Group Appointments for Nonimmigrant Visas in India
A group of ten or more applicants are able to schedule a group appointment at a U.S. consulate in India, provided certain conditions are met. This is a convenient option for groups that qualify and example include, but is not limited too, school trips, professional trainees, performance troops, and tour groups. It is important to note that the family members of group applicants are not eligible for group appointment requests.
The process of scheduling a group appointment at a U.S. consular post in India is relatively straightforward. A member of the group must be designated as the “coordinator” and create a profile on the CGI website. The coordinator then submits a group appointment request, which includes information such as the group name, reason for travel, and preferred interview date. Supporting documents may also be required. The consular post will then review and consider the request, and if approved, the coordinator will have a limited time to schedule the visa interview appointments for each member of the group.
Each group member must complete form DS-160 and pay the visa application fee. The coordinator will enter each applicant’s passport number, visa application fee receipt number, and ten-digit DS-160 confirmation number to schedule the group appointment. The coordinator will also have to include each applicant’s phone number and eMail address. If the coordinator plans to apply along with the group, then the coordinator should choose the option to “Include yourself in the group appointment.”
On the day of the group appointment, each applicant should carry the appointment confirmation page along with their respective passports and DS-160 confirmation page for the visa interview.
The group appointment option serves as a means for U.S. consular posts to streamline the visa application process, improving efficiency and accuracy as several candidates can be processed together creating economies of scale for all concerned. It is important to check the specific instructions and requirements of the consular post as each one may have different procedures.