Summary

Location: India

Visa type: F-1

Admit semester: Spring 2027 (Deferred from Fall 2026)

Consulate/VAC: Mumbai

Current status: Finished biometrics, pending consular interview

Month of MRV Fee payment: June

Date of biometrics completion: Aug 16th, 2026.

Scheduled date of consular interview: Aug 25th, 2026

Number of prior reschedules done: 0

Date of this post: 19th August, 2026

The actual problem

usvisascheduling.com does not display me the Reschedule Appointment option anymore. I raised the case in the website yesterday, but have no response yet. Today, I also contacted the US Visa Support helpline in India, but I got contradictory opinions from two different persons, on the same day. I also contacted an agent, his understanding of the system was again different from the first two. As of now, I am not even sure whether I am allowed to reschedule the interview or not.

Reason for slot rescheduling

My college seems unlikely to produce the updated I-20 (with the new start and end dates) before the consular interview date. Attending the interview with my old I-20 and DS-160 could lead to a visa rejection or even otherwise has the risk of denied entry at the time of arrival.

Reason for admit deferral

I deferred my admit as the semester begins from Aug 24th, a day after the scheduled interview date. I tried getting earlier slots for the interview but had no success. I do not want to arrive in the US in a rushed manner while missing the classes. I have already missed the orientation. I also need to provide sufficient notice at my current job.

What I need advise regarding

Either with or without the rescheduling, my plan has been to get the new I-20, then fill a new DS-160 and produce the new documents along with the original I-20 and the DS-160 during the interview.

Based on the university response regarding the ETA, rescheduling/cancelling looks like the only viable step for me. But I don't know what are the right procedures to follow. The opinions I got are various:

Support agent 1 (US Visa scheduling support)

>You cannot reschedule or cancel consular appointments at all after attending biometrics. Let the appointment lapse (by missing the consular interview and becoming a no-show) and then create a fresh visa application and book slots.

Support agent 2 (US Visa scheduling support)

>You definitely can reschedule/cancel consular interviews after completing biometrics, upto 72 hours before the scheduled consular interview. Wait for the consulate to respond on the case raised on the portal.

Private Consultant

>Option to reschedule is available even after completing the biometrics, but only until 6 business days before the interview. In your case it seems to have been disabled one day earlier than usual. If it doesn't become available again, then do a no-show and wait for a few more days so that the portal updates itself and allows you to book just the consular slot again

US Travel Docs

It is very vague It doesn't even recognize the possibility of having to reschedule just the consular interview. I would imply from it what Support agent 1 said - No rescheduling after biometrics. https://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/en/general-information#faqs

Other sources including Reddit

This guy, below, was able to reschedule just the consular interview for F1 from India last month. But there are other posts too from various timelines that say otherwise.

https://www.reddit.com/r/f1visa/comments/1v529nc/will_changing_my_consular_appointment_after_doing/

Final thoughts

I don't want to book biometrics slot again or attend biometrics again, as the biometric slot bookings were a bloodshed this year (F1 specifically). Just rebooking a consular slot seems easier. Also, I am trying to avoid repaying the MRV fee. I am also trying to avoid doing anything that can get me blocked from booking slots for a prolonged period - as I need to reach the campus in January 2027.

I am really clueless about the situation now.

Hi all, I’d really appreciate an honest read on my profile before I put down the fee.

About me:
• Indian citizen, based in Bengaluru
• Self-employed. I own a private limited company (software consultancy) registered here
• ITR around ₹12L for the current year, filed consistently
• Own a property, registered in my name as co-applicant
• Never travelled to the US before

Travel history: Dubai (2022), Georgia, Azerbaijan, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia. All trips self-funded, always returned on time, no overstays. No Schengen or UK visa yet.

Purpose: Mainly tourism. I want to see the country, and I’d be funding the trip myself.

I do have a few paying clients based in the US — they show up in my company’s accounts as regular invoiced revenue — and I could meet a couple of them in person while I’m there. Nothing formal is planned yet.

