US visa documents checklist for Indian applicants

Mandatory documents

These are needed by everyone. Without them you will not be let into the consulate or the OFC.

• Current passport, valid at least six months beyond your planned stay, with a blank page
• All old passports, including ones with previous US visas
• DS-160 confirmation page (the page with the barcode)
• Appointment confirmation letter
• Visa fee payment receipt
• One recent photo meeting US requirements (only needed if your DS-160 photo was not accepted)

Supporting documents by profile

The officer decides mostly on your DS-160 and your answers. Supporting documents are useful when the officer asks a question that a document answers better than words. Bring originals, sorted, in a slim folder.

Salaried employees

• Employment letter on letterhead with designation, joining date, salary and approved leave dates
• Last three to six months of salary slips
• Income tax returns (ITR-V) for the last two to three years
• Form 16
• Bank statements for the last six months showing salary credits

Self-employed and business owners

• Business registration: GST certificate, Udyam registration, partnership deed or company documents
• Income tax returns for the last three years, personal and business
• Business bank statements and personal bank statements for six months
• Audited balance sheets, if applicable
• Proof of office or shop premises

Retired applicants and parents visiting children

• Pension statements or proof of retirement benefits
• Bank statements and fixed deposit certificates
• Property documents
• Invitation letter from your child in the US with a copy of their visa or status document, employment letter and a recent payslip
• Previous travel history

Students on holiday

• Bonafide certificate or enrolment letter from your college
• Leave or vacation letter
• Sponsor's (usually a parent's) bank statements, ITRs and employment proof
• A letter from the sponsor confirming they will pay for the trip

Minors

• Birth certificate
• Both parents' passports and visas (if they have US visas)
• Consent letter signed by both parents if the child travels with only one parent or without parents
• School letter

Proof of ties to India

Ties are the heart of a B1/B2 decision. Any of these helps, as long as it is true and relevant to your situation:

• A stable job you have held for some time, with a return-to-work date
• A running business with staff and tax filings
• Property or a long-term lease in your name
• Spouse, children or dependent parents in India
• Ongoing studies
• A history of travel abroad and returning on time

How to organise the folder

Put mandatory documents in the front pocket. Then sort supporting documents in the order an officer is most likely to ask for them: job, money, family, travel history. If the officer asks a question, answer briefly first, and offer a document only if asked. Pushing papers across the counter without being asked rarely helps.

Common document mistakes

• Salary slips that do not match bank credits. Officers notice.
• A big deposit days before the interview. If money arrived recently, be ready to explain where it came from (a fixed deposit maturing, a property sale), with proof.
• An employment letter with no leave dates.
• Different job titles on LinkedIn, DS-160 and the letter.

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