A B1/B2 visa is a combined non-immigrant visa for the USA, where B1 covers short business visits such as meetings, conferences, and contract negotiations, and B2 covers tourism, visiting family or friends, and medical treatment. It is issued as a multiple-entry visa, most commonly valid for up to 10 years for Indian passport holders, but it does not permit employment or long-term stay, and the duration of each visit is decided at the port of entry.

The B1/B2 visa fees in India currently come to USD 185 as the MRV (application) fee, paid in Indian rupees at the exchange rate applicable on the day of payment. This single fee covers both the biometrics appointment at the Visa Application Centre and the consular interview, and it is non-refundable and non-transferable even if you cancel or are refused. The DS-160 form itself is free, and fee amounts are revised from time to time, so confirm the current amount before paying.

To get a B1/B2 visa from India, complete the DS-160 application online and save the confirmation page with its barcode, pay the MRV fee, and then book two appointments on the official portal — one for biometrics at the Visa Application Centre and one for the embassy or consulate interview. Attend the interview with your documents, and if approved, your passport is retained for stamping and returned by courier, usually within about a week. Since interview slots can fill months in advance, start the process well before your intended travel date.

To schedule a US visa interview from India, create a profile on the official appointment portal after submitting your DS-160 and paying the fee, then choose your city — New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, or Kolkata — and book two slots: the OFC/biometrics appointment at the Visa Application Centre, which should generally be at least one day before the interview, and the consular interview itself. You can pick any consulate in India, which helps when your nearest city has longer waits.

US visa appointment available dates appear in your account on the official portal once your fee payment is linked, and they differ by consulate and visa category. New slots are released in batches, and cancellations by other applicants often open earlier dates, so check at different times of the day. If your preferred consulate shows nothing, look at other locations in India, since you are allowed to book any post in the country.

US visa appointment wait times in India vary widely by city and visa category, and for B1/B2 interviews they have ranged from a few weeks to several months in recent years. The published wait time refers only to getting an interview slot, so add a few more days after the interview for stamping and passport return. These estimates change frequently, so always check the latest figures before finalising your travel plans.

Getting a US visa appointment in Mumbai is difficult because it is one of the highest-volume posts, so slots released in batches get taken within minutes. Practical options include checking the portal at different hours for cancellations, considering other consulates in India, and requesting an emergency appointment only if your travel genuinely qualifies as urgent. Interviews in Mumbai are held at the US Consulate in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC).

A US visa appointment confirmation letter is the document generated after your interview slot is booked, also commonly called the appointment letter. It shows your DS-160 confirmation number, passport details, fee receipt information, and the date, time, and venue of your VAC and consulate visits. Carry a printed copy to both appointments since it is checked at entry, and if it does not arrive by email, you can download it anytime from your profile on the portal.

To reschedule a US visa appointment, log in to your profile on the official portal, open your booked appointment, and use the reschedule option to pick a new date, time, or location — your MRV fee remains valid, so nothing extra is paid. New dates depend on availability and cancellations, so reschedule as early as possible, and remember that both the VAC and interview slots need to stay in the correct order.

The core US visa interview documents are your current passport (valid at least six months beyond your planned stay), the DS-160 confirmation page, the appointment confirmation letter, and the MRV fee receipt, along with a printed 2x2 photograph matching your DS-160 in case the upload failed. Also carry supporting papers such as bank statements, employment or business proof, travel itinerary, invitation letter, and evidence of ties to India like property or family — and make sure everything matches the details in your DS-160.

The most common US visa interview questions cover your purpose of visit ("Why are you going to the US?"), trip logistics ("How long will you stay?", "Who is paying for the trip?"), your background ("What do you do?", "Where do you work or study?"), and your ties to India ("When will you return?", "Do you have relatives in the US?"). Officers prefer short, honest answers that match your DS-160 — long memorised speeches usually work against B1/B2 applicants.

To prepare for the US visa interview, review your DS-160 line by line so your spoken answers match it exactly, practise clear two- or three-sentence answers about your purpose, funding, and return plans, and arrange your documents so you can find them quickly. Arrive well before your slot for security screening, stay calm and courteous — interviews often last under two minutes — and never carry fake documents or exaggerate, since inconsistencies are the most common reason for refusal.

The US visa interview waiver program, popularly known as "dropbox," allows eligible applicants to apply for or renew a visa without an in-person interview by submitting their passport and documents at a designated location. It traditionally covered certain age groups and applicants renewing the same visa class shortly after expiry, but eligibility rules were tightened sharply in 2025, pushing many earlier-qualified applicants back to in-person interviews, so verify the current criteria before counting on dropbox.

To renew a B1/B2 visa from India, treat it as a fresh application: submit a new DS-160, pay the MRV fee again, and book an appointment, because renewals are never automatic extensions of the old visa. If you meet the interview waiver criteria, you may only need to submit your passport and documents by dropbox instead of appearing in person. Your previous visa stays valid until its own expiry, and a valid visa in an expired passport can still be used for travel if you carry both passports together.

The B1/B2 visa validity for Indian citizens is typically up to 10 years with multiple entries, but validity is not the same as length of stay. Each visit's permitted duration is decided at the US port of entry — usually up to six months — and recorded on your I-94, so a 10-year visa never means a 10-year stay. Overstaying even briefly can harm future applications, so always track your I-94 end date after every trip.