Are you planning to renew the tourist visa for USA from India? My B1B2 visa renewal was due by the mid of this year and I decided to renew it at a time when I knew I was not going to be travelling.
In this post, I give you a step by step guide on how to renew your tourist visa for USA from Bangalore and India in general. Since there is not much information online on the US B1 B2 visa renewal requirements, I hope this post clarifies all your queries.
Need to Know before Planning your trip to the USA
- SafetyWing Insurance: Even though you don’t need an insurance to apply for a USA visitor visa, insurance is a must when you are travelling anywhere in the world. I use Safetywing and hence would definitely recommend it.
- I love using DiscoverCars when I am driving in any country. This gives me an option to compare between the various rental car agencies. I have driven multiple times in the USA and I always use them.
- When I am in the USA, I always use Expedia for all my accommodation bookings. Sometimes I use Booking too.
- Check out Viator if you plan to do any tours in the USA.
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Table Of Contents
- 1 Renewal process for tourist visa for USA from India (B1/B2)
- 1.1 Different types and categories of visitor visas available for travel to the United States
- 1.2 Overview of the renewal process for a USA tourist visa from India
- 1.2.1 Fill your DS-160 application form online
- 1.2.2 Schedule your appointment at the nearest VAC or Drop box location
- 1.2.3 Pay the US B1/B2 visa renewal India cost
- 1.2.4 Documents required for visitor visa renewal to USA
- 1.2.5 Things to remember when you go to drop the passport at the drop box location
- 1.2.6 Things to remember when you go to collect the passport at the drop box location
- 2 Frequently asked questions (FAQ)’s about the US B1 B2 Visa renewal
- 2.1 What is B1 B2 visa?
- 2.2 Can we do B1 B2 visa renewal without interview?
- 2.3 What are the documents required for Us B1 B2 visa renewal?
- 2.4 Can I renew my B1 B2 visa before it expires?
- 2.5 Can B1/B2 visa be renewed?
- 2.6 Can I renew my B1 B2 visa after it expires?
- 2.7 How long is a B1B2 visa valid for?
- 2.8 What is the process for the renewal of a USA tourist visa B1 B2?
- 2.9 What is the procedure for renewing US B1 B2 visa for an Indian citizen?
- 2.10 How long it takes to renew Us visitor visa?
- 2.11 Can I avail the drop box facility for my child who is below 14 years of age even if it is a fresh application?
- 2.12 Do I need an interview to renew my US visa?
- 2.13 Can I do B1/B2 visa renewal for parents in India from the US?
- 2.14 What is the B1/B2 visa renewal drop box eligibility?
- 2.15 Where can I find the B1/B2 visa renewal form?
- 2.16 I was filling my Ds 160 online and my system got hung. Is there a way to retrieve the application?
- 2.17 Is it easy to renew US tourist visa?
- 2.18 Are dropbox appointments available in India for B1 B2 visa?
- 2.19 How do I schedule my U.S. visitor appointment?
- 2.20 How can I check a US visitor visa status?
- 2.21 Is my US visitor visa fees refundable?
- 2.22 How much is the US B1 B2 visa renewal fees?
- 2.23 I have paid my US Visa fees but the MRV receipt number is not reflecting
- 2.24 Does this website help in procuring a US B1/B2 visa?
- 3 Conclusion: Step-by-step renewal process for tourist visa for Usa from India (B1/B2)
Renewal process for tourist visa for USA from India (B1/B2)
Before we go to the Us B1B2 visa renewal process, let me just take you through the different types of visitor visas that are applicable for Indians. Please note that this blog post will only cover the renewal process for the non immigrant visa also called as the US visa B1 B2.
Different types and categories of visitor visas available for travel to the United States
One of the most common question I get is what is the tourist visa for USA called? There are basically 3 categories under the US nonimmigrant visa and you can find them below:
- US B1 Visa: If you are planning to go for a conference, seminar, workshop, negotiating contracts or to settle an estate, this is the kind of US Visitor visa you need to get. Please note that you cannot work full time with this visa since this is a temporary visa. You cannot even do paid performances or work as a journalist with this visa. You can however go on vacation with this type of visa.
- US B2 Visa: This visa is issued for tourism purposes, for vacation, for visiting friends and family or for medical treatment. In most cases when you are applying for parents or retired people, this is the visa stamp you will get. If you only have a B2 stamp, you cannot do any of the things that is permitted by a B1 visa.
- Us B1 B2 Visa: In most cases when you apply for a B1 visa, you will receive a B1/B2 stamp. This allows you to do both of B1 and B2 activities.
