- US Visa Application Centers (OFCs) for biometrics operate in five Indian cities: New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad
- All applicants must complete the DS-160 online form and pay the non-refundable MRV visa fee before scheduling appointments through the official ustraveldocs.com portal
- The OFC biometrics appointment must be completed before your consular interview.
The United States is a developed country that receives thousands of visa applications every year. To manage the efficiency of the visa granting process, the authorities have taken several steps to eliminate excessive waiting time for issuing visas.
One such step was to form the Offsite Facilitation Center. Previously, candidates submitted their biometrics and photographs at the time of the interview, but steps were taken to facilitate the visa application process, and under that the OFC was created in India.
OFC appointments are set up through the US visa system, which enables candidates to submit their fingerprints and photographs at a center established in India before their US visa interview. Candidates should complete the OFC appointment before the interview to move through the visa process as quickly as possible.
What Is the Offsite Facilitation Center?
The US Embassy in most countries has formed a center to ease the US visa application process. The OFC is a center established in India. The candidate who wants a US study visa must submit a photograph and fingerprints there before further processing for the US visa interview.
After this procedure is completed, the DS-160 confirmation page is stamped.
The candidate must submit the stamped DS-160 confirmation page provided by the OFC, along with other documents, at the time of the interview.
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To attend the Offsite Facilitation Center, you must first book an OFC appointment online. Besides the appointment, you will need a set of documents to attend the OFC. Make sure to arrange and complete your OFC appointment before your scheduled US visa interview date in India.
The US visa system has established Offsite Facilitation Centers to expedite the visa application procedure.
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The candidate can book an OFC appointment within minutes, and an official website is provided to schedule an appointment for the submission of biometrics at the OFC. The scheduled appointment can be rescheduled if for any reason you were not able to attend the original slot at the OFC.
The candidate can book an OFC appointment within minutes, and an official website is provided to schedule the submission of biometrics at the OFC. The scheduled appointment can be rescheduled if for any reason you cannot attend the original slot.
Visit the OFC on the appointed day with your documents, such as your passport, an expired passport if any, and your application confirmation page. After arriving, wait for your turn to give biometrics and have your photograph taken. You then need the stamped confirmation page for the interview.
The confirmation page is stamped after you provide your visa photograph and your fingerprints, that is, your biometrics.
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After scheduling your OFC appointment, you must visit the center in person on the allotted day to submit your photograph and biometrics; online attendance is not permitted. Carry physical copies of your passport, appointment confirmation page, and DS-160 confirmation page, as these documents are required to complete the process.
After scheduling an appointment at the OFC, visit on the allotted day to submit your photograph and biometrics. You must be personally present for the whole procedure, as an online mode is not available. You must also carry certain documents in physical form.
The following are the documents you need to carry:
- Original passport - Carry your original passport along with any expired passport. Bring your original documents, as your DS-160 confirmation page will not be stamped if you fail to carry your passport. Your passport is generally returned after the interview, and you collect it from the consulate.
- Appointment confirmation page - When you visit the OFC, carry a physical copy of the appointment confirmation page to get it stamped, as you must submit the stamped confirmation page at the time of the interview.
- DS-160 confirmation page - Once you complete the procedures at the OFC (submission of your photograph, biometrics, and signature), your DS-160 application confirmation page is stamped. You must submit the stamped form at the time of the interview.
How Much Is the OFC Appointment Fee?
You pay a single visa application fee that also covers your OFC biometrics appointment and the stamping of your confirmation page. There is no separate charge for the OFC visit, and the fee is paid in India before scheduling. This machine-readable visa (MRV) fee is non-refundable.
This has been done to reduce further complications and to ease the visa application process.
The MRV visa fee is non-refundable and non-transferable, and it must be paid before you can schedule your OFC biometrics and interview appointments through the official appointment portal.
How Does the Fingerprints and Photo Process Work?
To get a US study visa, you must schedule an OFC appointment to submit your biometrics and photograph there. The OFC operates in several cities across India, and you can reschedule the appointment if needed before attending your consular visa interview.
The OFC appointment is scheduled before the visa interview, and you should take the required documents with you.
After confirmation by the authorities, your confirmation page is stamped, which is an essential document required at the time of the interview.
Your visa application can be approved and you can collect your passport afterward if you submit all the essential documents as required by the authorities.
To get your visa approved, follow these steps at the OFC:
- First, book an appointment at the OFC through the official website; several OFCs operate across the country to facilitate the process.
- A rescheduling option is available, but try to attend your first appointment.
- Carry all documents in physical form, including the confirmation page, your passport, and any expired passport. The interview is not held at the OFC; the OFC visit is a prerequisite before the actual interview.
- After reaching the OFC, wait patiently until your turn.
- Your biometrics will be scanned once your turn comes up.
- Your photograph for the US visa application will be clicked.
- You do not need to carry your own visa photographs to the OFC.
- The visa interview takes place at the US consulate at the scheduled time.
- Carry the appointment confirmation page to get it stamped.
- Carry the stamped DS-160 page at the time of the interview.
- After the visa interview, if your application is approved, your passport is processed for collection or delivery.
- Your passport can be delivered to you if you choose the premium delivery option.
How Do You Reschedule an OFC Appointment for a US Visa?
Yes, you can reschedule your OFC appointment easily. Log in to your account on the official US visa appointment portal, open your existing appointment, and choose a new available date. Reschedule at least three working days before the appointment, and attend within the deadline to avoid restarting the process.
Keep the deadline in mind: rescheduling should be done at least three working days before the appointment time.
A deadline of 48 hours is given to attend the first appointment. If you miss the allotted time, you will have to wait before rescheduling.
Are There Any Offsite Facilitation Centers in India?
Yes. Visa Application Centers, also called OFCs, operate in five Indian cities: New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad. You can book a biometrics appointment at any of these centers regardless of your home state through the official US visa appointment portal before attending your consular interview.
The US visa system has set up OFCs to provide applicants with facilities related to the US visa application.
Several OFCs are set up across the country in major cities.
Here are the cities where OFCs have been set up:
- In Maharashtra, the OFC is in Mumbai.
- In West Bengal, the OFC is in Kolkata.
- In Tamil Nadu, the OFC is in Chennai.
- In the national capital, an OFC is in New Delhi.
- In Telangana, the OFC is in Hyderabad.