Temporary visa application step by step

The process follows the same order for all temporary (nonimmigrant) visas, such as tourist, student, exchange, and work visas. First, you complete the DS-160 form online. Then you create an appointment account, pay the fee, and choose an interview date. Finally, you attend an interview at the Embassy in Ankara or the Consulate General in Istanbul. On this page, you will find every step, the addresses and telephone numbers of the places you need to visit, common mistakes, and official tools that may be useful.

• Passport. For validity requirements, see 1.10 Passport and documents.
• Travel plans: information about your ticket or hotel if you have made arrangements.
• Previous travel: the dates of your last 5 visits to the United States. You may also be asked about the countries you visited in the last 5 years.
• Resume: your education and employment history with dates.
• Student and exchange applicants: Form I-20 or DS-2019. The SEVIS number on the form and the school's address are requested in the DS-160.
• Digital photo: see the rules below.
• Payment: the card you will use to pay the application fee. For amounts, see 1.4 Fees.

1. Open the form at ceac.state.gov/genniv. Select the location where you will apply (Ankara or Istanbul).
2. Select and answer a security question. An Application ID appears on the screen. Be sure to write down this number; it is the only way to return to the form.
3. Your information is saved each time you click the Next button at the bottom of a page. You can return to an incomplete form within 30 days. For a longer period, save the form to your computer using Save Application to File.
4. Enter all answers in English and Latin characters. You may use your own alphabet only for the question asking for your name in your native language. Forms completed in another language will be rejected. You can view translations of the questions from the menu in the upper right.
5. Enter your surname exactly as it appears in your passport. Select "Does Not Apply" for questions that do not apply to you.
6. When moving between pages, use the buttons at the bottom of the page rather than the browser's back/forward buttons. Otherwise, your corrections will not be saved.
7. Upload your photo. If the upload fails, an "X" appears where the photo should be on the confirmation page. In that case, bring a compliant printed photo to the interview.
8. Electronically sign the form using the Sign Application button.
   • For applicants under 16, a parent or guardian signs.
   • For someone who cannot complete the form themselves, the name of the person who helped is entered on the "Sign and Submit" page.
9. Print the confirmation page (the barcoded page beginning with "AA"). This page is required at the interview and throughout all subsequent stages. If you lose it, enter your application number under "Retrieve Application" in CEAC and print it again.

If you are applying with family members: click "Email Confirmation" on the confirmation page. On the "Thank You" page that opens, you can create a family/group application. Some information is transferred automatically to the other people's forms; you can change information that differs, such as the surname.

• It must be in color and taken within the last 6 months.
• Plain white or off-white background.
• Face directly toward the camera, neutral expression, both eyes open.
• No glasses. An exception is made only when medically necessary and supported by a doctor's report.
• A hat or head covering is allowed only if worn every day for religious reasons. The entire face must be visible and there must be no shadow on the face.
• Uniforms are not allowed; religious clothing worn daily is an exception.
• Headphones are not allowed; hearing aids may be worn.
• The head height, from chin to top, must be 50–69% of the photo height.
• Scanned photos from driver's licenses or identity cards and low-quality phone photos are not accepted.
• Also bring one 5×5 cm printed photo to the interview.
• You can crop your photo into a 600×600-pixel square using the State Department's free photo tool. The consulate still makes the final decision on whether the photo is acceptable.

1. Go to ustraveldocs.com/tr and create an account using Create Account in the upper right. The account is created using the principal applicant's passport number, date of birth, and nationality.
2. Pay the application fee (MRV). If you paid a fee before May 19, 2025, the system links this record to you using your passport number and date of birth. If you paid recently, enter the receipt number; the fee appears as "Paid".
3. Select the visa type that matches the purpose of your trip.
4. If applying as a group, enter each person's information separately.
5. Select the passport delivery method: free pickup at a designated location or paid home delivery.
6. Select a suitable date and time, check the information, and click Confirm.
7. Print or save the appointment letter.

If you do not have internet access, you can also schedule an appointment by calling the Visa Information Service after completing the DS-160.