All above 3 visas are issued for a period of 10 years (other than exceptional cases). With these visas, you can stay in the USA for a maximum of 6 months in a year.
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Overview of the renewal process for a USA tourist visa from India
Fill your DS-160 application form online
Ok get your favorite drink or snack before you sit down at the computer. This is the most tiring and cumbersome part of the whole renewal process and it is going to take you at least 60 -90 minutes to fill the entire application.
You need not fill the entire application at one stretch but even then it is going to take you time. Make sure that you fill all the answers honestly since they actually do verify every single thing while doing your background verification.
- Go to the US Department of State site to fill the DS-160 application online. Choose the Non-Immigrant category – DS 160. The below page will open. Now choose a location, enter the captcha and click on ‘Start the application’.
- If you are based in Bangalore like me, you need to choose the Chennai VAC (Visa application center) even for renewal. So choose the nearest VAC applicable.
- Agree to all the notices in the Us tourist visa application form.
- Note down your ‘Application ID’ for your Us visitor visa renewal. This is very crucial since you will require it in case you want to save the application and retrieve the application at a later point of time. This is needed if you want to check your visitor visa status after you submit the application.
- In this case, the application id is ‘AA00BW9FCF’ for example.
- Choose a security question and answer. When you are trying to retrieve a nonimmigrant visa application, this question is also asked along with the application id.
Now let us get into a step-by-step guide on the B1/B2 visa renewal process in India. I will be giving screenshots on how to apply for visitor visa for USA renewal online. One thing to note here is that the initial process for both first applications and subsequent renewals are same. Hence you can use this as a guide for your first application. The process only changes post this initial step for every US visitor visa from India.
Interested in some of the best tours in New York when you are in the US?
Personal Information
- The first page is to record all your personal information. Your name, your surname, your other names, your sex, your marital status, your date and place of birth etc. The next personal informational page asks questions related to your nationality.
Travel History
- In the next page, give details of your travel like purpose of travel and who is paying for the trip. Please choose the visa class as Temp Business Pleasure visitor (B).
- It is in this section where you mention which sub category of visa you are applying for. Since this is a renewal application, choose the same category of visa you had previously. For e.g, if you have a B2 visa, then select the B2 visa. In case you change the category of visa, you may be asked to submit other proof of documents while submission.
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Travel Companions
- If you are travelling with your spouse or a group, this is where you mention the details. Please note that every person in your group needs to fill the DS-160 application online individually. Just mentioning it here is not enough for a US tourist visa renewal.
Previous US Travel Information
- This is where you provides details of your previous US travel information. This is also where you give details of your previous US visa. You can find the number of your US visa from the stamp on your passport.
Address and phone information
- Pretty straightforward tab. This is where you mention your address as well as your phone numbers.
- You also mention your email address and social media handles here. You have to fill all of them honestly.
Passport Details
- All details about your current passport including id, when and where it was issued, date of expiry etc.
US Point of Contact information
- This is where you usually enter your family in the US details. I don’t have any family in the US anymore and hence I just gave them the contact details of one of my best friends there. Like it says, if you don’t know anyone in the US, you can provide details of any company you are planning to visit when you are in the US.
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Family and Work Details
- I don’t have screenshots for this. But these are pretty straightforward. I gave my husband’s details as well as my parents name in the family section including their contact details.
- In the work section, I mentioned details of my job (I own my own company).
- Education section had all my education details.
Security and Background Details
- This is a very crucial section and I would advise you to answer this as honestly as possible. This is to ensure the background information of the person applying for the visit visa to the US. These have around 5 parts and I am attaching screenshots of them all.
Review
- This is the final step in the process before you submit your application for your B1B2 visa renewal. Please note that once you submit your application, you will not be able to make any changes and hence use this section to verify that all your details are entered correctly.
Submit
- Like mentioned before, please ensure that all your details are entered correctly. Once you submit your application, you will get your Ds-160 confirmation page. Please ensure that you save this document on your laptop since this is required when you are going to submit your documents.You also get the below screen and now let us go to the next step in the process -> Schedule an appointment to submit your documents.
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Schedule your appointment at the nearest VAC or Drop box location
Unless you schedule your tourist visa for US appointment, you do not know whether you have an interview waiver or not in the case of a renewal. Most times you will get an interview waiver and just have to drop the B1/B2 visa renewal documents at the nearest dropbox location.
For scheduling your appointment, use this site. This is the same for both fresh applications as well as in the case of a renewal. The process is also similar for both till the scheduling part.
NOTE: The website has changed and hence the screenshots will look different below. But the gist of it is the same and you should be able to follow the same steps.
