How to Visit the USA from India

Obtaining a Passport in India

Access the Passport Seva service and submit your passport application online. If you have a passport already, you can jump to Part 2 (Applying for a Visitor Visa). A passport certifies your Indian citizenship and permits you to travel out of the country. The supporting documents you will need include a birth certificate, photo ID, and proof of residence and nationality. A passport is not a visa. While a passport verifies your identity for any international travel, a visa authorizes you to temporarily stay in a foreign country. There are 93 Regional Passport Offices (RPO) in India. The Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) initiative widens coverage of passport-related services at India post offices. There are currently 272 operational POPSKs.

Pay the fee and schedule a Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) appointment. After entering your preferred location, the system will present a table with the PSK/RPO location, available appointment date, and the number of appointments released. If you can't make your appointment for some reason, you can reschedule. You can cancel or reschedule your appointment 2 times in the 12 months following your first appointment.

Visit a PSK/RPO office on appointment day with all documentation. At your appointment, you'll go through a 3-step process. First, you'll present photocopies of your supporting documents, as well as the originals. Next, officials will take your passport photo and scan your fingerprints. In the final step, authorities will verify your documents and if all boxes check, you'll be issued a passport. Expect to spend about 2 hours at your passport appointment. Your passport should arrive within 2 weeks.

Applying for a Visitor Visa

Complete a DS-160 online nonimmigrant visa application. There are over 30 types of nonimmigrant visas for U.S. travel, but the one you'll want to apply for is a B-2 or a tourist visa. When filling out the DS-160, be sure to have on hand your passport, travel itinerary (if available), the dates of the last 5 times you visited the U.S., and your resume or curriculum vitae. This visa allows for a six-month stay in the United States. The application must be filled out in English.

Pay the application fee. Different visas require different fees; however, the cost of a B-2 visa as of January 2019 is $160. Before you can schedule an appointment with the consulate, you'll need to process this payment.

Schedule your appointments with the nearest United States consulate. You will need to make 2 visits: 1 for document verification and to provide your biometrics and another for the visa interview. If possible, schedule both of your appointments for the morning as it tends to be less busy. For biometrics, officials will take your fingerprints, a photo, and signature. It's a good idea to research and prepare for likely visa questions leading up to your interview. There are five U.S. embassies or consulates in India: New Delhi, Chennai, Secunderabad, West Bengal, and Mumbai

Be sure to make it to your scheduled appointments on time. On the day, only bring any requested documents and your ID, as well as enough money to pay for your visa should you get approved. Leave all electronics, like your phone, in your car or in the care of anyone who comes with you. Following your interview with a consular officer, you'll learn if your B-2 visa was approved or not. If you are denied a visa, you can reapply in the future. The reason for your application's denial will determine whether you need to pay the application fee again.

Wait for your approved visa to arrive in the mail. Your visa should arrive within 1 week, but be aware that it could take longer. When your visa arrives, you will learn how long the visa is valid for, meaning how long you will have to plan your trip to the U.S. Validity can be granted from 1 month up to 10 years.

Booking a Flight and Accommodations

Decide on when you would like to visit the United States. After you get your visa, you can start planning your trip in earnest. Is there a certain time of year that others recommend? How will your trip affect your work? Choosing a month or season can really make your travel plans feel real.

Research and book a flight to the United States. Your flight will, of course, depend on where you'd like to visit. The U.S. is huge, with wonderful tourist destinations in all 50 states, so it can be tough to decide. Once you do choose, you can then start to price airfares. Compare prices from leading booking sites and seek advice from fellow travelers who've made the trip to the U.S. before. It takes 15 hours and 30 minutes to travel from New Dehli to New York. Stopovers, however, will lower the airfare but might turn a 16-hour flight into a 50-hour one. There are 24 international airports in India.

Reserve accommodations. This again will depend on where you've decided to visit during your trip to the U.S. Many who visit the country have family and friends they can stay with, but for those who need to book a stay, spend time comparing not only prices but reviews to identify the best deals. Hotel policies vary, but you can book a room up to 11 months in advance; some hotels allow for 3 years. In addition to hotels, there are also marketplaces like Airbnb and FlipKey.

Think about your transportation needs. Given that this is your first time visiting the U.S., you'll probably rely on the locals to get you from place to place. From Uber and Lyft to walking and public transportation, you should be set. If you decide to rent a car during your stay, you'll need to apply for an International Driving Permit (IDP) from your local DMV. To drive in the U.S., a foreign national must have a valid driver's license and IDP.

Readying for Your Departure Date

Plan a dream itinerary with "must" things to do and places to see. In the time leading up to your trip, you'll have plenty of time to nail down a checklist of what all you'd like to see and experience during your stay. Review sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor can prove helpful when figuring out what the locals think, too; they can help you avoid tourist traps.

Figure out your daily budget. Along with where you choose to stay, you'll need to think of how much you can spend each day. By setting a daily budget and sticking to it, you can avoid any potential stress brought on by an impulse buy.

Get your spending money together. Most overseas travelers these days use credit or debit cards, but be sure to check the accompanying usage fees. Contact the issuer and jot down what the fees are to have handy. For ATMs, note that the largest fees tend to be at airports, hotels, and popular tourist spots. Prepaid money travel cards lock in exchange rates.

Find out what to pack for your trip. The season and where you visit will determine what type of clothes you pack. You will, of course, also buy items once you arrive. In addition to clothes, you might pack personal items like a hair dryer and electronics, like a camera, video camera, and chargers. Take time to go through the Transportation Security Administration's searchable list of things you can bring into the U.S., including the difference between carry-on and checked baggage. Weigh your options when it comes to international phone service.

Circle the date! Each day will bring you that much closer to your exciting trip from India to the USA. Traveling abroad definitely takes planning and research, but the experience in the end will hopefully be beyond worth it. Bon voyage!