How to Book Your US Visa Appointment

Where and how to book your visa appointment

You book your US visa appointment through the State Department's official visa appointment system, which is run by a contractor called CGI Federal. The system is called the Consular Appointment System (CAS), and it is the only place where you can reserve a time slot at a US embassy or consulate.

The website is ais.usvisa-info.com — not a general State Department site, and not a private visa service. You create an account, fill out your visa application form DS-160 (or DS-156 for certain visa types), pay the visa fee, and then book your appointment slot. The order matters: you cannot book an appointment until you have paid.

Each country has its own portal within this system. When you arrive at ais.usvisa-info.com, you select your country first, which takes you to that country's specific appointment page. From there, you log in or create a new account using your email address and a password you choose.

Key Takeaways

• You must complete and pay for your DS-160 visa application form before you can see available appointment dates.
• Available appointment slots vary by location and visa type — some consulates have dates months away, others have slots within weeks.
• The system shows you real openings; if no dates appear, the consulate genuinely has no availability at that moment.
• You need your passport number, a valid email address, and payment method ready before you start the booking process.
• Appointment slots fill quickly at popular consulates, so check the system regularly if your preferred date is not yet showing.

What you need before you start booking

Have your passport number ready — the system asks for it early and you cannot proceed without it. Your passport must be valid for the duration of your intended stay in the US, and in most cases for at least six months beyond that.

You also need a valid email address that you check regularly. The system sends you confirmation emails, appointment reminders, and updates about your case. If you miss an email notification, you may miss your appointment window or important instructions.

Before you book, you must have already completed your DS-160 form (Application for a Nonimmigrant Visa) or DS-156 (for certain visa categories like diversity visa lottery winners). You fill this out online through the State Department's form system, and it generates a confirmation number. You will need that confirmation number when you book your appointment. The form asks about your background, employment, travel history, and reasons for your trip.

You must also have paid the visa fee before booking. The fee varies by visa type — it is typically $160 for most nonimmigrant visas, but some categories cost more or less. You pay through the CAS system itself, and the system will not let you book an appointment until payment has been processed and confirmed.

How to find and select your appointment date

After you log in and provide your confirmation number, the system shows you available dates at the consulate you selected. The dates that appear depend on how many appointment slots that location has open and how far in advance they are releasing them. Some consulates show dates weeks or months ahead; others release dates in smaller batches.

You can see the date, time, and location for each available slot. Click on the one that works for you. The system will hold that slot for a short time — usually a few minutes — while you confirm your choice. If you do not confirm within that window, the slot goes back into the pool and someone else can book it.

If you do not see any dates available, it means the consulate has no open slots at that moment. This does not mean you have done anything wrong. Consulates release appointment availability in waves, and slots fill quickly. You can log back in and check again later — many people find that new dates appear within days or weeks, especially if you check at off-peak times like early morning or late evening.

After you book: confirmation and what comes next

Once you confirm your appointment, the system generates a confirmation page with your appointment details. Print this page or save it as a PDF. You will need to bring it with you to your appointment, along with your passport and the documents required for your specific visa type.

You will also receive a confirmation email at the address you provided. This email includes your appointment date, time, location, and a list of documents to bring. Read this email carefully — different visa types require different supporting documents, and showing up without required paperwork is the most common reason appointments are rescheduled.

The system will send you a reminder email a few days before your appointment. This is a courtesy notice; it does not mean anything has changed unless the email specifically says your appointment has been rescheduled or cancelled.

What to do if no appointments are available

If the consulate you want shows no available dates, you have a few options. First, check back regularly — new slots open frequently, and checking at different times of day sometimes reveals dates that were not visible before. Many people find success checking early in the morning or late at night, when fewer people are online.

Second, you can look at other consulates in your country or region. If you are willing to travel to a different city, that consulate may have earlier availability. The CAS system lets you change your location before you book, so you can compare dates across multiple consulates.

Third, if you are in a country where the US embassy or consulate is experiencing a significant backlog, you can contact the consulate directly to ask about the timeline. Some locations post updates on their websites about when they expect to release more appointment slots. This information is not always available, but it is worth checking the specific consulate's website.

Do not use a third-party visa service to book your appointment. Only the official CAS system at ais.usvisa-info.com books real appointments. Private services may charge you money to fill out forms or check availability, but they cannot actually reserve a slot for you.

Common problems during booking and how to fix them

You forgot your DS-160 confirmation number. Log into the DS-160 system (ceac.state.gov/ceac) with your passport number and date of birth to retrieve it. You will need this number to proceed with booking.

The system says your visa fee payment has not been processed. Payment can take 24 to 48 hours to show up in the system, even if your bank or credit card company has already charged you. Wait a day and try logging back in. If it still does not show after two days, contact the consulate to confirm the payment went through.

You selected a date but the system did not confirm it. This usually means the slot was booked by someone else while you were still on the confirmation screen. Go back and select a different available date. Slots fill within seconds at busy consulates.

You logged in but cannot see any appointment dates at all. Make sure you have completed your DS-160 form, received the confirmation number, and paid the visa fee. The system will not show dates until all three steps are done. If you have done all three, wait 24 hours and try again — sometimes there is a delay in the system updating.

Rescheduling or cancelling your appointment

If you need to change your appointment date or time, log back into the CAS system with your account. You can cancel your current appointment and book a new one, as long as the consulate has other dates available. When you cancel, your visa fee is not refunded, but you can use it toward a new appointment.

If you cancel your appointment and later want to reschedule, you will need to log in again and book a new slot. There is no separate "reschedule" button — you cancel the old one and book a new one as if you were booking for the first time.

If you miss your appointment without cancelling, you will forfeit your visa fee and will need to pay again if you want to book a new appointment. Some consulates may also flag your account, which can slow down future bookings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I book an appointment for someone else?

No. Each person must create their own account and book their own appointment. If you are booking for a family member, they will need to complete their own DS-160 form, pay their own fee, and book their own slot. Parents can help with the process, but the account must be in the applicant's name.

What if the only available date is after my planned travel?

You cannot travel to the US without a visa (with rare exceptions for certain nationalities). If the earliest available appointment is after you planned to leave, you will need to either change your travel dates or wait for new appointments to open. Check back regularly — new slots often appear within weeks.

Do I have to book the first available date?

No. You can wait for a later date if it works better for you. However, slots fill quickly, so if you see a date that could work, booking it gives you a confirmed appointment. You can always cancel and rebook if an earlier date opens up later.

What happens if I book an appointment but then my passport expires before the date?

Renew your passport before your appointment. You will need a valid passport to enter the consulate and to receive your visa. If your passport expires before your appointment, contact the consulate to reschedule after you have renewed it.

Is there a way to get an appointment faster than what the system shows?

In rare cases, consulates offer emergency or expedited appointments for applicants with urgent travel needs — such as a death in the family or a job offer with a tight start date. Contact the consulate directly to ask if you may have access to. This is not may provide and is handled on a case-by-case basis.