Once you login, you will be asked a series of questions to determine if you are eligible for a interview waiver (only for renewals). If you are over the age of 14 and less than 80, then you need to attend an interview in the case of fresh applications.
- First select the visa type.
- Next choose your state of residence.
- Choose the language of interview. Like I said before, this is the same if it is your first time to apply for visit to USA and hence you may get some redundant questions like these in the case of USA B1/B2 renewals.
- Choose the visa category as ‘Business/Tourism and all other visas’.
- Once you choose business/tourism, you will need to choose the visa class. Please note that choose the same as your previous visa. I had a ‘B1/B2 – visitor for business and pleasure’ visa prior and hence I chose that option.
- This is just a page to review that you have entered all the correct details till now.
- This is the page where you add ‘Dependents’. In case you are applying as a married couple, this is where you add the details.
- In the next few pages, you will be asked questions to determine if you qualify for the interview waiver program. Answer according to your data and it will be determined if you qualify for an interview waiver. These are pretty self-explanatory and should not be that hard to fill on your own.
- Once you answer all the questions, it will determine if you are eligible for an interview waiver. Like mentioned here, choose ‘Drop off’ to proceed with your Interview Waiver application.
- In this page, you will choose your drop off location. So note that if the VAC is not present in your city, then you will have to go submit the documents at the nearest drop box location which is usually your VFS Global center.
- Also note that if there is no VAC in your city but you have a drop box location, then you need to pay a fee of Rs 650 at the time of pickup.
Currently you have VAC’s (Visa Application Center) at the below locations:
- Delhi
- Mumbai
- Hyderabad
- Chennai
- Kolkata
These are the drop off locations currently in India in addition to the above:
- Bengaluru
- Chandigarh
- Jalandhar
- Ahmedabad
- Pune
- Kochi
Since I did not have a VAC in my city, I had to drop it at the VFS office in Bengaluru. This is the address for the VFS office in Bangalore.
Gopalan Innovation Mall,22, Bannerghatta Main Rd
Sarakki Industrial Layout,3rd Phase, J. P. Nagar
Bengaluru, 560076
Pay the US B1/B2 visa renewal India cost
Once you have done all the above US visa tourist requirements, the next step is to pay the fees. Currently the US tourist visa from India cost is around 160 USD which translates to roughly Rs 13,500. This is expected to increase to 180 USD from June 1st 2023.
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Currently you can pay the fees only through the electronics fund transfer. You will be given a unique beneficiary account number and you will have to transfer the respective amount from your bank account in India to this account number.
Please note that this visa fee is not refundable. Also note that it takes around 48 hours after you pay from your account to reflect in the US travel docs system. Unless the MRV fee reflects, you cannot schedule an appointment.
Don’t panic for the first 48 working hours. I kept logging in to see if it was reflecting. Since I paid during the weekend, it actually took a little more than 48 hours to reflect in the system.
Once this reflects, a MRV receipt number will also reflect in the screenshot above. You can schedule an appointment once the MRV receipt number reflects.
You need to have a rupee bank account in India to transfer funds to this unique beneficiary account number.
The current waiting time for scheduling B1/B2 visa renewal appointments in India is approximately 10 days to 2 weeks. Please note that it is around 300 days for a fresh application.
Please note that in case you are applying as a group, please do not club fresh applications with renewal applications. This may make it difficult for renewal appointments to get an appointment.
Once you schedule your B1 B2 visa renewal appointment, you will get a mail with all the details including the location and the set of documents to carry with you depending on your visa type.
Documents required for visitor visa renewal to USA
So this is where the process of applying for a fresh application and a B1 B2 visa renewal in India starts differing. The documents for Us visitor visa renewal from Indiais comparatively lesser and easier to prepare. Please find the US visa dropbox documents for B1/B2 you need to carry for your B1B2 visa renewal below:
- Your old and new passports. – This should include the one you have your old visa stamp on along with your latest passports.
- Photo requirements for visitors visa to USA are mentioned in the website. It needs to be no older than 6 months and you can get the correct specifications done at almost all photo shops. You need 2 copies.
- DS-160 confirmation page: Once you submit your application form, you will get a confirmation page. This needs to be saved and submitted along with the other documents.
- Appointment confirmation page: Like I mentioned before, you will get the mail with all the details once you schedule the appointment. This needs to be carried for entry to the VFS office.
- Photocopy of your US visa page.
- Photo copy of your latest passport – This is needed when you go to pick up the passport.
- Original and photo copy of your Id card – This is required when you go to collect the passport. Adhar card and Driving license is accepted.
