Blog · Visas

How to get a US tourist visa

Updated 16 October 2026

Step by step: the DS-160 form, the consular fee, the interview and the documents - so the process goes fast and without surprises.

Three steps to a visa

The United States draws tourists from all over the world: the skyscrapers of New York, the beaches of Miami, the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls. To go there you need a visa - here is how to get one.

Step 1. The DS-160 form

It is completed on the official website of the US Department of State. The decision to approve or refuse is often made precisely on the basis of this form, so fill it in carefully - check every answer: the consul compares the form with what you say. The information is entered in English (except the applicant's name, which is given exactly as in the passport).

Step 2. The consular fee

Payment is made online in your personal account on the Department of State website. The amount depends on the visa category, and you pay in the currency of the country where you will have your interview.

Step 3. The interview

You can only book online. Choose the date and place of the interview carefully: they are fixed once booked. The conversation takes only a few minutes: usually you are asked a couple of questions and told the decision straight away. Answer everything directly, honestly and calmly.

Where it is better to apply

Since 6 September 2025 the US Department of State requires visa interviews in the country of nationality or residence. If the US embassy in your country does not issue visas, the Department of State designates a consulate in another country for your nationality.

You can apply in another country if you hold a residence permit there and can prove it. In the country of your nationality or residence the visa is easiest to get.

So the place to apply is set by your nationality or residence, not by the length of the queue. What matters is status: a residence permit in a country where applying is convenient. Where to apply with your passport and permit, ask an expert.

Documents and timelines

Document list:

• Passport. Current or past visas in your passport improve your chances of approval - the more you have travelled, the better your visa history.
• Employment letter. For the applicant or the sponsor of the trip, stating the position, the salary and the company's field of business.
• Confirmation page from the Department of State website - it is generated automatically once the form is completed, and it is the only page you need to print.
• Additional documents - depending on the situation, the purpose of the trip and the applicant's status and age.

You do not have to book a hotel or flights, but you do need to explain clearly where you are going, what you will be doing and where you will stay. If the visa is approved, the documents are usually ready within 3 days. Under reciprocity, the validity of the visa depends on your nationality, up to 10 years with multiple entries, and the length of each stay, typically up to 6 months, is set by the border officer.

What it costs in 2026

• Consular fee - $185 per person, including children. It is paid before booking the interview, for each application.
• Visa integrity fee - $250, set by the law of 4 July 2025 and payable at visa issuance; the agencies announce the start date separately, so check the consulate page before paying.
• Travel to the interview - if the consulate is in another city or country, a flight and 1-3 nights there.
• Photos and translations - a 5 by 5 cm photo, English translations of certificates where needed.
• Travel medical insurance - not mandatory, but US healthcare is very expensive; a policy usually costs $50-150 per trip.
• Our support - quoted after a consultation, depending on your visa history and the consulate.

We will work out the total for your family in the chat.

Steps and timeline

1. Application form - 1-2 days: filling in, checking answers, photo.
2. Fee payment and booking - the wait for an interview date ranges from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the consulate and season.
3. Interview - a few minutes with the consul, and the decision is usually given on the spot.
4. Administrative processing - if the consul requests documents or sends the case for review, it takes from a few weeks to a few months.
5. Passport return with the visa - usually 3-10 working days.

Plan your trip no earlier than 2-4 months after starting preparation, and buy tickets only after you have the visa.

Documents: what to bring and where to get them

• Passport - valid for at least 6 months beyond the trip, plus old passports with visas.
• Form confirmation, appointment and receipt - printouts from your account.
• Employment letter - from your employer: position, salary, length of service, leave for the trip. Business owners bring a registry extract and tax returns.
• Bank statements for 3-6 months - from online banking.
• Property documents - an extract from the property register.
• Marriage and birth certificates - if you travel without your family, they show you have someone to return to.
• For a business trip - an invitation from a US company or conference registration.
• For a child travelling without one parent - notarised consent from the other parent.

The consul may not look at a single paper, but if asked, every answer should be backed by a document.

How to get approved the first time

Approval rests on five things, and the main one is showing the consul that you will return home: work, income, family, past travel.

• Ties to home. This is what the consul checks under section 214(b) of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act: a job and length of employment, income, family, a home, travel to other countries. The stronger the ties, the easier the approval. We help gather proof of these ties before you apply.
• A clear purpose of travel, supported by documents and matching what the tourist visa allows.
• Accurate information on the form and at the interview. We state everything as it is and check the form before you apply: accuracy is the basis of approval and of future trips.
• A clean travel record. Past stays in the United States within the permitted period and no work on a tourist visa count in your favour for this visa and the next ones.
• Consistent answers on the form, at the interview and on the social media accounts listed on the form. We check them before you apply.

If the consul sends the case for administrative processing, it is not a refusal but a pause: the decision arrives by email, and no new fee is needed.

What the visa allows

The visa covers tourism, medical treatment, visiting relatives, negotiations, conferences, signing contracts and short recreational courses. Work and study for credit need other visas, and we handle those too.

The length of stay is set by the border officer on entry, usually up to 6 months. You can extend it by applying to immigration authorities before it expires. Alternate long trips with clear breaks: this shows the border officer that you are visiting.

What changes in 2026

• Interviews for almost everyone. From 2 September 2025 most interview waivers ended, and from 1 October 2025 children under 14 and people over 79 also attend interviews.
• Applying in your country of nationality or residence from 6 September 2025; where the local US embassy does not issue visas, the Department of State designates another consulate.
• A new $250 fee at visa issuance is set by the law of 4 July 2025; the agencies announce the start date separately.
• The 75-country pause from 21 January to 21 August 2026 affected only immigrant visas, not tourist visas.
• The electronic travel authorisation for visa-free countries rose to $40; travellers from other countries apply for a regular visa, as described on this page.

Alternatives to compare

• US talent visa - a 3-year work visa for people with achievements.
• US green card by investment - permanent status for the family, without tourist limits.
• Digital nomad visas - residence in a country from which it is easier to apply for a US visa.

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