (salary slips, ITRs)
- Bank statements showing a stable balance
- Proof of ties: property, family, return travel plans
- Invitation letter and your host's status documents if you are visiting family
Why Indians get refused: 214(b)
Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act says every visitor is presumed to be an intending immigrant until they prove otherwise. A 214(b) refusal means the officer was not convinced, during a short conversation, that you will return to India after your trip. It is not a ban. You can reapply at any time, with a new fee.
The usual triggers we see:
- A weak or unclear reason for the trip. "Just tourism" with no plan, dates or budget.
- Thin ties to India. Young, single, recently employed, no property, no travel history.
- Inconsistencies. DS-160 answers that differ from what you say, or from earlier applications.
- Family in the US with uncertain status, combined with a long planned stay.
- Finances that do not match the trip. A large deposit just before applying with no clear source.
Read our detailed 214(b) refusal guide for what to change before you reapply.
How long does the whole process take?
The DS-160 takes one to two hours if your documents are at hand. The real bottleneck is the interview queue: six months to a year at Indian posts in late 2026. After an approval at interview, passports usually come back within a couple of weeks. Some applications are put into administrative processing (you receive a 221(g) slip) for extra checks, which can add weeks or months.
Plan backwards from your travel date. If you need to be in the US within six months, apply now and pick the post with the shortest queue.
What it costs in total
| Item | Paid to | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MRV application fee | US government | $185[source] per applicant |
| Visa Integrity Fee | US government | $250[source] where collected |
| VisaVisa service fee (optional) | VisaVisa | From ₹2,499, all-inclusive of GST. See pricing |
Government fees are the same whether you apply yourself or use a service. Anyone who says they can reduce them is not being honest.
How VisaVisa helps
We do not promise visas. No honest service can. We make sure your file and your story are consistent, complete and true, before an officer sees them. Our free refusal risk checker shows your three biggest risk factors in two minutes. If you want a person to prepare everything with you, our Assisted and Expert plans add a named case manager, DS-160 preparation for your review, and a mock interview.
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Frequently asked questions
How long is a US B1/B2 visa valid for Indians?
Indian nationals are usually issued a B1/B2 visa valid for up to 10 years with multiple entries. Each stay is decided by the officer at the US airport, usually up to six months.
Can I get my US visa fee back if I am refused?
No. The MRV fee is non-refundable whatever the outcome, and it is valid only for the application it was paid for.
Can I reapply after a 214(b) refusal?
Yes, at any time, with a new DS-160 and a new fee. Reapplying without changing anything about your situation or how you present it usually gives the same result.
Do I need to show a minimum bank balance for a US visa?
There is no official minimum. The officer wants to see that you can pay for the trip and that your money and income are consistent with your job and your stated plans.
Can an agent get me an earlier US visa appointment?
Not legitimately. Slots are released by the official system only. Paying for bot-booked or resold slots breaks the system's terms and can get your profile blocked. You can legally choose a post with a shorter wait.