Things to remember when you go to drop the passport at the drop box location
As mentioned before, these are the things to remember when you are going to drop the passport:
- As mentioned before, you need to go to the nearest VFS center. In Bangalore, it is currently located in Gopalan innovation mall in Bannerghatta road.
- They have separate queues for VFS Europe, USA, Australia etc
- You need to be there only 5-10 minutes before your appointment time.
- They do not have sufficient space to wait outside the VFS center.
- Mobile phones are allowed but other electronic items like laptops, hard disks etc are not allowed. They have a storage facility for you to keep these things at an extra charge.
- Once you are inside past security, they will direct you to the VFS USA collection room.
- Get a token as soon as you enter the room.
- Wait for your turn. Since all types of drop box appointments are done here, you may need to wait for at least an hour here.
- Once your turn comes, submit all documents and collect the stamped copy of your appointment confirmation page.
- They have printing, photo copy and photo services if required on the ground floor of the VFS center. In case they request for additional documents, you can get them printed at the VFS center itself.
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Things to remember when you go to collect the passport at the drop box location
I submitted my passport on the 6th of January. It was sent to the Chennai VAC on the next working day and I got a mail saying that they received it there on the 13th of January.
I got a mail on the 20th of January saying that the visa has been issued and it has been dispatched from the Chennai VAC to the Bangalore VFS office. I got the same mail again on the 27th of January.
However, I did not get a mail saying that my passport has been received at the Bangalore center. I am not sure if mine was a one off case. My husband was having surgery during that time and hence I did not get time to go check on this.
I waited for a week and I still did not get a mail asking me to come and collect the passport. However, when I logged into the UStravelDocs website, there was a small note at the bottom of the dashboard that said ‘Passport to be collected’. So I decided to go to the VFS center to enquire about the passport.
I carried all the documents mentioned above when I went to pick the passport. I did not have an appointment but I showed them the mail saying that it has been dispatched from Chennai VAC.
The collection wait time is comparatively lesser and as soon as I showed them my documents, I received my passport. I immediately opened it and I saw my US B1B2 visa renewal stamp.
If you do not collect your passport within 2 working weeks, they will send it back to the VAC and then it may take longer for them to track your passport.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)’s about the US B1 B2 Visa renewal
Now let us answer some of the most common questions people have about the B1 B2 visa renewal.
What is B1 B2 visa?
The US B1 B2 visa is a visa issued by the United states for non-immigrant purposes like tourism, business meetings, medical care etc. This is usually issued for a period of 10 years and you can use this visa to stay for upto 6 months in the USA. This cannot be used to seek permanent employment in the USA.
Can we do B1 B2 visa renewal without interview?
In most cases, the B1 B2 visa renewal can be done without an interview. It is only in exceptional cases like if you lose your passport with the previous US visa on it or if you have a legal case against you, you will be asked for an interview. Only the US consulate can be the judge of the answer of ‘can I renew my B1 B2 visa without interview?’.
What are the documents required for Us B1 B2 visa renewal?
This has been explained in the article. Please refer to the list of documents required for a tourist visa to the USA from India renewal.
Can I renew my B1 B2 visa before it expires?
Yes, if your visa is going to expire in the next 12 months, you have an option to renew it before it expires. My visa was due to expire in September. However, I decided to get it renewed in January when I knew I was not travelling internationally.
Can B1/B2 visa be renewed?
Yes, the US government has restarted the process of renewal of B1/B2 visa post the pandemic.
Can I renew my B1 B2 visa after it expires?
Yes, due to the large number of applications now, you can renew it for upto 4 years after your B1 B2 visa expires.
How long is a B1B2 visa valid for?
The B1 B2 visa is valid for a period of 10 years and you can stay upto 6 months in a year. In some rare cases, they issue the B1B2 for a period of 5 years.
What is the process for the renewal of a USA tourist visa B1 B2?
This has been explained in detail above. In case you still have any queries, you can ask them in the comment section or shoot me a message. I will try to clarify them to the best of my abilities.
What is the procedure for renewing US B1 B2 visa for an Indian citizen?
I am an Indian citizen and I have explained the procedure for renewing the US B1 B2 visa above.
How long it takes to renew Us visitor visa?
The usual processing time is between 2- 3 working weeks. In my case, since I did not receive a mail asking me to come collect the passport, it took exactly 4 weeks from the time I submitted the passport.
Can I avail the drop box facility for my child who is below 14 years of age even if it is a fresh application?
If both parents hold a valid US visa, then the child is eligible for a dropbox appointment and interview waiver even in the case of a fresh application. You will have to submit copies of the parents visa as well as some additional documents. You will get the list of documents when you schedule the appointment for dropbox.
