The DS-160 is the online application for a US visitor visa (B1/B2). You fill it on the official CEAC website, print the confirmation page with the barcode, and take it to your interview at the US Embassy in Islamabad or the Consulate General in Karachi. The officer usually has your answers on screen during the interview, so everything you say must match the form.
Before you start
- Write down the Application ID shown at the start. You need it to return to a saved form.
- The session times out if you are inactive, so save often.
- Keep ready: passport, old passports, CNIC, any previous US visas, travel dates, the address where you will stay in the US, and your education and work history.
Sections people get wrong
- Names: enter your name exactly as in the passport. Put other names you have used, such as a maiden name, in the "other names" question.
- Previous travel: list earlier US visits with dates. Travel to other countries is a separate question. Do not leave trips out.
- Refusals: if any country has ever refused you a visa, answer yes and explain briefly. A hidden refusal is far worse than an honest one.
- US point of contact: the person or hotel you will stay with. Give a real name and address you can explain at the interview.
- Who pays: if a relative in the US is paying, say so, and be ready to explain your own income as well.
- Family: parents' names and dates of birth, spouse details, and whether you have relatives in the US. Answer fully and truthfully.
- Work and education: current employer or business with address and monthly income, and previous jobs. Business owners should describe the business in plain words.
- Social media: the form asks for the platforms and usernames you have used in the last five years. List them accurately.
- Security questions: read each one slowly. Most applicants answer no to all of them, but read them; do not just click through.
After you submit
A submitted DS-160 cannot be edited. If you find a mistake, fill a new one and take the new confirmation to the appointment. Then pay the visa fee and book the interview through the official appointment system. Read our US visa interview questions guide next.
How we help
We fill and check your DS-160 with you, line by line, and prepare you for the interview. The fee is PKR 50,000 per person, or PKR 100,000 for a family of 4 applying together. See our USA visa service and the full USA visa and DS-160 guide.
Inviting family from abroad? If your relatives live abroad and are inviting you, or you live abroad and are inviting parents or family from Pakistan, see USA visitor visa for family from Pakistan. For the sponsor's letter, read Invitation letter for a visit visa: a guide for hosts abroad.
Roman Urdu mein khulasa
DS-160 mein naam passport jaisa likhein, purani refusal sach batayein, pichle 5 saal ke social media usernames likhein. Submit ke baad edit nahin hota, naya form bharna parta hai.
Information checked 1 November 2026. Rules change, so always confirm on the official embassy or visa-centre website before you apply.
