Indian passport holders cannot travel to the United States visa-free, and there is no US visa on arrival and no ESTA for Indian citizens. For a holiday, a family visit, a business meeting or medical treatment, the standard route is the B1/B2 visitor visa, applied for before travel through the US Department of State system. The government application fee, known as the MRV fee, is $185 per applicant for a B1/B2 visa, and it is non-refundable whether the visa is approved or refused. Most applicants also attend two appointments in India: biometrics at a Visa Application Centre and an interview at the US Embassy or a consulate. Apply months before your planned travel date, because interview appointment availability changes with demand and a visa is never guaranteed.
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What the B1/B2 Visa Covers, and What It Does Not
The B1 part covers short business activities such as meetings, conferences and contract discussions. The B2 part covers tourism, holidays, visiting family or friends, and medical treatment. In practice, Indian applicants usually receive the two together as a combined B1/B2 visa. A commonly issued validity is ten years with multiple entries, but that validity is not the length of one stay. On each arrival, US Customs and Border Protection decides how long you may stay, commonly up to six months, and records it on your entry record. The visa does not allow paid work in the United States, and it does not allow you to settle there. A US visa also does not grant entry to Canada, and a Canadian visa does not grant entry to the US.
The Real Cost: $185 MRV Fee, and Nothing Else Is Guaranteed
The B1/B2 MRV fee is $185 per applicant, with no reduced rate for children, and it is non-refundable and non-transferable — it cannot be passed to another family member. India currently has no separate reciprocity or issuance fee for B1/B2 visas, so for most applicants the government fee is $185. That fee does not include passport photographs, document copies, travel to the appointment cities, courier charges, travel insurance or any agent service charge, so budget for those separately. Fees are charged in US dollars and the rupee amount depends on the payment rate on the day you pay. Always confirm the live fee on travel.state.gov and on the official appointment website, ustraveldocs.com, before paying, and never pay a visa fee through a random bank transfer, wallet or social-media contact — that is a classic scam route.
Documents That Decide a US Visitor Visa
The interview is short, often only a few minutes, and the officer decides mainly on whether your trip is genuine and whether you will return to India on time. Carry a passport valid for at least six months beyond your planned stay, the DS-160 confirmation page, the appointment confirmation and the fee receipt. Supporting documents should prove the purpose of the trip and your ties to India: employment letter with approved leave, salary slips, income-tax returns, business proof for business owners, property papers, family commitments and bank statements showing you can afford the trip. For a family visit, an invitation letter and the host’s US status proof help. For medical treatment, a diagnosis from an Indian doctor and a letter from the US hospital help. Answer honestly and briefly, and never claim you plan to work or stay permanently in the US. A previous refusal from any country must be declared truthfully on the form.
USA Visitor Visa at a Glance
Visa required: Yes — B1/B2 visitor visa before travel; no visa on arrival, no ESTA for Indian citizens. Main form: DS-160, completed online on the official Consular Electronic Application Center website. Government fee: $185 per applicant (MRV fee), non-refundable and non-transferable; no child discount; no B1/B2 reciprocity fee for India. Appointments: Two in most cases: biometrics at a Visa Application Centre, then an interview at the Embassy or consulate. Interview locations in India: US Embassy New Delhi, and consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. Interview rule: In-person interview is the norm for most applicants aged 14 to 79; since the interview-requirement expansion of 2 September 2025, most first-time applicants attend an interview. Interview waiver: Some renewals may qualify for an interview waiver (dropbox) if conditions are met, for example a prior full-validity visa expired within the last 12 months and issued when the applicant was 18 or older; an officer can still ask any applicant to appear. Common validity: Often 10 years, multiple entries, where issued — this is the visa’s life, not the stay allowed on one visit. Stay per visit: Decided at the port of entry, commonly up to 6 months. Work rights: No paid work in the US on a B1/B2 visa. After approval: Passport is usually kept and returned with the visa by courier within a few working days.
Step-by-Step: Apply for the USA B1/B2 Visa From India
1. Complete the DS-160 form online carefully, save the confirmation page with its barcode, and check every detail — name spelling, passport number and travel history — before submitting.
2. Create a profile on the official appointment website, pay the $185 MRV fee per applicant through an official payment route, and keep the receipt number safe.
3. Book the two appointments: first biometrics at a Visa Application Centre, then the consular interview, and attend both with your passport, DS-160 confirmation and appointment letter.
4. Prepare a short, honest interview story: why you are going, where you will stay, who is paying, how long you will stay, and what brings you back to India.
5. At the interview, answer only what is asked, in short and consistent sentences, and show supporting documents only when the officer asks for them.
6. If approved, wait for the passport to return by courier, then check the visa details — name, validity and entries — before booking non-refundable travel.
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Common Mistakes Indian Travellers Should Avoid
First, do not buy non-refundable flights or hotels before the visa is in hand. Second, do not confuse visa validity with stay length — a ten-year visa does not mean a ten-year stay. Third, do not hide a previous refusal, a relative in the US, or a change in employment; inconsistencies are a common reason for refusal. Fourth, do not submit a DS-160 with wrong dates or a different purpose from what you say at the interview. Fifth, do not pay anyone who promises a guaranteed visa, a guaranteed appointment slot for cash outside the official system, or a job in the US on a visitor visa — no agent can promise approval. For a comparable document-heavy visitor visa, see https://sunlightholidays.in/canada-visa-indians-visitor-100-fee-biometrics-guide/ and for the UK visitor route, see https://sunlightholidays.in/uk-visa-indians-standard-visitor-135-fee-evisa-guide/ — and for scam warning signs, see https://sunlightholidays.in/visa-guarantee-scam-alert-fake-agent-warning-signs/
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Do Indians need a visa to visit the USA? Yes. Indian passport holders need a B1/B2 visitor visa granted before travel. There is no visa on arrival for Indians and India is not part of the US ESTA visa-waiver programme.
Q2: How much is the USA visitor visa fee for Indians? The MRV application fee for a B1/B2 visa is $185 per applicant. It is non-refundable and non-transferable, with no child discount, and India has no separate B1/B2 reciprocity fee.
Q3: How long does a USA visitor visa take from India? There is no fixed timeline. The total time depends on interview appointment availability at your chosen consulate, which changes with demand, plus courier return after approval. Check the official appointment wait-time tool and apply months in advance.
Q4: How long can I stay in the USA on a B1/B2 visa? The stay on each visit is decided at the port of entry and is commonly up to six months. The visa’s validity, often ten years multiple-entry, is not the same as the stay allowed on one visit.
Q5: Can I work in the USA on a visitor visa? No. A B1/B2 visa does not allow paid employment in the United States. Working on a visitor visa can lead to cancellation of the visa and future refusals.
Sources: US Department of State, travel.state.gov — nonimmigrant visa fee schedule (B1/B2 in the non-petition-based category, $185) and B visitor visa guidance (DS-160, interview requirement, validity and stay decided at entry); US Mission in India / ustraveldocs.com appointment system (two appointments — Visa Application Centre biometrics and consular interview; consulates in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata; $185 fee non-refundable); US Department of State interview-waiver update of 2 September 2025 (most applicants, including many renewals, attend an in-person interview; limited waiver conditions for qualifying renewals).
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