Questions:

1. My travel is all visa-free or visa-on-arrival destinations for an Indian passport. Does that count for much with a US officer, or do they mainly care about “hard” visas like Schengen and UK?

2. Given the US clients, should I apply as B1/B2 rather than pure B2? Or does mentioning client meetings just complicate a straightforward tourist application?

3. If I do mention meeting clients, what proof is expected — invoices and bank credits from my company account, or do I need letters from the clients themselves?

4. Chennai seems to have the shortest wait right now. Any downside to booking there instead of my “home” consulate?

5. How much bank balance I need to maintain?

Anyone with a similar profile — self-employed, running your own company, clients abroad — I’d love to hear how your interview went and what you were asked.
Thanks in advance.

I’m Brazilian, but I’ve lived in Japan since I was 1 year old. I have permanent residency here, I’ve been at my current job for 2 years, I live alone and my apartment is under my name. I also own a car that’s registered under my name.
My boyfriend is American and serves in the military. We met here in Japan while he was stationed at a military base. Unfortunately, he’s going back to the US in about a month, and I would like to visit him and his family toward the end of the year.
I’m thinking about applying for a B2 tourist visa, but I’m really nervous about being honest about visiting my boyfriend. I would be staying with his family for a few days, so obviously I would have to put that on my application. I’m worried that having an American boyfriend and staying with his family could make the officer think I have immigrant intent and deny me.
At the same time, I’m scared to lie or hide the fact that I’m visiting him and then have problems at the border. My boyfriend thinks I should just tell the truth, but I’m still really worried about being denied.
I genuinely intend to return to Japan after the trip. My whole life is here. I’ve lived here almost my entire life, I have permanent residency, a stable job, my own apartment, and my own car.
What do you guys think? Would you be completely honest about the boyfriend and staying with his family? Has anyone been in a similar situation, especially someone who applied from Japan as a permanent resident?
I’d really appreciate honest opinions, even if they’re not what I want to hear 😭

Country: India
Visa Type: B2 Tourist Visa
Location: Hyderabad
Applicants: Family of 4 – Father, Mother, Sister and Me

I recently completed the US B2 visa process with my family of four in Hyderabad. I used Reddit extensively while preparing for our interview, so sharing our experience for anyone currently waiting for their appointment.

Timeline

• DS-160 submitted: August 1, 2025
• Visa fee paid: August 1, 2025
• OFC/Biometrics: July 28, 2026
• Interview: August 17, 2026
• Interview location: US Consulate General, Hyderabad
• Interview time: 8:15 AM

When we paid the visa fee in August 2025, the only available Hyderabad slots were around August 2026, so we had to wait almost a year. I handled the entire booking and application process myself without using an agent.

OFC / Biometrics – July 28

Our appointment was at 3:00 PM. We reached around 2:30 PM and waited outside. They allowed people in according to their appointment slots.

At the entrance, they checked our passports and DS-160 confirmation pages.

My parents had renewed their passports after submitting their DS-160s, so their passport numbers no longer matched. We were told to submit new DS-160s. There was a help center in the same building where their staff filled out the new forms based on the information we provided. They charged ₹500 per person, so carrying cash is useful.

Also, keep in mind that DS-160 forms are valid for one year from the date of submission. If it has been more than a year since you submitted your DS-160, it would be better to fill out a new form at home beforehand and carry the new confirmation page. This way, you can avoid having to fill out a new DS-160 at the OFC.

Phones, watches and other electronics were not allowed inside, although lockers were available.

After the DS-160 correction, we were given a number and called to a counter where they checked our documents, took our photographs and fingerprints, and attached a barcode sticker to the back of our passports.

Keep this sticker safe because it is scanned again at the consulate.

The whole OFC process took around 15–20 minutes for us, mainly because of the DS-160 correction. Otherwise, it would probably take less than 10 minutes.

Visa Interview – August 17

Our appointment was at 8:15 AM. We reached the consulate around 7:30 AM and left our phones and other belongings in the car.

