DS-160 application

Do not complete this form on your phone! Use a laptop or computer and use the Chrome browser.

The first step in your visa application is to fill out a form called the DS-160. It is difficult for us to help you fill out this form because of the time limit on each page of the system and it is all personal information, but please check the tips listed in the right column on each side of the DS-160 form. 

Things to think about before you start!

1. We highly recommend you do this on a computer and not your phone.
   
2. Use Google Chrome as your browser as many people run into problems when using anything other than Chrome. Again, this process tends to run smoother on a laptop instead of a tablet.
   
3. If you do run into problems, or the pages keep timing out, leave it and come back to it at another time.
   
4. You will be able to save your DS-160 and return to it later if needed. If you do so, you must remember to write down and save your Application ID and the answer to your Security Question to be able to return to the form.
   
5. It is important not to get stuck on one point or spend too much time on one page without saving/updating the page. If you do, you risk becoming timed out and forced to start over again. Therefore, make sure that you are prepared and that you have produced the necessary information before starting your DS-160. Also, plan to have plenty of time to fill out this form.
   
6. It is good to have access to a printer as you will need to print your confirmation when you are done. It is possible to save the confirmation and email it to someone with a printer to print later.
   
7. The system will let you review all your responses before finally submitting your DS-160. Make sure you check your answers carefully!
   
8. You will need to upload a photo of yourself in your DS-160 form. Read more about the Embassy's requirements on the photo HERE. Unfortunately, we cannot determine for you beforehand if your photo will be accepted or not.
   
9. Link to information about the application as well as FAQs about filling in the forms can be found HERE.
   
10. We recommend that you complete your DS-160 form with your parents and do not let them do it for you as you will have to attend the appointment alone and may get asked questions.
    
11. Before you start your DS-160, you need to have your passport, your I-20 document, contact information for your coach in the US, and the address of your school in the US (it can be found on your I-20 or your school's website), the address of your current school in the U.K (or to your employer, if you have already graduated from school). You will get questions related to all this.
    
12. Your school code is on your I-20.
    
13. It does not matter if you have paid SEVIS before completing this form. Our guidelines to do this are later in the process.
    
14. If you previously travelled to the US you will need to provide information and dates for these trips on your DS-160 form. If you previously had any type of visa for the USA then you also need that information available (tourist visa, also called an ESTA, does not count towards this).
    
15. You must answer truthfully all questions in the DS-160 form. 
    
16. In many places, there is a box for "Does Not Apply" which you can tick if a question does not apply to you or your situation
    

 Click HERE to begin filling in the DS-160. This is the same link you need to return to an already started DS-160 form. 

1. Please read the information provided on the page then choose the country and embassy where you will apply for your visa in the drop down list and click on "start an application."
   
1. For those in the UK, choose England, London
   
2. Read the information on the next page carefully. Write down and save your Application ID which is stated in the box in the top right and then select a security question. Remember that you need both to return to your application if you were to log out. 

Personal

1. You must enter your name exactly as it says in your passport. It must be in the correct order and have the correct spelling on all names.
   
2. If your name contains any of the following letters å, ä, or ö, then you must write these according to American spelling: å = aa, ä = ae, ö = oe. Please look at the bottom, on the machine-readable part of your passport, and you can see that it is, so your name is also stated there. You can only use å, ä, ö where they ask you to write "Full Name in Native Alphabet" - provided your name contains any of these letters.
   
1. If your name does not contain å, ä, ö, you can check the box for "Does Not Apply".
   
3. The information for "Date and Place of Birth" is stated in your passport, as is your country of residency for the next part.
   
1. Here you enter United Kingdom, not England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.
   
4. Click on "Does Not Apply" for both "U.S. Social Security Number” and “U.S. Taxpayer ID Number”.
   
1. Under "Personal Information 2" you should enter your U.K National Insurance number under the "National Identification Number".

Address and Phone Information

All the information needs to be accurate here. You should click “Does Not Apply” in the State/Province box.

Passport Information

At this stage, you need to have your passport available.

1. Answer "regular" on the question of "Passport/Travel Document Type".
   
2. In the box for "Passport/Travel Document Number" you must enter your passport number. Check "Does Not Apply" on the question of "Passport Book Number".
   
3. Your “Issuance Date” and “Expiration Date” can be found in your passport
   
4. For UK athletes, the issuing location is listed as the “issuing authority” in your passport. Likely HMPO or IPS.

Travel Information

1. Select "Academic or language student (F)" in the drop-down list for the question "Purpose of trip to the US". Then select "STUDENT (F1)" in the "Specify" drop-down list.
   
2. "Intended date of arrival" should be the same as stated as your "Program start date" on your I-20 document.
   