Do I need an interview to renew my US visa?
You do not require an interview for B1B2 in most cases. For other categories of US visa, you may have to attend an interview even in the case of a renewal.
Can I do B1/B2 visa renewal for parents in India from the US?
Yes, you can fill the DS-160 form from the US. However, please note that you need a Rupee account to make the transfer of the US visa renewal visas.
What is the B1/B2 visa renewal drop box eligibility?
While scheduling your appointment, you are asked a series of questions to determine if you are eligible for drop box for visa renewal. Once you answer these questions based on your circumstances, the system will let you know if you are eligible for drop box as well as an interview waiver.
Where can I find the B1/B2 visa renewal form?
The DS 160 form can be found online. This has to be filled online as well and is the B1 B2 visa renewal form.
I was filling my Ds 160 online and my system got hung. Is there a way to retrieve the application?
This is one of the reasons you need to save your application id at the time you start to fill the application. Filling the renewal form is a cumbersome task and take your hours. In such cases, you can use the application id to retrieve the application at a later point of time.
Is it easy to renew US tourist visa?
Since you get an interview waiver and drop box eligibility in most cases, it is easier to renew your US tourist visa compared to other international visas. The only tiring part if filling the renewal form online and which can take you at least 90-120 mins.
Are dropbox appointments available in India for B1 B2 visa?
The current lead time for B1 B2 visa renewals is about 2-3 weeks in India. However, please note that it is over 300 days for fresh applications in India.
How do I schedule my U.S. visitor appointment?
You need to login to Ustraveldocs website, answer a few questions, pay the visa fees by bank transfer and then you will get a scheduling option. This is after you submit the DS-160 form. The entire process is explained in detail above.
How can I check a US visitor visa status?
Once you have submitted all your documents, login to this website to check the status of your visitor visa. Usually, there are four statuses: ‘No Status’, ‘Application Processing’, ‘Issued’ and ‘Refused’.
Is my US visitor visa fees refundable?
No, it is not refundable even if your visa is refused.
How much is the US B1 B2 visa renewal fees?
It is 160 USD per individual which translates to around Rs 13,500 with today’s charges. This needs to be transferred to a Unique Beneficiary Account number from a Rupee bank account in India. This will increase to 180 USD from June 1st 2023.
I have paid my US Visa fees but the MRV receipt number is not reflecting
Please note that it takes at least 2 working days after you paid the fees for the receipt number to reflect on the website. In case, it does not reflect after this time period, please write to them and they can resolve it for you. Do not attempt to pay the fees again.
Does this website help in procuring a US B1/B2 visa?
This website is a purely informational website based on personal experiences and only gives you pointers on how to apply for the US B1 B2 visa renewal by yourself. We do not help in procuring visas for you. We are always ready to answer your queries but please understand that some questions can only be answered by the visa authorities themselves.
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Conclusion: Step-by-step renewal process for tourist visa for Usa from India (B1/B2)
Hope I have answered most questions when it comes to the renewal process for tourist visa for the USA from India. The B1 B2 visa renewal process is not that cumbersome now that you know how to apply for the tourist visa all on your own.
Read some of my other USA posts:
Guidebooks for USA
Traveling to USA and need more guidance on which books to read? These are our recommendations for you to read before you go.
BOOKING RESOURCES
Looking to book your trip now? Find some of my favorite resources I use while booking my trip. You can also find my travel gear here.
Book Your Flight
I am a Skyscanner fan when it comes to booking international flights. I use Makemytrip and Yatra for domestic flights.
Travel Insurance
As an Indian, I prefer ICICILombard and I am always insured when I am traveling outside India. In addition, I have used World Nomads and SafetyWing for some of my trips.
Book Tours
I do go on a lot of day tours especially when I am traveling solo and love going on road trips with my husband.. Depending on convenience, my choices are Viator or Getyourguide.
Very nice article Soumya. Very detailed and informative. It is very much useful for those who wanted to get their B1/B2 VISA’s.
Plus the other resources are really good.
Thank you.
Thanks for providing a great deal of information on renewing US tourist visa from India. I will refer this blog to my friends and relatives.
Thanks.lots of doughts are clear about renewals said visa.
Hi Soumya
Very detailed explanation. Thanks for creating this.
I am planning to apply for a renewal since my B1-B2 visa expired 2 months back.
I have a couple of questions:
1. I do not have any concrete travel plans but in DS-160, they are asking for tentative travel dates. Is it ok to fill in a dummy date without having tickets?
