Submitting a DS-160 does not book a US visa interview. Prepare your information, retain the form confirmation and follow the embassy or consulate’s appointment instructions. This ETA Visa guide helps you keep those stages separate when planning a B1/B2 application.
Is B1/B2 the right route, or should I check ESTA?
B-1 is for permitted temporary business visits, B-2 for tourism and visits, and B1/B2 combines the purposes. Ordinary employment requires a different route. Confirm your activities against the official visitor visa guidance.
Some eligible nationals of Visa Waiver Program countries can instead travel for qualifying visits of up to 90 days with ESTA approval. Nationality alone does not establish eligibility: passport requirements and travel history restrictions also apply. ESTA is a travel authorisation, not a B1/B2 visa; a UK ETA does not authorise US travel. Read the official Visa Waiver Program requirements before choosing.
Write down your actual travel purpose in plain language before selecting a route. Our US B1/B2 guidance provides a starting point, rather than an individual eligibility decision.
What should I collect before completing the DS-160?
The State Department’s DS-160 FAQs recommend having your passport, itinerary if already arranged, previous US trip dates and relevant work or education history available. Additional questions depend on your circumstances.
Create a private working note with three headings: information ready, information to check and official instructions to follow. Keep uncertain dates on the second list until you have investigated them. Preparation should help you answer accurately, rather than produce a rehearsed story or a set of guesses.
If someone helps you, read the answers yourself before submission. Follow the form’s instructions about assistance and signatures. For an overview of the form stage, use our DS-160 preparation guide.
What should I keep after submitting the form?
Retain the DS-160 confirmation page with its application ID. The official FAQs explain that this page is needed during the application process and at an interview. Form submission is one stage; follow the relevant post’s instructions to confirm interview requirements and arrange the next step.
A useful filing method is to keep separate sections for the form confirmation, appointment communications and any payment records. Label each item by what it actually confirms. A form confirmation, for example, should not be filed as a booked interview.
How do I find appointment instructions safely?
Start with your US embassy or consulate’s official website and follow its scheduling links. Application steps can vary by post. Check its current rules for your nationality, residence and application location before making commitments.
The State Department’s appointment wait-time guidance provides estimates, not a guaranteed appointment. These estimates also do not include every stage after an interview. A shorter displayed wait is not confirmation that you can apply at that location or travel by a particular date.
Keep control of your scheduling account and check the details on any actual booking confirmation. Our US visa appointment guidance explains how to approach slot information without treating it as a promise.
Which supporting documents should I prepare?
The official visitor visa page lists a passport, DS-160 confirmation and applicable receipt or photo requirements. Additional evidence may be requested about your trip purpose, funding and plans to leave. Follow your post’s instructions; another traveller’s document pack is not a universal checklist.
Organise evidence so you can find it, and check that it reflects your actual circumstances. Keep originals and readable working copies separate. Our guide to organising visa documents offers a practical filing routine.
Does an appointment mean a visa is approved?
No. The consular officer decides the visa application, and a visa itself does not guarantee admission at the US border. A booking, form confirmation or payment receipt should never be described as an approval.
ETA Visa currently offers public preparation information. We do not currently submit DS-160 forms, book or monitor US visa slots, or accept passport uploads. Use the official links above for the application process, and do not email sensitive documents.
Published by ETA Visa on 5 November 2026. Official sources reviewed on 5 November 2026: US Department of State visitor visa guidance, DS-160 FAQs, Visa Waiver Program requirements and appointment wait-time guidance, linked above. General preparation information; current consular instructions and individual circumstances govern your next steps.