Around 7:45 AM, they started calling the 8:00 AM batch. Once they entered, the 8:15 AM batch was asked to form a line.

At the entrance, they took our passports and scanned the barcode sticker from the OFC appointment.

We then went through security, similar to airport security. Documents, car keys, belts and other belongings were placed in trays for checking, followed by a security scanner and pocket check.

Inside, there was another queue leading to the interview booths. There were around 20 booths, with the officer sitting behind glass.

Documents We Carried

We carried:

1. Old and new passports
2. DS-160 confirmation pages
3. Appointment confirmation
4. Last 6 months' bank statements
5. Invitation letter from our relative in the US
6. Relative's US passport and visa copy
7. Property documents
8. My job offer letter
9. My sister's university allotment letter

We were not asked for a single document during the interview.

Interview Experience

Since we had a family appointment, all four of us were interviewed together.

The officer was polite and easygoing.

Officer: Good morning. All of your passports please.
Me: Good morning, here are all our passports.

The officer entered our passport details and reviewed the DS-160 for around a minute.

Officer: What is the purpose of your travel?
Me: Tourism and sightseeing.

Officer: What places do you plan on visiting?
Me: San Francisco, San Diego, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

Officer: What's the planned duration?
Me: 2–3 weeks.

Officer: Who is sponsoring the trip?
Me: My father.

Officer: Did you travel internationally before?
Me: No, this will be our first international trip.

He then asked my father:

Officer: What is your occupation?
Father: I have an automobile business here in Hyderabad.

Officer: How much do you earn?
Father: Around ₹1.5–2 lakh per month.

He asked my mother and sister what they do. My mother said she is a housewife and my sister said she is studying engineering.

He then asked me:

Officer: What do you do?
Me: I'm a software engineer at [Company].

Officer: How much do you earn?
Me: ₹50,000 per month.

He then asked:

Officer: Do you have any relatives in the US?
Me: Yes, my father's brother is a US citizen and lives in California.

Finally:

Officer: As a family, do you feel threatened in your country?
Me: No.

Officer: Is there anything stopping you from returning to your country?
Me: No.

The officer then took the fingerprints of all four of us and told us that our visas would be issued.

That was the entire interview.

We were not asked to show any financial documents, property documents, invitation letter or any other supporting document.

One thing I noticed while waiting was that the experience can vary significantly depending on the officer. At some nearby counters, I saw applicants being rejected, and those officers appeared to have a much more serious interaction with the applicants. This is only my personal observation and shouldn't be taken as a general rule.

Visa Status

After returning home, I checked our status on the CEAC visa status website.

All four applications showed Approved on August 17.

The next day, August 18, at around 1 PM, all four changed to Issued.

We selected passport pickup and are currently waiting for the passports to be ready.

Final Tips

• Carry your supporting documents even if they aren't requested.
• Keep answers short and direct.
• Make sure everyone traveling together knows the basic itinerary, duration, sponsor and accommodation details.
• Don't panic if the officer takes some time or appears to be typing on the computer during the interview. This is a regular part of the process as they review or enter information into their system.
• Keep the OFC barcode sticker on your passport safe.
• If your passport was renewed after submitting the DS-160, check the passport number carefully before your appointment.
• Carry cash at the OFC in case you need assistance submitting a new DS-160.

After waiting almost a year for the appointment, the actual interview was only a few minutes and was much more straightforward than I expected.

Hopefully this helps someone preparing for their Hyderabad B2 interview.

I have already submitted my DS-160 listing my status as single. Now, I am filling out the application for my future wife, listing her status as married and adding her as a dependent on the US visa scheduling portal to book our slots. Before our appointment, I plan to fill out a new DS-160 for myself as married and bring both confirmation pages. Will it be a problem if my spouse's DS-160 lists her as married, given that we will both be married by the time of the interview

Visa : H1B

My parents had their interview yesterday and their visa was rejected on the grounds of 214(b). He was asked the purpose of the visit which is to visit for me and my wife and the duration for which he said 2 months. He was then asked for my visa documents and he provided my i797 which has a validity until Feb 2027. He also provided them with my bank statement and DL. He was then asked what he does to which he said he runs a small textile shop. He was asked for no documentation and the officer rejected their visa. I'm not a 100 percent sure what went wrong. Is it worth reapplying and if yes, what could possibly strengthen the case?