2. Will they require any NOC from my current employer as part of the documents? I didn’t see you mentioning anything but you are self-employed. So, I wasn’t sure.
Yes, if you have no concrete travel plans, any date will do. For renewal, they don’t ask for any other additional documents.
Thank you, Soumya for the detailed information and the easy to navigate pattern of information organisation. Just a couple of queries; 1. When you renew a B1/B2 visa, do you need to show a new travel purpose/plan during the window after your visa expiry?
2. Do they renew it from the application time or from the date of expiry?
1. No, you don’t need to show a plan. You just need to tell an approximate time you will be visiting.
2. From Application.
This is very informative, I was applying for my Mother in law and this information is very helpful.
I have a question too –
I have the H1B petition approved and have my I797valid till 2025, but havent gone to stamping yet from office as its dependent on project. My daughter is studying in US and I want to apply for B2 to meet her during her graduation by this year end. My question is can I apply for B2 personally, and will this impact my I797.
Sorry, I am not qualified to answer this. You will need to check with the consulate directly.
Dear Soumya,
Thank for the detailed authentic, step by step explanation with screen shots which helped me a great deal. You did not leave any question to our imagination and clearly explained as to how each screen should be filled.
A big big big thank you!
Hi Soumya,
In the DS-160, there is a question about have you been ten printed. I will be renewing my mom’s B1/B2 visa this time. I applied this visa for her first time 10 years back and we are not sure about the answer to this as its been longtime.
Any idea where we can find if she was ten printed first time she applied for this visa?
If it was done in India, she would have been fingerprinted 10 years ago.
Hi Sowmya,
Thank you for explaining the process with such minute details. I applied for my B1B2 visa renewal following your step by step guidance. I really appreciate the efforts you have put in to take us through the process in detail along with the screenshots. This is an amazing article.
Thank you
Jayashri Jayaram
Drop off appointment letter shows Chennai nungambakkam vac at particular date and time!
I reside in Bangalore, So can I go to bangalore drop off center in jpnagar at that same time? Just want to confirm Chennai doesn’t update applicant as ‘No Show’ if we walk in to Bangalore instead of traveling to Chennai. Bangalore center also considers Chennai VAC appointment allowed to submit at Bangalore?
Yes VAC will show Chennai and Drop off location will show as Bangalore in the appointment letter if you had selected Bangalore as your drop off location.
Will it show as ‘Drop off’ in the appointment letter or ‘document delivery Information?’
I did scheduled appointment for my parents, and got confirmation, however in the appointment confirmation, it says CHENNAI VAC in the OFC appointment details and no mention of ‘Drop off’ apart from ‘document delivery Information’ it mention as ‘Gopalan Innovation Mall,22, Bannerghatta Main Rd’
hi were you able to drop everything at Bangalore on the same date and time even though your appointment letter says Chennai VAC to drop the documents.
Yes, I was able to.
Hi Soumya,
My son is 13 years old right now and his visas are expiring in this September , Can I go for dropbox ? If I go for interview then the dates are available after a year approx and meanwhile he will turned 14.
Hi,
Please try scheduling the appointment. You will be asked a set of questions and that will determine if he needs to go for interview or dropbox.
What if my B1/B2 visa has expired more than 48months ago ?
Will it be a fresh application again ?
Hi they are considering some cases even if the visa expired more than 48 months ago. Please try scheduling the appointment and answer the questions to determine if you need to go for dropbox or interview.
Hi Soumya,
Thank you for putting up this article. Its quite helpful. A quick question, just wondering if you know how early can I apply for the renewal of my parent’s B2 visa.
Their visa expires in May 2024 and since I’m going to be in India in Sep 2023, I was hoping I would just renew it while I’m there.
So can I do it 9 months before their expiry ?
Thanks
Gayathri
Mine was expiring in September and I applied in December of last year and got my visa in January. In my case, I did it when I knew I was not going to be travelling. I think the cutoff is 1 year.
Thank you Soumya
Hi Soumya,
Question: for B1/B2 renewal at Bangalore, in the new website, it says I qualify for interview waiver but does not ask me to select drop-off location. Can I just drop in to the drop off location directly to submit documents? Or how do I schedule appointment for Bangalore drop off?
Yes you can drop off at Bangalore. Once you schedule the appointment, you will get a mail with the drop box location.
Hi Soumya, excellent guide. Thank you!
Quick question – I moved from Mumbai to Bangalore 2 years back. But my passport and docs all have Mumbai address. I need to apply for B1B2 visa renewal now. Do I need to fill Bangalore address anywhere in the process outlines above?
I think there is a place where you can fill your present address details.