Scholarship programs: Participants in Fulbright and U.S. government-sponsored scholarship programs do not pay the application fee. These applicants cannot schedule an appointment through the regular system. Use the Embassy's request form for Ankara and the Consulate General's form for Istanbul. In both cases, complete the DS-160 first.

Temporary visa applications are accepted only at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara and the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul. Ankara handles all immigrant visas.

• U.S. Embassy Ankara — immigrant and nonimmigrant visas
  • Address: Çukurambar Mahallesi, 1480 Sokak No: 1, 06530 Çankaya / Ankara
  • Telephone: +90 312 294 00 00
• U.S. Consulate General Istanbul — nonimmigrant visas
  • Address: Poligon Mahallesi, Sarıyer Caddesi No: 75, 34460 İstinye / İstanbul
  • Telephone: +90 212 335 90 00
• Visa Information Service (appointments and general questions): from Türkiye +90 850 390 1950, from the United States +1 313 572 0883. Complete the DS-160 before calling.
• Account and technical problems: ustraveldocs contact form.
• Questions from applicants in Istanbul: Istanbul inquiry form.
• Questions from applicants in Ankara: the Ankara inquiry form on the Embassy contact page.
• Ask your question at the location where you applied or will apply.

• You can see the current interview wait time in Ankara and Istanbul by selecting a city in the State Department's appointment wait times tool.
• This period does not include requests for additional documents (administrative processing) or the return of the passport by courier.
• If urgent travel is necessary, see 1.8 Expedited appointment and Business Visa Program.

• Bring with you: your passport, one photo, the DS-160 confirmation page, and supporting documents according to your visa type. For a detailed list, see 1.6 Interview.
• Your fingerprints are scanned at the interview. By providing your fingerprints, you confirm once again that the information on the form is correct.
• As a rule, everyone attends an interview, including children under 14 and people over 79.
• Interview waiver renewal: people renewing a fully valid B-1/B-2 visa within 12 months after its expiration may be exempt from an interview under certain conditions. The system determines this through questions on ustraveldocs.com. The process takes approximately 4–6 weeks. Sending more documents than requested significantly delays processing.

• Approval: your passport will be returned using the delivery method you selected. Do not buy a ticket until your passport with the visa is in your possession.
• If additional documents are requested (221(g)): submit the requested document as soon as possible and in full. If you do not submit it within 1 year from the refusal date, you must reapply and pay the fee again.
• Administrative processing: the duration varies depending on the applicant's circumstances. If there is a particular hardship, notify the post where you applied.
• You can track your application status using your application number on the CEAC status check page.
• If your application was refused because the DS-160 was incorrect or incomplete: the consulate will reopen the form. Access it using your application number and make the corrections.
• For a 214(b) refusal and other outcomes, see 1.7 Interview results.

• The DS-160 barcode entered when scheduling the appointment differs from the barcode on the confirmation page brought to the interview.
• Completing the form in Turkish or using Turkish characters.
• Failing to write down the application number (Application ID) or failing to return to the form within 30 days.
• A photo with glasses, an old photo, or a low-quality photo taken with a phone.
• Using the browser's back button on the form and losing corrections.
• Sending documents that were not requested during an interview-waiver renewal.
• Obtaining an "appointment service" from unofficial websites. See 1.12 Fraud warnings.

• Can I complete the form in Turkish? No. Answers must be in English. You can view translations of the questions from the language menu in the upper right.
• Can someone else complete the form? Another person may help someone who cannot complete it themselves; that person's name is entered on the signature page. For applicants under 16, a parent or guardian completes and signs it.
• I lost the confirmation page. Use "Retrieve Application" in CEAC, enter your application number, and print the page again.
• Do I need to print and bring the entire form? No. Only the confirmation page is sufficient.
• Can I reuse my old DS-160? If you saved it to your computer, you can automatically fill in some fields when completing a new form using "Upload a Previously Saved Application".
• Will my child also attend the interview? As a rule, yes; children under 14 are also called for an interview.

• DS-160 form (CEAC)
• Appointment system (ustraveldocs)
• Free photo cropping tool
• Photo size template
• Digital photo requirements
• Appointment wait times
• Application status check
• Rights of temporary workers – information in Turkish (for work and exchange visa applicants)