It is mandatory that you obtain a visa if you want to enter the United States of America. However, there are certain groups of people who are excused from this requirement. If you have the intention of visiting the United States for any reason at all, you must apply for US visa well in advance to avoid delay in processing.
The two basic types of US visas are immigrant and non-immigrant visas. The former is for categories of people that want to move to US and settle down permanently while the latter is for those that visit US on professional conferences, business trips, pleasure trips, medical treatments, sports among others for a temporary period of time. You must first find out the purpose of your visit to the US before choosing the type of visa that is appropriate for you.
Tips to Applying for a US Visa
Your visa application must be completed and submitted at the US Consulate in your home country. Once your application gets cleared, you will be invited for a personal interview. If you are successful in the interview, your visa will be processed and given to you.
However, the fact that you are granted a US visa does not mean that you can enter the US but makes you eligible to request for permission to enter the United States.
Applying for US Visa Online
If you want to apply for US visa online, you have to use form DS-160 and form DS-260 for non-immigrant and immigrant visas respectively. These forms are used to collect all the essential information from the applicant. If you are processing your application online, you have to submit same to the website of the US Department of State.
Hence, the first step in the US visa application process is submitting it online. You have to contact the nearest US consulate to corroborate if they need a personal interview after filing.
Benefits of Applying for US Visa Online
It is not all that necessary to complete your US visa application at a stretch. You can complete the forms partially and saved up to that extent. Therefore, if you apply for US visa online, you can access this benefit and finish the application process. Moreover, you can do this at your own convenient and from the comfort of your residence which will save you your precious time.