Hi Soumya
A small query. Myself and my wife both have B1/B2 visa expiring in Dec 23. Both filled DS 160. I then started process of appointment /dropbox for myself first. I also added my wife’s details in dependents section but when it is asking payment of only one person i.e. myself. Shouldn’t it be for both of us. Also no question were asked for interview waiver determination for my wife. in applicant detail it is myself as primary and none under dependents. Can you guide
There is an option to add dependents. But please note that because of the new interface released this month, lots of people are facing glitches.
Thanks. For making payment for self and wife should I create two separate accounts one for self and other for my spouse or can payment be made for 2 persons from one account/profile only.
You have an option to pay from the same account. Only DS 160 need to be separate and you can add multiple DS 160 in one appointment.
Hi
Greetings.
Yr explanation is excellent on many aspects regarding US visa application and related topics.
As US visitor visa of my wife and mine will be expiring in Dec2023, we are planning to apply for renewal.
The following are some queries:
If I add my wife as dependent in my DS160 application,then do we need to submit applications DS160 for renewal separately?
In my wife’s DS160 also,do we need to add my details as dependent(spouse)?
Regards
Dhamotharan
Yes, you need to fill separate Ds160. The dependent needs to be filled for only one person.
i filled the ds 160 for renewal of visa of both me and my wife and then proceeded for appointment and payment. However when i completed teh application for vac appointment for drop box, it did not ask for any questions and i made payment. but when i go to seek appointment it is showing may 25 whereas for drop box it is only 15-20 days. Can i cancel this and start my application both ds 160 and seeking appointment, afresh. or can i start the application afresh in VAC and link my earlier payment to the new appliction for visa interview waiver and drop box appointment. understand that there is an option for claim receipt…. request if you can clarify
I am not sure what to do in this case. Please contact the consulate since they will have better clarity.
Hi
Soumya submitted my DS160 for renewal of US B1/B2 visa. Paid fee after submitting DS160 on August 26, 2023. I have not got any MRV slip till date and when i go for drop box scheduling on US visa scheduling site from my account it shows OFC appointment of Delhi and not Chandigarh drop of facility. How to proceed further.
Please try to contact the Us consulate since only they can help.
Heyy Hi,
Very informative article, thanks for the help.
I am trying to renew my VISA and got the interview waiver and drop off option.
I paid the amount but only VAC is shown for booking appointment and VFS Bangalore is not coming in dropdown. I am not sure what should I do now.
If your VAC is showing as Chennai, you can drop off at Bangalore. You will get the details through mail once you schedule the appointment.
Heyy Hi Soumya, Thanks for responding. While booking appointment, I am getting VAC Chennai option only. How to book appointment for dropbox VFS Bangalore option? I didn’t get any email yet.
Nice. Informative blog.
Hi
I applied for my b1/b2 visa in 2014 and it will expire in 2024 ,
Will I be eligible for interview waiver option as I was less than 14 years during issue of m y visa and I do not remember if my biometrics was done but I gave the interview in the embassy along with my mother father and sister
So will I be eligible for waiver ?
Hi once you finish answering all the questions, then it determines if you get an interview waiver. If it was done in 2014, you would have been ten-printed.
Hi Soumya, I am currently not in India but I will be there in Dec 2023. I am applying for the renewal of my US B1/B2 visa and I qualify for an interview waiver. I am currently on the visa fees payment page and I wanted to check if it is possible for me to select my own appointment date to drop off my visa (sometime in Dec 2023) at the location or will the embassy issue a date for me?
You can choose your own date.
Hi: Dear Ms. Soumya Nambiar, good Day.
Myself & my Wife’s US Visa B1/B2 are expiring in May 2024, can we apply for Renewal now.
How much time ( approx) it takes to get the renewed Visa ?
Yes, you can apply for renewal now. I did the same since I decided to renew my visa when I was not travelling. It took approximately 2-3 weeks for me.
Hi… I am applying for renewal of US visa B1/B2 after submitting fees and, I am not getting Drop off date, as the drop-off page is stuck and not proceeding further, trying since last 4 weeks.
Please write to the US consulate.
Hi, I am applying for my mom’s US visa renewal. Can I drop off the documents at the Dropbox location? Or my mom has to be present to submit the documents?
Yes, she can nominate someone to submit the documents.
Hello ,
My mom lives in udupi but counsulate selected is mumbai . Can u courier the documents for visitor visa renewal .. but then how do u seldct a particular date n time?? Please help me euth this. Xan i do dropmiff and pick up by courier.. pls let md know
Thanks in advance
She will have to authorise someone to hand the documents in person in Mumbai. She herself doesn’t have to go but a nominee has to go.