1. They will not hold you to this date.
   
2. It asks about specific travel plans, you shouldn't have a flight booked at this stage, but if you do, or an idea of the date you will fly, put that date. Do not worry too much about what date you put down. They will not hold you do this date!
   
3. "Intended length of stay" should be consistent with "Program end date" on your I-20. Enter the number of "YEAR(S)" that applies to you.
   
4. The person paying for your trip will be yourself/family. Even if you are on a full scholarship, it is highly unlikely that flights are included in this. You need to put yourself/family.

Travel Companion

1. If you already know that you will be joined by a parent or other family member when traveling to the USA, you should answer "Yes" and state the information of the person(s). Answer "No" if you plan to travel to the US alone.
   
2. REMEMBER! Your travel companion will need to apply for a tourist visa (ESTA) before entering the United States! There is information on this in the book your flight guideline.

Previous US Travel Information

1. Here you should answer if you were previously in the US. If so, you need to specify when you were there and for how long (approximate dates are enough).
   
2. If you have previously applied for and received a US visa, information about it must also be stated at this stage. NOTE! Tourist visas, (ESTAs), are not counted on this! The answer should be "No".
   
3. Answer truthfully all other questions.

US Point of Contact Information

We recommend that you enter the contact details of your coach at this stage. On "Relationship to you" you can choose "School official" or "Other". It is possible to enter the school's address in the contact information but remember that you need to enter your coach's telephone number (it is often in the coach's email signature).

Family Information: Relatives

Enter information on your parents/relatives.

Present Work/Education/Training Information

Note, there are two sections. Previous and current. If you cannot proceed due to an incorrect date, you are likely entering information in the wrong section. It is likely not letting you proceed as you are entering a future date in the "previous" section so it thinks you should have completed it. 

1. Here you can enter "Student" if you are still attending high school, sixth form/college or Enter the address of the school you attend. Then answer, "Does Not Apply" on the question "Monthly Income in Local Currency (if employed)" and enter "STUDENT" on the question "Briefly describe your duties".
   
2. If you have finished school and work, then you should enter the area you work in, from the drop-down list. Then enter the contact information for your current employer, as well as your monthly salary on the section "Monthly Income in Local Currency (if employed)". Then briefly describe what tasks you have.
   

Previous Work / Education / Training Information

You cannot put a future date into this section!

1. Only answer "Yes" to the question "Were you previously employed?" if you have had any other employment in addition to the one you entered under “Present Work” on the previous page. You do not have to enter any extra jobs or summer jobs that you have had while studying.
   
2. Then answer "Yes" to the question "Have you attended any educational institutions at a secondary level or above?" And enter your school information.
   
3. Put in your school information if you went to a different school to your current one here. Enter your educational track under “Course of Study” (i.e. GCSE, A Level, BTEC Extended National Diploma Level 2 and/or Level 3, etc.).
   

Additional Work/Education/Training Information

Answer all the questions truthfully.

Security and Background

Answer all the questions truthfully.

Additional Point of Contact Information

Here you need to provide contact information for two people in the UK who can verify that the information you have entered is correct. They cannot be family members or relatives, but other than that they can be anyone. Please do not put down any Keystone Sports employees. It is very unusual that the embassy contacts these people.

SEVIS Information

1. Your personal SEVIS-ID and other requested information on this step can be found on your I-20 document that you have received from your school in the USA.
   
2. Note, if you have not yet received your I-20 document, you should have received information from your consultant on what you should enter in the SEVIS ID field in your DS-160 form.

Upload photo

1. You will need to upload a photo of yourself in your DS-160 form. Read more about the embassy photo requirements here. You will also want to use their photo cropping tool which can be found on the same page as their passport sizes are different from ours.
   
2. This stage tends to be the trickiest as their photo requirements are very specific. Be persistent and follow their tips.
   
3. Make sure to save the photo file as you will need copies for the interview stage!

Sign and submit

1. The last step is to review all your answers and check that all the information is correct in your DS-160 form. Read through the text at “Sign and Submit” thoroughly and then sign your DS-160 by entering your passport number.
   
2. Note that you will NOT be able to make any changes to your DS-160 form after you have signed.
   
3. A confirmation will appear on your screen, which will look like this example:
   

1. Print your confirmation right away or save it on your computer/email it to yourself so that you can print it later. You need to bring a printed copy of this confirmation with you when you go to the embassy for your interview.
   
2. Make note of the Barcode that is on your confirmation. You will need this number to book your visa interview at the embassy, which is the next step in your visa application.
   

You now need to move onto the next step and book your visa interview. We recommend you do this right away, it is a faster process than the DS-160 application!

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