F1 VISA Guidance
It is important to obtain an I-20 from the U.S University that you wish to attend, before you apply for a visa appointment.
The SEVIS tracking number on the top-right of the I-20 is exclusively allotted for you and all I-20s sent to you will come with the same number. Hence, it is very essential to apply for the visa with the I-20 on hand and not with any other SEVIS number. Doing so may cause rejection of the visa application.
Please carry the photocopy of the first page of your passport to the Bank, without fail.
Visa Fees
Each applicant, including children are required to pay the following fees in order to schedule an appointment and appear for a U.S. Visa interview in India. The following fees will be applicable to you:
| Visa Category | Visa Fee in US Dollar | Visa Fee in INR |
| Student | $140 | INR 6580 |
Current Conversion Rate: 1 US $ = INR 47
VFS Service Charges (For all applicants)
VFS service charge - INR 359 (including service tax@10% and education cess @0.30%)
HDFC Bank Charges - INR 21 (including service tax@10% and education cess @0.30%)
Total Service Charge - INR 380
Note :
The Visa Application fee (MRV Fee) and VFS Service Charge is payable at designated HDFC Banks. Visa Application Fee (MRV Fee) is payable in cash or by DD/HDFC Bank cheque favoring “US Embassy - Visa Fees”. VFS Service Charge is payable in cash or by DD/HDFC Bank cheque favoring "HDFC Bank a/c VFS ". DDs issued by cooperative banks are not accepted.
You are required to submit a clear photocopy of the first page (biopage) of your current passport to the bank when making your payment. The bank will issue you a visa fee receipt in duplicate which will have a 10 digit barcode number affixed on it. You require this barcode number to schedule your interview appointment. Please note, you are required to wait for one working day from the date of purchase of your visa fee receipt before you can use it for scheduling your interview appointment.
If you are an Indian citizen resident in the U.S., to obtain a Visa Fee Receipt from HDFC Bank, please fax a copy of your passport’s data page to the person in India assisting you. That person will have to submit the fax to HDFC Bank in order to get a fee receipt issued.
The above fees are not refundable. You must appear for Visa Interview within 1 year (365 days) from the date you purchased your fee receipt from HDFC Bank. If you do not appear for an Interview within one year after the purchase of your fee receipt, it will no longer be valid. The receipt is deemed as utilized once the interview has taken place, and cannot be used to make a subsequent appointment.
After you have paid the application fee, please keep the HDFC Bank fee receipt for your records to carry for submission at the Embassy / Consulate, on the day of your interview. You will be required to submit the Embassy copy (blue or green copy as applicable).If you are applying for an interview at the Mumbai Consulate; you will be required to submit the original Embassy copy along with your application pack to the VFS centre.
Approved HDFC fees center:
https://www.vfs-usa.co.in /USIndia/pdf/HDFCLocationsfeescenter.pdf
Visa Application Process :
https://www.vfs-usa.co.in/USIndia/business_visafees.html
New Visa rules / procedures
No-Show Procedures
Applicants who fail to appear for their scheduled interview appointment at the U.S. Embassy / Consulate General are considered as No-Show applicants. If you are a No-Show, your VFS service charge receipt is deactivated. You are required to reactivate your fee receipt prior to scheduling a new interview appointment.
Applicants scheduled at the U.S. Consulate General Mumbai who have failed to submit their documents a minimum of 3 days prior to their interview are not allowed to appear for their interview appointment. These applicants are also considered as No-Show and must reactivate their fee receipt prior to scheduling a new interview appointment.
Note that your HDFC receipt is valid for a period of 1 year (365 days) from the date of purchase and entitles you to one appearance at the Embassy / Consulate General. You may not purchase a new Visa fee receipt if it is still valid. Please check the validity of the Visa fee receipt before you proceed to schedule a new interview appointment.
Steps for a No-Show applicant to schedule a new appointment
- Go to the nearest VFS application center a minimum of two working days after your scheduled interview. Bring your original HDFC receipt.
- Pay the VFS service charge of Rs 180/- inclusive of service tax @ 10% and education cess @ 0.30% per applicant to reactivate your receipt.
Note: VFS cannot reactivate receipts earlier than stated. - If something substantial in your situation has changed (e.g. travel plans, employment), a new DS-160 is required. Use the saved version to update your information and submit the new form. This will create a new CEAC barcode. If nothing in your situation has changed, use your original CEAC barcode when making your appointment.
- Return to this website and schedule a new appointment within the validity period of the receipt following the same procedure used in making your original appointment.
Emergency appointments
Emergency appointments are granted on a very limited basis for medical and humanitarian emergencies.
If it appears during the visa interview, that you misrepresented the reasons for travel, such facts will be noted on your case file and may adversely influence the outcome of your visa application. If the consular officer determines that you do not have a genuine emergency then he/she will postpone your interview 90 days from the date you appeared under the emergency provision. Emergency appointments must still complete form DS-160 on the Department of State website and purchase a valid fee receipt from HDFC bank prior to appearing for the interview.
To request an emergency appointment, please email your consular location specifying the purpose and urgency of travel. If your request for an emergency appointment is approved by the Consular section you will be sent a return email with details on further procedure to be followed.
U.S. Embassy New Delhi: ceand@state.gov
U.S. Consulate General, Chennai: chennainiv@state.gov
U.S. Consulate General, Hyderabad: hydniv@state.gov
U.S. Consulate General, Mumbai: ceamb@state.gov
U.S. Consulate General, Kolkata: KolkataEvisaApt@state.gov
