Group Appointments

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Overview

Group of Ten or more individuals travelling together may request a group appointment. Examples of groups include, but are not limited to, performing artists, school trips, professional trainees and tour groups. Very large groups may be allocated appointment times over multiple days.

Families and relatives traveling together do not qualify as a group and must request individual appointments.

How to Apply

Step 1

A designated group coordinator uses the online appointment system to click on Group Scheduling Request and to request a group appointment. It is not possible to submit a request through an agent. Once the request is submitted, wait for a response from the U.S. Embassy or Consulate which will come via e-mail.

Step 2

If the U.S. Embassy or Consulate approves the request, the group coordinator will receive an e-mail inviting him or her to return to his or her profile to schedule appointments for each member of the group. A call center agent cannot schedule group appointments, but they are able to assist with questions. Should the U.S. Embassy or Consulate deny the request for a group appointment, a notification will also be sent by e-mail. In this case, each group member must schedule an individual appointment.

Note: The e-mail confirming or denying your request comes from no-reply@ustraveldocs.com. Some e-mail applications have rules which filter unknown senders into a spam or junk mail folder. If you have not received your e-mail notification, please look for the message in your junk and spam e-mail folders.

Step 3

Each group member must pay the visa application fee. In the case of making a bulk fee payment, you will receive only one receipt number per transaction and will use this receipt number for each valid MRV fee paid.

Visa Types and U.S. Dollar Application Fee Amounts - Sorted by Visa Type
Visa Type Description Fee Amount Select Quantity
B Business/Tourist $185
C-1 Transit $185
C-1/D Transit and Airline Crew $185
CW Transitional Worker CNMI $205
D Ship Crew $185
E Treaty Trader/Investor, Australian Professional Specialty, Long-Term Investor CNMI $315
F Student (academic) $185
H Temporary/Seasonal Workers and Employment, Trainees $205
I Journalist and Media $185
J Exchange Visitor $185
L Intracompany Transferees $205
M Student (vocational) $185
O Persons with Extraordinary Ability $205
P Athletes. Artists & Entertainers $205
Q International Cultural Exchange $205
R Religious Worker $205
T Victim of Human Trafficking $185
TN/TD NAFTA Professionals $185
Step 4

Each group member must complete the Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application (DS-160) form and print the confirmation page.

Step 5

The group coordinator returns to his or her profile at the online appointment system and clicks on the Group Scheduling Request button to begin scheduling the group's appointments. He or she should have at hand three pieces of information about each group member:

  • The group member's passport with the applicants full name, passport number, date of birth, passport expiration date, and other important data located on the passport's biographical page.
  • The group member's visa application fee receipt number. Click here for help locating this number.
  • The 10-digit barcode number from the group member's DS-160 confirmation page.
Step 6

The group coordinator selects the approved group appointment request corresponding to the correct group. If the group coordinator frequently schedules group appointments, it is important to select the correct group request.

Step 7

Each group member is added as a "Dependent" to the group coordinator's profile. The group coordinator can choose to be a member of the group or not.

Step 8

The group goes to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate on the date and time of their visa interviews. Each member must have a printed copy of the appointment letter, DS-160 confirmation page, one photograph taken within the last six months, a current passport and all old passports. Applications without all of these items will not be accepted.

Important Points to Remember
  • Once the group request has been approved, the group has a limited time to complete steps one through six. Typically, it is a timeframe of seven days, but the group coordinator should refer to the confirmation received by e-mail. In case the request expires, the group coordinator must start over and submit a new request.
  • The group coordinator should perform steps 1, 2, 3 and 5 for group members. Each applicant must complete his or her own Form DS-160.
  • If a group member has already scheduled an appointment, he or she is no longer eligible to be a group member. He or she must attend the visa interview alone.
  • If the group's applicants are applying under an approved I-797 petition, such as H2A, H2B, or H3 visa applicants, in Step One the group coordinator must upload a legible copy of the approved I-797 as part of the request.

Note: If you have additional questions on group scheduling, please visit Tutorial for Scheduling Group Appointments for more detailed instructions.