Technical issues with the DS160
We recommend using a desktop computer or laptop and not a mobile device when completing the DS160. Please note that you may experience errors if your browser does not meet criteria below. If the issue persists, you may try a different computer, try again later, or start a new DS-160.
There is no alternative to the DS-160, it must be completed electronically. For general questions regarding the DS-160, please review information explaining how to complete the DS-160 form.
Please ensure that the computer being used has the following browser requirements:
- Browser must support 128-bit encryption.
- JavaScript must be enabled.
- Transport Layer Security (TLS) must be enabled.
- This website will work with a variety of Internet browsers, but it is best supported by Internet Explorer 8.0 or higher.
The applicant should not leave the application idle for extended periods of time otherwise the application will “time out” and progress on the application may be lost.
I do not know how to answer a question on the DS-160. I made a mistake on the DS-160. Do I have to correct it?
If you’re unsure how to answer a question, please answer to the best of your ability. You can discuss and explain your answer on the day of your visa interview. If you made a minor mistake, such as biographical information or travel plans, you do not have to complete a new DS-160. Please let consular staff know that you made a mistake when you come for your visa interview at the Embassy.
What if I lose my internet connection, the application “times out,” or I receive an error? Will my DS-160 be lost?
Please take note of your application ID number and answers to the security questions when you start completing the DS-160 form. All information is automatically saved when each page is completed, so your application will not be lost. You will need to enter the application ID number and respond to security questions as prompted, to retrieve your application. Once your application has been retrieved, it will begin at the last page you completed. You will be able to edit previous pages, if needed. The Embassy cannot find your application ID number, you will need to start a new DS-160 if you cannot retrieve it.
I submitted my DS-160 online. What happens next?
Electronically submitting your DS-160 form online is only the first step in the visa application process. Once you have successfully completed your DS-160 online, you must use your barcode to schedule an interview with a consular officer on the Embassy’s website. It is important that you plan ahead and check current visa wait times. An appointment may not be available prior to your intended date of travel. Applicants should not make final travel plans before the interview at the Embassy.
Please read all the steps in our section how to apply to make sure that you’re prepared for your interview with the consular officer. If you arrive without required documents, you will you not be able to attend your interview and will need to book a new appointment.
I scheduled an appointment and cannot come or wish to change the date of my appointment.
You will need your confirmation ID to cancel or reschedule your appointment on our website. The Embassy will not reschedule it for you. If you do not know your confirmation ID, you will need to complete a new DS-160 to generate a new barcode before you can book a slot. Please note that if you do not come for your appointment without rescheduling, your DS-160 may be cancelled; you will need to complete a new one if you decide to apply later.
How can I pay for my visa? Do I have to pay online before my interview?
The only way to pay the application processing fee in Luxembourg is on the date of your appointment at the Embassy, before your interview. You must pay the Nonimmigrant visa application processing fee in cash. You can pay in Euros or U.S. dollars. The applicable exchange rate will be confirmed by email 1-2 days before your interview. Payment by V-PAY, credit card or money transfer is not possible. If your visa application is denied, this fee is non-refundable.
For some nationalities and visa categories an additional reciprocity fee must be paid at the Embassy before a visa can be issued. Detailed information is available in Fees and reciprocity tables.
Applicants for F1, M1 and J1 visas must pay a SEVIS fee online before they come to the interview at the Embassy, and the application processing fee in cash at the Embassy. It is not possible to pay the SEVIS fee at the Embassy.
I do not speak English. Can I still have my visa interview?
Your interview will be held in English or French. In addition, German, Portuguese, and Spanish interviews may be possible. If you do not speak or understand one of these languages, you will need to bring someone with you who can translate for you into one of these languages.
You do not need to book an appointment for a translator, but you must send an email with the full name of the translator at least two days before your appointment. Translators should not be family members, and they must bring a valid ID.
Can I bring my mobile phone, tablet or laptop inside the Embassy?
You can bring one mobile phone and it will be kept at the entrance. A laptop or tablet is not allowed, it will not be admitted to the Embassy, and it cannot be stored at the entrance. Please leave your laptop or tablet at home or store it securely before you arrive. If you arrive with prohibited items you will not be allowed to attend your interview.
How long will it take before my visa is issued? How will I know?
If a visa application is approved during a visa interview, the average processing time is 7-10 working days. An additional 2-3 workdays should be allowed for delivery (within Luxembourg). No expedited processing service is available.
Collection of your passport at the Embassy can only be authorized by the consular officer in emergency circumstances.
In some cases, the consular officer may advise you that additional processing is necessary to determine your eligibility for a visa. The consular officer may return your passport to you and may ask you to provide more documents. Most of these administrative processes are resolved within 60 days of the interview, but the time may vary depending on the individual circumstances of each case. You will be contacted as soon as there is an update on the status of your application. If your application is approved, we contact you to return your passport for visa issuance.
How will I get my passport and visa after the interview?
Applicants must bring a self-addressed envelope to the visa interview to allow return of their passport by mail. This applies to non-residents as well.
Please make sure to write your name and address correctly on the envelope to avoid delays and misrouting.
If you need your passport for other travel, please inform consular staff when submitting your application. You will be able to keep your passport after the interview, and you may return it later for visa issuance.
How do I read and understand my visa
Please use the illustrated guide below to learn how to read your new nonimmigrant visa (for travel to the U.S. as a temporary visitor).
In addition, as soon as you receive it, check to make sure information printed on the visa is correct (see below). If any of the information on your visa does not match the information in your passport or is incorrect, please contact the nonimmigrant visa section at the embassy or consulate that issued your visa.
Can I use my visa for multiple trips to the U.S.? What if my visa expires before my departure from the U.S.?
A visa must be valid at the time a traveler seeks admission to the United States, but the expiration date of the visa (length of time the visa can be used) has no relation to the length of time a temporary visitor may be authorized by the Department of Homeland Security to remain in the U.S. If your visa is valid for multiple entries (M), you may make repeated trips to the U.S. for approved purposes, as long as the visa has not expired, and the traveler has done nothing to become ineligible to enter the United States. Please refer to What the visa expiration date means.
My passport expired but I still have a valid visa in this passport. Can I still use it for travel to the U.S.? Can it be transferred?
If your visa is still valid you can travel to the U.S. with your two passports, as long as the visa is valid, not damaged, and is the appropriate type of visa required for your principal purpose of travel. Both passports (the valid and the expired one with the visa) should be from the same country and type (Example: both Uruguayan regular passports, both official passports, etc.). When you arrive at the U.S. port-of-entry, the immigration officer will check your visa in the old passport and if s/he decides to admit you into the United States they will stamp your new passport with an admission stamp along with the annotation “VIOPP” (visa in other passport). Do not try to remove the visa from your old passport and transfer it into the new valid passport. If you do so, your visa will no longer be valid. When renewing your passport, it is important to ask passport authorities of your country not to damage your visa by punching holes or cutting off part of the page as they cancel your old passport.
I changed my name. Can I still use my visa which was issued in my old name?
If your name has legally changed through marriage, divorce, or a court ordered name change, you will need to obtain a new passport. Once you have a new passport, the Department of State recommends that you apply for a new U.S. visa to make it easier for you to travel to and from the United States.