Hello everybody! We've finally received our CR1 Visa after 2 years! I had a question about entering without my petitioner being in the country though. The paper given to me says "you cannot travel to the United States before your petitioner has traveled to take up residence. You must travel at the same time or after them."

My petitioner will be visiting me in the UK where I am from and we will be going back to the US together, however I will be arriving 2 hours before them due to being unable to secure the same flight back. Will this be an issue? My petitioner will already have "taken up residence" in the US as he lives there, but it also says I must travel at the same time as them? Will this be an issue, or would I be able to wait 2 hours behind CBP for them to arrive as well?

Thank you for helping!!

Hey everyone,

Had my visa interview on 4th August in Chennai, status changed to "Issued" on 5th August. I'd requested pickup in Bangalore. It's been almost 10 working days now and still no update on delivery. My flight is on 27th August, so next week, and I'm starting to get anxious about the timing.

Has anyone been through something similar? How long did it actually take for the passport to arrive after "Issued"? Also open to any tips on how to follow up or speed things up if this happens.

Thanks in advance, appreciate any help.

Hi all,
Ive been seeing cases of rejection in multiple subs and wanted to ask if this would be the right approach.
My parents are retired in India and I have an h4 visa and my spouse is on h1b. We are expecting our first child in January so we decided to apply for their tourist visas strictly to visit for celebrations purpose and to see the birth of their first grandchild. We applied their visa along with my sister who is working in India and she has educational loan and also car loan and has a package above 15 lpa.
She also has masters from Canada and worked and lived in Canada for 5 years and returned to India after her work permit expired.
My parents also have Canadian travel history and hold its tourist visa and visited me last year during holidays for 3 months and left.
I also have a Canadian Permanent Residency. My parents have property they can show their ties to. My husband is the one sponsoring the trip and they don’t have bank balances or fds but all the money is in multiple properties and gold. They also intend to stay just for 1 month and my sister for 2 weeks because she cant leave her job for longer.
Is this a strong case? Or should I be prepped for anything else with extra documentation?
Any advice is appreciated. Thank you!

Hey everyone,

Like many of you, I have my H-1B approval but cannot find a stamping appointment in India. It is incredibly frustrating being stuck in the U.S. and unable to travel to see family because the U.S. Department of State isnt releasing enough slots.

Instead of just waiting around, I want to take action. I am organizing a mass letter-writing campaign to our local U.S. Representatives and Senators to pressure the State Department for more visa slots and faster processing. Lawmakers pay attention when enough voters and local workers complain about the same issue.

I started a Telegram group to help us coordinate this by state, share ready-to-use letter templates, and track our progress.

If you are tired of waiting and want to make your voice heard, please join us!
Please DM to join group

Hi everyone, I’m writing this post to seek advice and insights from former/current Au Pairs and anyone experienced with US J-1 visa and agency procedures.
I’m currently navigating a complicated situation regarding my DS-2019 status and visa re-application, and I would really appreciate your guidance on the best way forward.
Current Situation Overview:
My profile is currently on hold/affected following a visa refusal and the subsequent cancellation/invalidation of my DS-2019 by my current sponsor agency.
I am weighing two options: strongly advocating (with host family support) to have the current agency reopen/reissue my DS-2019, or starting fresh by switching to a different designated sponsor agency (e.g., Cultural Care, Au Pair in America, EurAupair, etc.).
Key Questions I Need Advice On:
DS-2019 Reissuance: Has anyone successfully had their DS-2019 reinstated or reissued by an agency after a visa refusal? How much leverage or direct intervention from the host family is typically needed to make this happen?
Switching Sponsor Agencies: If my current agency refuses to support a second attempt, how smooth is the process of moving to another designated sponsor? Does a previous cancellation or agency switch negatively impact a new application or SEVIS record?
Visa Re-application Strategy: For those who were refused on their first attempt and approved on their second, what key adjustments did you make to your profile, ties, or interview answers to turn the outcome around?
Any realistic advice, personal experiences, or tips would mean a lot to me right now. Thank you so much for your support!

