How to Fill the DS-160 Form 2026: Key Details, Steps to Get Application Form & Tips

DS-160 is an online nonimmigrant form for those applying for an F, J or M visa in the USA. Filing the DS-160 form is the first step towards completing the student visa process as an international student. This form is available online and has to be submitted online only through the official website of the US.

Every international student heading to the US on an F, J, or M visa has to clear one crucial first hurdle before booking a visa interview - the DS-160 form. This is the online, non-immigrant visa application that the US Department of State uses to collect your personal, academic, and travel details, and it's the very first step in the entire US student visa process. 

Unlike some other visa documents, the DS-160 can only be filled out and submitted through the official CEAC website, and it comes with zero application fee, though you'll still need to pay separately for SEVIS and MRV fee charges later. 

Getting each section right on DS-160 matters, since a single error can delay your visa timeline or even lead to complications at the interview stage. Once submitted, the confirmation page becomes your most important document, as it's what you'll actually need to carry to your visa interview.

This article breaks down the DS-160 form step by step, covering everything from starting your application to uploading your photo, along with the documents you'll need and the do's and don'ts to keep in mind before you begin.

What's New in DS-160 (2026)?

Keep these recent updates in mind before you begin your application:

• DS-160 now comes first: As of 2026, applicants must complete and submit the DS-160 before registering on the CGI portal, paying the visa fee, or booking an OFC appointment; the sequence of the entire visa process has shifted.
• Social media disclosure is stricter: You're required to list every social media account active in the last five years and set profiles to public, including inactive or deleted accounts. This applies to F-1 and J-1 applicants, and the vetting program has since expanded to cover several other visa categories as well.
• No editing after submission: Once submitted, responses generally cannot be changed, and key details like your name or date of birth are usually not editable at all. A mistake typically means filing a fresh DS-160.
• 30-day save window: You can work on the form across multiple sessions, but it must be submitted within 30 days of your last save unless you download and store a local copy.
• Sworn statement, not just paperwork: Legal experts now emphasise that the DS-160 functions as a sworn statement, meaning minor discrepancies can affect visa eligibility.

What is the DS 160 Application Form?

The DS 160 application form is an official document that aims to understand non-immigrants' background based on personal and professional arenas. This form acts as a source of information for the US Embassy, which assesses applicants and then offers them an interview request to further assess them or, in some cases, directly grants them a work or study visa for the USA. The DS 160 form is an important step towards completing the visa process in the USA. The DS 160 is an online application, the application number of which needs to be kept safely for further verification and visa process completion in the USA. Without completing the DS 160 form, the applicants cannot be offered a visa. Thus, those submitting a DS 160, should fill it with utmost care and within a timeframe to avoid getting stuck in a US visa interview slot booking.

How to Fill DS-160 Form?

Below, we have given the DS 160 Form filling guide and the attached screenshots. Check out the steps to apply for a DS-160 form as an international student once he/she gets a confirmation from the US university to study in the US:

Step 1: Log on to the website - https://ceac.state.gov/GenNIV/Default.aspx and start your application by clicking on the Start New Application option.

Step 2: Safely note your application ID and set a security question with a lot of care because these will be beneficial for retrieving the application at a later stage.

Step 3: Select ‘yes’ for all options in the Personal Information 1 & 2 sections and fill in the necessary details.

Step 4: Add all necessary options for travel information based on visas, accommodation and the travel plans shared and set.

Step 5: Add previous US travel details if applicable and go on to the next information set.

Step 6: Add address and phone numbers and submit along with all the relevant details as asked.

Step 7: Passport information is the next step towards completing the DS160.

Step 8: U.S. Point of Contact Information is for all applicants who will study in the USA and includes details of people who are known to the applicant, residing in the US and may be the point of contact in case of identification or emergency.

Step 9: Information about family members like relatives, partners, fiancés, deceased spouse or even former spouse and children, if any, residing in the US of the applicant.

Step 10: The next set of information in the DS 160 form is about the applicant’s present work or education or training-related information.

Step 11: This information includes the applicant’s previous work, education, or training-related information.

Step 12: Security and background checks 1 to 5 are next on the DS 160 application form list. Here, the applicant will have to fill in all the answers to the questions honestly.

Step 13: Additional Point of Contact is for applicants who will add contacts from their own country apart from their immediate family members.

Step 14: This is where the applicants opting to go on an F or M student visa and J student exchange visa in the US will have to add SEVIS fee information.

Step 15: The last step of filling out a DS160 application form is uploading a clear picture of the applicant. The specifications and details will be provided for the applicant. 

Step 16: By this time the applicant will have to review his/her DS-160 application form and submit it with digital signatures. 

Keep the confirmation page saved in an accessible place so that the applicant does not need to print it or hunt for it again if required for a visa interview. 

Documents Required for DS 160 Application 

The applicants submitting a DS160 form should have the following documents handy while completing it:

• A valid and recent passport
• Travel itinerary is only if the applicants have already made travel arrangements.
• Dates of the applicant’s last five trips to the US, if previously travelled. 
• Résumé or Curriculum Vitae is used to understand the applicant's work history.

• Students and Exchange Visitors (F, J, and M): You will be asked to provide your SEVIS ID, printed on your I-20 form or DS-2019, for reference.

Additional documents may be required by applicants filing the US visa application DS 160 form. Thus, applicants must fill out the DS 160 form carefully so that there is a lesser scope for errors and then get back to the form for corrections.

Do's & Don'ts Before Filing DS 160 Application

There are certain steps given below for applicants’ references to how to go about filling the DS-160 form followed by the list of documents required by the applicant in order to complete the application. Check the following pointers before proceeding to start filling out the DS-160 form:

• Applicants should access the DS-160 form on Chrome Internet Explorer 11 or Firefox.
• Avoid using Microsoft Edge and Safari browsers to access the DS-160 visa application. 
• DS-160 application form should have a clear picture and hence the specifications should be taken care of. 
• Be vigilant where there are mandatory questions and where there are optional questions on the DS-160.
• Ensure that once the DS160 is submitted, the applicants keep an extra copy of the printout of the confirmation page. 
• Lastly, the applicants must answer all questions and fill in all details in the English language. 

The DS160 is valid for F-1 visa holders, M-1 visa holders and J-1 visa holders in the USA, along with a few other temporary visa holders. 

Once the DS-160 application is submitted, the applicants must take a printout of the confirmation page. After the DS 160 is submitted with signatures and fees, applicants can book a slot for their student visa interview.

While appearing for a student visa interview, applicants may be required to carry along this confirmation page intimation. 

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