Subscribers of MurthyIndiaBulletin and regular visitors of www.murthyindia.com are aware of the detailed procedure to complete the Form DS-160 which was discussed in our article dated January 8, 2010. In this issue, we are providing some common difficulties faced while completing this form online and some tips to overcome the same.

Good to Save Information Frequently:

Initially, there was frequent “session time out” error while completing the form DS-160 online on the the Consular Electronic Application Center. We notice that this has been resolved to a great extend and it is less common in recent times. However, we encourage applicants to save the data file as often as possible while completing the forms so that in case of any issues, the applicant may recreate the forms with the most recent data file rather than having to type all the information again.

Procedure To Be Followed If Information Is Lost After Signing and Submitting an Application:

Some applicants have indicated that after providing all the information and clicking on the “Sign and Submit” option, the session times out and they were unable to print the confirmation page for submission of form which is required to schedule an appointment with the appropriate U.S. consulate using the VFS system. We contacted the U.S. Consulate, Chennai over phone on this matter and they have confirmed that, in such instances, the applicants need to complete the form DS-160 again and use the new confirmation sheet that will be generated at the end of the process.
Further, it is clarified that if information is lost after signing and submitting the application, it is advisable to create a new application by providing all the information afresh.

Clarification on Purchase of HDFC Receipt:

We have several inquiries, seeking clarification if the HDFC that is required to schedule the appointment should be purchased ahead of completing the form DS-160 online. As of this writing, there is no such requirement and applicants may complete the forms online prior to purchase of HDFC receipt or vice-versa. However, one would require the bar code generated upon submission of the form DS-160 online and an activated HDFC PIN (It generally take two working days from the date of purchase of the receipt for the PIN on the HDFC receipt to be activated) to be able to schedule the visa appointment online.

Conclusion:

We will continue to keep MurthyIndiaBulletin subscribers and visitors to www.murthyindia.com updated on any additional information available on this subject. We advise applicants to contact the appropriate consulate in case of any issues while completing the form DS-160 to make sure they follow the up-to-date procedure.

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