Hello ,
My mom lives in udupi but counsulate selected is mumbai . Can u courier the documents for visitor visa renewal .. but then how do u seldct a particular date n time?? Please help me euth this. Xan i do dropmiff and pick up by courier.. pls let md know
Thanks in advance
Hello,
When I was filling my wife as my dependent I entered my wife’s name wrong. and I was unable to edit it. so I closed that application and started a new one. But now when enter the wife’s name correctly it gives me this error(Your personal details match the profile which already exists – US Visa Error). how do I resolve this? Please help me with this.
I am sorry. I have no clue about this.
Hi Soumya
Very nice and informative article, thank you very much for the posting. My case goes like this, my and my wife’s earlier B1/B2 visa was issued in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam and expired on May 2022, I settled in India and want to renew the visa here only. Will the consulate in Madras entertain my application on interview waver category?
Why I am asking is, earlier before Covid pandemic when I referred the US website, the message was “If the applicant answers all the 10 questions YES then eligible for visa renewal in India” For one such question,” Was the visa issued in India?” since my answer was NO, I didn’t try. I am thinking of applying in India now post pandemic.
You guidance on my request is highly appreciable.
Thank you.
Ramasamy P
i
You should apply from the country you are currently a resident of.
Hi soumya,
My Mummy US Visa B1/B2 are expiring in Feb 2024, can we apply for Renewal now.
I have one doubt, we applied 2014 b2 visa but they gave B1/B2 Visa.Now which visa should I select in DS-160 Form b1/b2 Visa (or) b2visa ?
You can apply now itself. You can choose B1/B2 itself since you already have one.
I have applied for B1/B2 visa for myself and my family, and paid the entire visa fees against the following Confirmation numbers:
For the following applications biometric and interview has been conducted.
(Primary Applicant)
(Spouse)
For the following applications the biometric and interview had not been conducted for the previous visa as they were underage.
Child
Child
Child
The visa fees has been paid for all the above applications
The last time my visa was issued, biometric and interview was conducted for me and my wife, but not for my children as they were under 14 years of age.
Now I have applied for a visa again for myself and family together, and I would like to separate the applications for my children, and I require assistance for the same.
What is the procedure for this and are there any further requirements .
Thank You.
Your children may need to go for interview. Please try answering the questions to check if they are eligible for interview waiver.
Your guide helped me a lot to get my B1/B2 visa renewed. Thanks a lot for the guide.
So SOOOOO HELPFUL!!! Thank you so much for this! I’m now feeling quite confident about applying for a visa renewal using the drop box facility. I was also quite amused to see that as a fully grown adult you had to provide details of your PARENTS’ passports – haha!
Hi Soumya, Thank you for the information. I have filled the DS-160 page. and now I am trying to schedule an appointment.
Since am a new user, I tried to create a user and I have to select country for Visa. I do not see ‘India’ in the dropdown. What do I do? I see all other countries listed. Is there another way to schedule appointments for Indians?
Please advise.
Hi,
A very informative post, Thank you. All 3 ( me, spouse and adult kid) of our visas expire in march. Me and spouse are eligible for interview waiver. Kid was a minor when last visa was issued so I guess will need to go for interview. So should I not add her as a dependant and instead, file a separate booking for her?
Thank you for the lucid overview about the entire process of renewal. Thanks a ton.
Hi Soumya,
Thank you for the great article, it was super informative.
I would request you to add an FAQ or as an information in the article.
I was asked to pay the dropbox charges in Cash. They didn’t accept any other mode of payment. Had to scout around for ATMs to get cash.
If you can add this information, other reader can carry cash.
Thank You.
Hi Soumya,
I am from Bangalore.I got the interview waiver and paid the fees. Also selected the drop off location.but after payment all I see is schedule appointment but option is only OFC post chennai and doing it today the appointment shows first available for April but as chennai VAC. There is no option that came for drop off documents and to select Bangalore. I thought for only drop off the appointment will be sooner and it shows appointment to be selected as Chennai VAC and 10:15 am . Where do we select drop off then. Isnt with interview waiver the drop off should be sooner? I am just completely confused.
Wonderful article! I am reading in some forums that we can only apply renewal of B1/B2 visa 6 months before expiry of current one. Could you please confirm where you have noticed that we can apply 12 months earlier?
My appointment letter shows interview waver for B1/B2. The time and date is 10 15 am on 9th April Chennai OFC. I have given my bangalore address and it does appear in the appointment but NOT as drop box location. Can i still go to bangalore location for drop box?