Hi, i have a pretty straightforward question. My wife is filling out DS-160 and she is not a social media person. She only has linkedin and pinterest profiles.
I am wondering if lack of facebook account will actually raise flags in her interview or vetting process.
Location: India (currently in US)
Visa: H1b

Just wondering if someone had any issues with not having accounts on popular apps?

Is there anyone in India who got a visa appointment without giving your files to money hungry agents?

I've not seen anyone who didn't use an agent to get a US visa. I'm not in a hurry but I'm not sure if it's even possible to get it on our own.

Hi everyone,

I had my B1/B2 visa interview at the London Embassy on August 14, 2026. The interview seemed straightforward, and at the end, the Visa Officer mentioned that the interview was complete, I wouldn't need to return in person, but gave me a 221(g) slip and my passport asking to email my CV and transcripts to ⁠petitionslondon⁠.

I emailed the required documents within 3 hours. Since then:

CEAC status still shows "Refused"

I have not received any confirmation or acknowledgment of the email/documents.

Appreciate any insights, thank you!

I'm trying to help my parents request an expedited B1/B2 visa appointment through the U.S. visa scheduling portal in Pakistan, and I seem to be stuck in a chicken-and-egg situation.

My parents already have a regular B1/B2 appointment scheduled, but it is for September 2027. They are hoping to travel earlier to attend my university graduation in the U.S. in December 2026.

When I go to Emergency Request and select the category that appears closest to our circumstances, Students or Exchange Visitors, the portal gives me this warning:

“This option is reserved for internal embassy contacts (PARs) referred by an embassy official. Do not select this option unless you have been referred by an embassy official. Otherwise, your emergency appointment will be refused, and you will not be able to submit another request. Be sure to include the name of the embassy official referring you and any supporting documents in the request.”

So I obviously don't want to submit it incorrectly, especially since the warning says I may not be able to submit another emergency request.

I then used the Feedback/Requests section to ask how I am supposed to obtain the required Embassy referral/contact or whether someone could direct me to the appropriate person.

Their response basically told me:

• Appointment availability is at the discretion of the U.S. Embassy.
• First schedule a regular appointment.
• Click Emergency Request.
• Read the eligibility criteria.
• Fill out the request and submit it.
• Wait for the Embassy to approve or deny it.

That's exactly where I'm stuck.

Emergency Request says I need to have already been referred by an Embassy official → Support tells me to submit an Emergency Request to have the Embassy consider my case.

So it feels like a Catch-22.

For context, I have supporting documentation including my official university commencement letter, enrollment/graduation verification, proof that the applicants are my parents, their current appointment confirmation, and other university documentation.

I'm not looking for a random Embassy employee's name to enter into the form, and I definitely don't want to provide inaccurate information. I'm trying to understand the legitimate process for getting the referral that the portal itself says is required.

Has anyone applying through Pakistan encountered this PAR/internal Embassy referral message?

Specifically:

1. How did you obtain the initial Embassy referral?
2. Is Students or Exchange Visitors supposed to be available only after an Embassy official has already referred the case?
3. Is there another emergency-request option/process for B1/B2 parents trying to attend their child's graduation?
4. Did contacting the Visa Service Desk eventually get your case referred to the Embassy, or did you have to contact someone else?
5. If you've successfully gone through this process in Karachi/Islamabad recently, what steps did you follow?

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has dealt with this specific PAR/referral requirement in the Pakistan U.S. visa scheduling portal. I'm trying to follow the process correctly rather than risk submitting under the wrong category.

