How long do I have to finish a DS-160 I left halfway?

You have 30 days to return with your Application ID. After that, you can only pick it up again if you saved it on your computer with «Save Application to File».

Can I reuse the details from an earlier DS-160?

Yes. You can upload a form you saved before, or retrieve an earlier one with its Application ID and create a new one with those details. Check that every detail is still up to date.

Does each family member need their own DS-160?

Yes, every traveller needs their own, children included. When you finish yours, the «Thank You» page lets you start a family or group application that copies some details, but each person still has their own form.

What if I lost my DS-160 confirmation page?

You can print it again. Go to the CEAC website, select your location, choose the option to retrieve your application and enter your Application ID.

Do I need to know English to fill in the DS-160?

The DS-160 is answered only in English, using characters of the English alphabet. You can view the questions translated into other languages, but every answer goes in English. With TraviTap, Travi asks you one question at a time so nothing is left out.

I corrected my DS-160 after booking my appointment in India. What now?

Take both the original and the corrected confirmation pages to the VAC, or cancel your appointment and reschedule it with the new DS-160 number.

How to fill the DS-160 step by step

By TraviTap · Updated October 27, 2026

Travi, the TraviTap mascot, fills in an online form on his laptop in a cozy living room with patterned cushions and a brass tea tray

The DS-160 is the online form the United States asks for when you apply for a B1/B2 tourist visa from India. You fill it in on the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) website: note down your Application ID, move page by page with your details exactly as they appear in your passport, answer everything in English and review it all before the final page. At TraviTap, Travi, the expert agent, walks you through every step so you can present your visa application without mistakes, easily and quickly.

What is the DS-160 and who needs it?

The DS-160 is the US Department of State's online form for nonimmigrant visas, such as the B1/B2 visa for tourism and business visits. Every traveller needs their own DS-160, children included. The consular officer decides on your visa based on your application and your interview, so what you answer here matters. That is why, at TraviTap, Travi focuses on making every answer complete and consistent with your passport.

What do you need before you start?

Keep these ready before you open the form:

Your valid passport.
Your travel itinerary, if you already have plans.
The dates of your last five visits to the US, if you have been before.
Your travel history to other countries over the last five years (it may be asked).
Your work and education history, as you would list it on a CV.
The usernames of the social media accounts you have used in the last five years.
The name and address of your contact person or hotel in the US.

If you prepare it with TraviTap, Travi asks for these details one at a time, in a conversation, so you don't have to gather everything at once.

How do you fill in the DS-160 step by step?

The form moves page by page. These are its main sections.

1. Choose where you will apply and note down your Application ID

Open the CEAC website, select the location where you will apply for your visa and set up a recovery question. In India, the interview locations are New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. The system then gives you an Application ID: write it down, because without it you cannot return to your form.

If your interview ends up being in a different city, that post can open your form using the barcode on your confirmation page.

2. Enter your personal and passport details

Write your surname and given names exactly as they appear in your passport. If your passport shows only one name, it goes in «Surname». Add any other names you have used, such as a maiden name. If your passport has a Passport Book Number, the form asks for it too; not every passport has one.

3. Describe your trip and your previous travel

State the purpose of your trip, your estimated dates, where you will stay and who is paying. Next come your travel companions and your previous US visits and visas.

4. Add your address, phone number and social media

Your primary phone number is the one where you are easiest to reach. The form also asks for the usernames of the social media accounts you have used in the last five years.

5. Add your US contact and your family details

Enter the person, hotel or organisation you will be in touch with in the US. Then come details of your parents, your spouse if this applies, and any relatives living in the US.

6. Complete your work and education details

Describe your current job or studies. For previous jobs, the form asks only for your last two employers; you can take a complete list to your interview if you wish.

7. Answer the background questions and review everything

These are yes-or-no questions. Answer every one truthfully: the electronic signature at the end of the form certifies that the answers are true and correct. Review each page before the final step («Sign Application») and keep the confirmation page with the barcode, because you will need it in the next stages.

To fix something from the review page, use the buttons at the bottom of each page, not your browser's buttons; otherwise the change may not be saved.

Which language do you answer the DS-160 in?

The DS-160 is answered only in English, using characters of the English alphabet. You can view the questions translated into other languages with the menu at the top right of the form, but every answer still goes in English. Your name and passport details go exactly as they appear in the document.

How do you save your progress and come back later?

Each page is saved when you click «Next». With your Application ID and your recovery question, you can return to an unfinished form for 30 days. If you need more time, save it on your computer with «Save Application to File». If your connection drops, you pick up from the last page you completed. Don't save that file on a public or shared computer.

Mistakes to avoid

Writing your name differently from how it appears in your passport.
Losing your Application ID.
Using the browser's back button and losing your changes.
Leaving out trips, previous visas or social media accounts.
Leaving blank a question that does apply to you. If a question does not apply, the answer is «Does Not Apply».
Changing your DS-160 after booking your appointment and forgetting the paperwork. In India, if you corrected your DS-160 after booking, take both the original and the new confirmation pages to the VAC, or cancel and reschedule with the new number.

Travi is designed exactly for this: with TraviTap, you review everything on a single screen before moving on.

What comes after the DS-160?

The DS-160 is the first step. In India, it is followed by the visa fee, the appointment on the US Visa Scheduling portal (usvisascheduling.com), the visit to the Visa Application Centre (VAC) and the interview. Travi also guides you through the appointment process, helps you prepare for the interview and is available at any hour to answer your questions. You will find more guides on the TraviTap blog.

Sources

We cite these pages as sources of information so you can check the details. TraviTap is an independent app and is not affiliated with the US government, its embassy or its consulates. Consulted on 20 October 2026.