How to Schedule Your US Visa Appointment

Where to schedule your appointment depends on which visa you need

You schedule a US visa appointment through the State Department's official visa portal, Consular Affairs Online Appointment Scheduling System (CAOS), which is the only place the government accepts new appointment requests. The portal is at ais.usvisa-info.com. You do not call, email, or walk in — the system is entirely online.

Before you go to the portal, you need to know which visa category fits your situation. A tourist or business trip is a B-1/B-2 visa. Work is an H-1B, L-1, or O-1 depending on the job. Study is an F-1. Family sponsorship is an IR or CR visa for immediate relatives, or an F-2 for other family members. Each category has its own appointment queue and its own document requirements, so choosing the wrong one wastes time.

The consulate or embassy where you schedule also matters. You must schedule at the post that covers the area where you live or work, not the one closest to you geographically. If you live in Tokyo, you schedule in Tokyo even if another post has shorter wait times. The State Department website lists which post covers which region — search "US embassy [your country]" to find the right one.

Key Takeaways

• Schedule through ais.usvisa-info.com, the State Department's official system; no other method is accepted for new appointments.
• You must know your visa category (B-1/B-2 for tourism, F-1 for study, H-1B for work, IR/CR for family) before you start, because each has different documents and different wait times.
• You schedule at the consulate or embassy that covers where you live or work, not the one with the shortest wait time.
• The system shows you available dates for your location and visa type; you pick a date and time, then pay the visa fee before your appointment is confirmed.
• Wait times between scheduling and your actual appointment range from weeks to many months depending on the post and visa type.

Creating your account and finding available dates

Go to ais.usvisa-info.com and select your country from the dropdown. The site will show you the consulates and embassies in that country. Click the one that covers your region. You will then choose your visa category from a list.

Next, you create an account with an email address and password. The system will ask you basic questions: your full name, date of birth, passport number, and which consulate you are applying through. Answer exactly as they appear in your passport — mismatches cause delays later. You will also enter your phone number; the consulate may text or call you with appointment changes.

Once your account is set up, the system shows you available appointment dates for your visa type at that post. The calendar is color-coded: green dates have openings, gray dates are full. The dates shown depend on how many appointments the consulate has released that week. Some posts release dates weeks in advance; others release them a few days at a time. If you do not see dates you want, check back in a few days.

Click a green date and you will see available times. Pick the one that works for you. The system will ask you to confirm your choice and then direct you to pay the visa fee. You cannot hold a date without paying.

Paying the visa fee and what happens next

The visa fee varies by visa type. A B-1/B-2 tourist visa costs $160. An F-1 student visa costs $350. Work visas (H-1B, L-1, O-1) cost $190 to $315 depending on the category. Family visas (IR, CR, F-2) cost $325 to $535. These are the fees you pay to schedule the appointment; they do not include any fees you may owe later if your visa is issued.

Payment is online through the system. You can use a credit card, debit card, or bank transfer depending on which payment methods your consulate accepts. After you pay, the system sends you a confirmation email with your appointment date, time, location, and a confirmation number. Save this email and the confirmation number — you will need both on the day of your appointment.

The consulate will also send you instructions on what documents to bring. Read these carefully. They are specific to your visa type and your post. A B-1/B-2 visa requires a passport, the DS-160 form confirmation, and proof of ties to your home country (bank statements, property deeds, employment letters). An F-1 requires the I-20 form from your school, proof of financial support, and your passport. Bring originals and copies of everything the consulate lists.

What to do if no dates are available

If the calendar shows no green dates, the consulate has released all its appointments for the visible time window and they are booked. This does not mean appointments are gone forever — consulates release new dates regularly, sometimes weekly. Check back every few days, especially early in the morning your local time, because new dates often appear then.

Some posts have longer waits than others. A consulate in a major city with high visa demand (London, Mexico City, Manila) may show dates months away. A smaller post may show dates weeks away. You cannot move your appointment to a different post unless you actually move to that post's jurisdiction, so if the wait is long, you have to wait.

If you have an urgent reason to travel (a family emergency, a job start date you cannot move), contact the consulate directly after you have scheduled. Many posts have an expedite request process, though they grant these rarely and only for genuine emergencies. The consulate's website lists how to request expediting and what documents you need to prove the emergency.

Rescheduling or canceling your appointment

Log back into ais.usvisa-info.com with your email and password. Your account will show your scheduled appointment. Click the option to reschedule or cancel. If you reschedule, the system shows you available dates again; pick a new one and confirm. If you cancel, you lose the visa fee you paid — most consulates do not refund it.

If the consulate cancels your appointment (they sometimes do if they close for a holiday or emergency), they will email you. The email will tell you how to reschedule at no extra cost. Reschedule as soon as you can, because the consulate may not hold your fee indefinitely.

What to bring and what to expect on appointment day

Bring your passport, the confirmation email with your appointment number, and all documents the consulate listed in their instructions. Arrive 15 minutes early. You will go through security, then wait to be called. A consular officer will interview you — the length and depth depend on your visa type. A tourist visa interview may be five minutes. A work visa or family visa may be 20 minutes or longer.

The officer will ask why you are going to the United States, how long you plan to stay, where you will live, and whether you have ties to your home country. Answer honestly and directly. If you are nervous, that is normal — the officer expects it. If you do not understand a question, ask them to repeat it.

After the interview, the officer will tell you whether your visa is approved, denied, or pending further review. If approved, they will keep your passport and issue your visa within a few days to a few weeks, depending on the post. They will tell you when to pick it up or whether they will mail it to you. If denied, they will explain why and tell you whether you can reapply.

Common problems and how to fix them

The system will not let you schedule if your passport expires within six months of your intended travel date. US law requires your passport to be valid for the entire duration of your stay plus six months. If your passport is expiring soon, renew it before you try to schedule.

If you enter your information wrong during account creation (a misspelled name, a wrong passport number), you may not be able to change it in the system. Contact the consulate directly with your confirmation number and ask them to correct it. Do this as soon as you notice the error, because mismatches between your account and your actual documents can cause your appointment to be canceled.

If you forget your password, click "Forgot Password" on the login page. The system will send a reset link to your email. If you forget the email address you used to create your account, you will need to contact the consulate to look it up.

If you are outside your home country and want to schedule at a different post, you may be able to do so, but rules vary by post and visa type. Some posts allow it; others require you to schedule in your country of residence. Check the specific post's website before you try to schedule elsewhere.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I schedule an appointment before I have my passport?

No. You need a valid passport number to create your account in the system. If your passport is not yet issued, wait until you have it before you schedule. If you are renewing a passport, you can use your new passport number once it is issued.

What if I miss my appointment?

Contact the consulate immediately. Some posts will reschedule you at no cost if you have a legitimate reason (illness, travel delay, emergency). Others may charge you the visa fee again. The consulate's website explains their policy. Do not simply skip the appointment and assume you can schedule again later.

How long does it take to get an appointment after I schedule?

Wait times vary widely by post and visa type. Some posts have appointments available within weeks; others have waits of three to six months or longer. The calendar on ais.usvisa-info.com shows the actual available dates for your location, so that is the most accurate way to see how long you will wait.

Can I schedule for someone else?

No. Each person must create their own account and schedule their own appointment. If you are scheduling for a child, you create an account using the child's information, but you will attend the appointment with them.

What if the consulate website says the visa category I need is not available?

Some posts do not process certain visa types. For example, a small consulate may not process work visas. If your visa type is not listed, you must schedule at a different post that does process it, even if it is farther away. Check the State Department's main visa website to find which posts handle your category.