Avoid Cancellation of Nonimmigrant Visa Interview Appointments - DS-160 Barcode Mismatch and Submission of DS-160 “48 Working Hours” Prior to Interview

Several U.S. embassies and consular posts have recently updated their websites with a new policy for nonimmigrant visa interviews. While there has been no formal announcement by the Department of State (DOS) on these changes, it is expected that the policy will soon be implemented at all U.S. embassies and consular posts worldwide.

Under the new policy, all nonimmigrant visa applicants must ensure that the barcode number on their DS-160 Confirmation Page matches the application number used to schedule their appointment before they attend their interviews. Applicants who do not have matching application numbers when they arrive for their appointment will likely be turned away and have to reschedule their interview and pay new visa fees. To correct the mismatch in numbers, applicants will need to enter the correct DS-160 application number in the Visa Appointment System by logging into their accounts and selecting edit on their Applicant Summary Page prior to the interview. The application number in the Visa Appointment System can be updated up to one time without having to cancel the existing appointment.   

In addition, there are reports that some U.S. embassies and consular posts are now requiring all nonimmigrant applicants to sign and submit their DS-160 visa applications at least “48 working hours”, or two business days, prior to their scheduled interview appointment date, or risk being turned away at the interview.

What this means for our clients 

It is important to double check your DS-160 before e-filing, since the form may not be edited once submitted.  If a correction is necessary, a new form will need to be created and submitted, resulting in a new  DS-160 barcode number.  Nonimmigrant visa applicants with already scheduled interview appointments and who have submitted an updated (new) DS-160 should correct the DS-160 barcode number in the Visa Appointment System at least two business days prior to the interview date. As U.S. embassies and consular posts have been implementing the new policy at different times, we recommend applicants to follow the new policy as failure to comply could lead to being turned away at the interview appointments and having to reschedule and pay new fees.