New DS-160 Electronic Visa Application Takes Effect

Mexico City – Effective January 20, 2010, individuals applying for a non-immigrant visa at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico will be required to submit a new application form, known as the DS-160 Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application. The U.S. Department of State developed this new application with a view toward streamlining and simplifying the process for applicants, as well as offering greater privacy protection for applicants.

Completing the new DS-160 application is simple:  the application must be completed online; there is no charge; and it does not require the use of intermediaries.  The visa applicant simply prints out a confirmation sheet with a bar code and brings this to the interview.  The bar code allows the Embassy to electronically access the information contained in the DS-160. Thus, the applicant will no longer need to provide a printed application form to the Consular Officer during the visa interview. 

Most importantly, this new application form offers several benefits to our visa applicants.

First, the new DS-160 simplifies the application process by replacing the previous forms:  DS-156, DS-157, and DS-158.  The applicant will not have to worry about which application they need to fill out.

Second, as the information provided in the form DS-160 can only be viewed by the applicant and the Embassy, the new form offers greater privacy. The previous application was printed with personal data and submitted on the day of the interview.

Finally, personal data will be processed before the applicant attends the interview.  Thus, it is recommended that the application be filled out two days prior to the appointment. If the application is filled out correctly, the process may be faster for everyone -- a great benefit considering up to 2 million Mexicans will be renewing their visas in 2010 alone.

It is important to remember that this application, like the previous one, must be completed in full, with accurate information and honesty. If applicants do not answer questions that apply, their applications may be rejected.  The new application does not minimize the requirement to provide proof of all economic and social ties outside the United States.

Individuals can access the DS-160 from the Department of State's Consular Electronic Application Center website https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/.  For information on how to schedule an appointment at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, or for a list of other visa requirements, please visit the U.S. Embassy's consular website at http://mexico.usembassy.gov/eng/evisas.html.

FAQs Regarding Online DS-160 for Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants in Mexico City

1.) Where can I find the DS-160?

You can access the DS-160 from the Consular Electronic Application Center website https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/ or from the link on Mexico City’s website.

 

2.) Are the questions in Spanish? Can my answers be in Spanish?

No, but you may scroll over each question with the cursor for an instant translation in Spanish.

 

All application answers, except as specially provided, must be in English, using English characters only.  Applications that are submitted in any language other than English may be denied, and you may be required to submit a new application. 

 

3.) Are all fields on the DS-160 mandatory?

Most fields on the DS-160 are mandatory.  You may leave fields marked “Optional” blank.  Some fields may also give you the option to select “Does Not Apply”. If that field does not apply to you, you may mark the box next to “Does Not Apply.”  All other fields must be completed: the application will not allow you to submit a form with any mandatory fields left blank. In this instance, an error message will be displayed and you will be required to complete the field before continuing with the application.  If you do not answer questions that apply, your form may also be rejected.

 

4.) What happens if I need to step away in the middle of data entry? How do I save my application?

The DS-160 will “time out” approximately 20 minutes after the application has been idle.  The “time out” is designed to protect your privacy.  If the application times out, all the data that has been entered will be lost.  In order to guard against possible “time out” issues you should save the application at regular intervals while you are completing the application.   To save the application, click the “Save” button at the bottom center of the application.  Clicking save will temporarily save your application.  In order to permanently save your application, select the “Save Application to File” button.  Then, click the “Save” button on the File Download window.  Identify a place on your computer to save the application file, browse to that location, and click the “Save” button on the “Save As” window.  The system will download your application to the specified location.  Once the download is complete you can click “Close” to return to the application.  You can then use the “Upload a Previous Application” option on the “Getting Started” page to upload the data that you have already entered.

 

5.) The DS-160 gives me an option to upload my photo.  Do I need to do this to complete the application?

Although the DS-160 does have an option to upload your own photo, at this time, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City captures photographs of each applicant without additional charge at the interview. There is no need to upload your photo or to pay anyone else to take a photo of you.

 

6.) Why did the edits I made from the review page not save?

In order for data changes made from the review page links to save, you must use the buttons at the bottom of each page to navigate, instead of the browser's back/forward buttons or the buttons along the left of the screen.

7.) Should I save my application before I submit it?

YES!  You should, if you can, save your application locally (to either your hard drive or a CD) before you submit your application.  Saving your application locally is beneficial in two ways.  First, if your application is rejected by the Embassy for being incomplete, i.e., your application contains nonresponsive answers or you failed to answer a critical question, you will be able access your saved application data, correct the nonresponsive or incomplete answers and submit the corrected application without having to complete an entirely new application.  Second, if you are a frequent visa applicant, you can update your saved application the next time you wish to apply for a visa and submit the updated application. This will save you time by not having to reenter information that has not changed since the last time you applied.   Refer to question 4 on how to save your application.

8.) Do I bring my entire application with me to the interview, or do I just bring the confirmation page (bar code sheet)?

You should not bring your entire application.  Your confirmation page is all that is needed to retrieve your application data. The confirmation page is the small sheet with the bar code that you print out after completing and saving your application. You must bring the confirmation page with you during all phases of the application process.  Without the confirmation page, it may not be possible to access your application and process your visa case.

9.) I am traveling with my family or as part of a group.  Can I create a family or group application?

Yes.  On the “Thank You” page you will see an option to create a family or group application.  When you select this option, certain information from your application, such as destination, will automatically  be imported to and displayed on a new application.  Please note that if you use this option you will still need to create an individual application for each of your family members traveling with you or for each individual within the group. 

10.) If I use the option on the "Thank You" page to create a family or group application, can I modify the data automatically populated by the system?

Yes. If one of the dependents has a different surname or nationality, for example, the applicant can alter that data on the application before submitting.

11.) I am applying for an E-Visa.  Do I need to fill out the DS-160 and the DS-156E?

It depends.  If you are an E-Visa Principal Investor (E-2) applicant, all you need to complete is the DS-160.  If you are a Treaty Trader or an Executive/Manager/Essential Employee you will need to complete the DS-160 and you or your employer will need to complete the paper DS-156E.  Next year a new form, the DS-161, E-Visa Business Information form, will be released.  This form will allow you or your employer to complete an online form and submit the form electronically to the Department.  Until that time all treaty traders, executives, managers, and essential employees of an E-Visa business will be required to complete and submit the paper DS-156E.