**** This is the recent experience of my cousin

27F unmarried, 4.5Exp+, Hyderbad Consulate

Me: Good Morning!

VO: Hi, Good Morning

VO: What's the purpose of your visit?

Me: This coming Aug I'm planning to visit my sister's place whose daughter's bday is cmng up. I really want to attend the bday celebrations. I also wanted to visit a few places(told him a list of 2-3 places). I'm going to bear all my expenses

VO: **Nodded his head

VO: What do you do here?

Me: I work as a network engineer in a cybersecurity firm

VO: was silent for a few mins and typed something on the screen

VO: *Asked me something which wasn't audible

Me: Could you please repeat?

VO: What's your salary?

Me: xxxxx

He typed something on the screen

VO: Handed me the rejection form and asked me to check out the reasons mentioned in the form

Any suggestions on why my cousin's visa was rejected?

I recently applied for a U.S. B1/B2 visa in Kolkata, India, and was refused under INA 214(b). I’m trying to understand what may have concerned the officer and what I should improve if I ever reapply.

My situation:
I work as a Team Lead/Tax Analyst for an India-based company.
My Indian company provides services to a U.S.-based company.
I was selected as one of the India team leads to travel to the U.S. for approximately one week for leadership training, a business meeting and a conference/program with the U.S. team.
The U.S. company was covering the travel expenses.
I have been working with the company for several years and have a full-time job and responsibilities in India.
I had an invitation letter from the U.S. company explaining the purpose of the visit and the relationship between the companies.
I was planning to return to India immediately after the program.
The interview was very short. This is essentially how it went:
Officer: Passport, please.
Then:
Officer: What is the purpose of your visit?
Me: I’ll be travelling to Chicago, Illinois for one week for leadership training, a conference and business meetings with our U.S. team.
He then asked:
Officer: What company do you work for?
I explained that my legal employer is an Indian company and that we provide services to a U.S.-based company.
He asked for my invitation letter.
He then asked something along the lines of:
Officer: What is the relationship between the U.S. company and you?
I explained that they are our client.
He then asked about the size of the U.S. company. I said it was a relatively small company of around 100 employees.
He asked about my salary, and I gave my actual salary.
During this, he also asked me to provide my fingerprints.
He then asked:
Officer: Do you have any threat in India if you return?
I said no.
Then he asked:
Officer: Do you think you have any threats in the U.S.?
I said no.
That was essentially the entire interview. He then handed me a 214(b) refusal letter.
I was dressed formally and answered everything truthfully.
I’m trying to understand what might have concerned him. My biggest concern is whether the employer/client relationship may have made my employment situation look complicated, even though everything was accurately explained and stated in the invitation letter.
Questions:
Based on this interview, what do you think may have led to the 214(b) refusal?
Does the India employer → U.S. client relationship sound like a potential concern?
Was I giving too much information or perhaps answering the questions in a way that created confusion?
What would you change about my answers if I were to interview again?
Most importantly, what would constitute a meaningful change before reapplying rather than simply submitting the same application again?
Is there any particular documentation I should have ready next time, especially regarding my employment relationship and the purpose of the business trip?
I’m not looking for someone to guarantee approval — I’m just trying to understand what I may have done poorly and how I can present my case more clearly next time.
Also, if anyone has been refused under 214(b) and subsequently approved for a B1/B1-B2, I’d really appreciate hearing what changed between the two applications and how long you waited before reapplying.
Thanks!

This is frustrating. I have been searching for seven months without any luck. Is anyone else experiencing this?

Finding B1/B2 appointments have been a nightmare in India. I've lost way too many family events because I don't have my tourist visa. I have the golden visa from UAE but the looking for a slot there ha been nothing short of a nightmare given the recent happenings.

I'm curious about whether there are certain months when it is difficult to find slots (pan india), and months where getting a slot is relatively easier.

I'd highly appreciate your insights on any patterns you may have found in the recent years.