This is an easy-to-understand and complete guide for first time apply U.S. Visa by Malaysians 2016.
If you are a Malaysian and this is your first time applying for a United States Visa, then read this comprehensive guide.
NOTE: Apply your visa at least two months before your travel date.
Basic Steps For Applying U.S. Visa
1. Complete DS-160 Form Online.
2. Pay Application Fee.
3. Schedule For Appointment
4. Attend Interview At US Embassy
5. Collect Passport/Visa
Before you even go to the website to start filling up the DS-160 form online, you need to have these items with you:
1. Passport with a validity date at least six months beyond your intended period of stay in the United States
2. Your visa-size photo uploaded and stored it in your computer.
Make sure you go to a professional photo shop where it has experience taking visa size photos.
It must be taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance.
Upload it and make the proper adjustment with the Photo Tool provided.
For your correct photo requirements, go to this page to get the full details and there is even a photo tool which you can upload your photo and make the necessary adjustment.
3. Relevant Information.
The information you need to have depends on your purpose of visiting United States of America.
You can find out from here for more info.
After you have all the necessary items at hand, now let’s start.
Use Internet Explorer or Firefox browsers to access the DS-160.
Completing DS-160 Form Online
1. Go to this site: http://www.ustraveldocs.com/my/
2. Immediately, you will see a pop-up box which says: “Is this your first time applying for a visa and/or visiting our site?”
3. Click the “Yes” button.
What Type Of U.S. Visa Do I Need?
1. It will take you to the next page, and you will see the question: “Are you applying for a nonimmigrant or immigrant visa?”
2. As you a Malaysian citizen, you select “Nonimmigrant“.
3. Click on the “Nonimmigrant” button.
How To Apply A Nonimmigrant Visa Online
1. Now you will see a page titled “Apply for a Visa“, together with a detailed instructions.
2. As for your case as a first timer, go to Step 1 which is below the heading “How to Apply“.
3. Click on the blue color “Common Nonimmigrant Visas” link.
4. On this new page, titled “Visa Types“. You can find a list of Common Nonimmigrant Visas on the top left hand corner.
5. Select and click on the type of of visa type you need to apply.
6. There you will find a very detailed explanation on the particular visa you have selected.
7. The qualifications, application items and supporting documents which you need to apply for that visa type.
IMPORTANT: Make sure you have all the documents and information ready with you before you proceed. (As mentioned above at #3 Relevant Information)
8. Now you scroll back to the section titled “Application Items“.
9. Click on the “DS-160 webpage” link.
10. It will take you to another page.
11. Scroll down to the section “Guidelines for Completing the DS-160 Form“.
12. Click on the “nonimmigrant visa application process” link
13. Now it will take you to a new website with the heading: “U.S. DEPARTMENT of STATE, CONSULAR ELECTRONIC APPLICATION CENTER“.
14. Go to “Get Started“.
15. As you are applying it from Malaysia, select “MALAYSIA, KUALA LUMPUR“.
16. Next enter the provided code in the empty box.
17. Then click on the red color button that says: “START AN APPLICATION“.
18. Now you will see a new page titled “Application Information“.
You can see your Application ID appeared on the top left hand corner.
This is how Application ID looks like:
On this same page below, you need to create your security question and answer.
IMPORTANT: You must write down both your Application ID and the Security Question and Answer somewhere.
You need these two information to retrieve your application, if there are some technical issues with the system, or maybe you want to stop in the middle of the application and return to it later.
Another thing which I personally experienced was when I left it idle for some time, while I was filling up the form, it got terminated.
Then I have to go back to the homepage to retrieve it and continue at the last page where I have completed.
NOTE: As for the Security Questions, it may ask you some other questions beside the one you created.
* You can find the guide on how to retrieve and continue your application below.
Click Here.
Let’s continue….
19. After filling up your personal info, click the “Continue” button.
20. 18. Now you will see new page titled “Personal Information 1“.
21. Fill up your personal information as required.
20. Then click “Next: Personal 2“.
NOTE: You DON’T need to click the “Save” button, if you keep continuing filling up the form.
When you click the “Next” button, the info which you have filled will be immediately saved.
I know completing this DS-160 form can be very overwhelming for some of you.
There is a whole lot of questions to be filled.
Don’t rush and the most important thing is have all the required information and documents with you when you are filling up the form.
Make sure you answer all the questions in English. If you do not, your application may not be accepted.
When you are finished answering all the questions, the program will let you check your answers to make sure they are correct.
Please re-read them carefully so you do not make mistakes.
Then click on the “Sign Application” button to sign your application electronically.
Once you have checked your answers, you can submit your application.
When you do, you will see a Confirmation Page on your screen with a Barcode.
Print out ONLY this Confirmation Page.
22. Make sure you print out properly and clearly.
24. You need to bring this copy to the U.S. Embassy at the time of your interview.
25. Even though you have uploaded a photo when completing the form, it is advisable that you bring a photo with you, in case your photo did not upload properly.
U.S. Visa Fee Malaysia
You need to pay a non-refundable, non-transferable visa application fee, sometimes referred to as the MRV fee, before applying for a nonimmigrant visa.
The amount is according to the type of visa you re applying.
You can find out the complete payment amount and other information here.
There are 3 methods which you can pay for your U.S. Visa fee.
1. Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)
2. JomPAY
3. Cash at Bank – AmBank (2016)
Personally I paid my visa application fee with cash at an AmBank branch.
How To Pay Cash Payment For U.S. Visa Application
1. Go to this page.
2. Scroll down until the section with the heading “U.S. Visa Application Deposit Slips – AmBank“.
3. There are four choices visa application fees (stated in U.S. Dollars) to choose from.
4. Click on the one which you need to pay.
5. It will see a white page with the heading “AmBank Cash Deposit Instructions“.
6. Print this page out. The bank needs the “Receipt Number” (18-digit) as stated on this page.
7. Bring this copy to any AmBank branch together with the correct amount.
8. After you have made your payment to the bank, it will give you a deposit slip as shown below.
9. Keep it properly as you need the Receipt Number when you fill up the form online to schedule for the appointment.
10. You also need to bring it along during your interview day.
Schedule An Appointment
The two main info you need to complete the schedule application are:
– Barcode digits from Confirmation Page
– Receipt Number (18-digit) from AmBank deposit slip as mentioned at #8 above.
1. You need to create an account to arrange the interview appointment online.
2. Click “Schedule Interview Appointment.”
3. Since you are a new applicant, you need to create an account.
4. Click on “New User?“.
5. Fill up the required information.
6. Type in the CAPTCHA number provided into the blank box.
7. Then click the blue color “Submit” button.
8. Fill up the form properly.
9. In this form, you need to determine the method of getting your Visa back.
10. The options are: self collect or by courier service (at no extra charge).
NOTE: You can still change the method of collecting your passport/visa until the day of interview.
9. After it is done, you need to print out the page called “APPOINTMENT CONFIRMATION“.
Attend US Visa Interview
1. You are required to appear in person for a visa interview at the embassy.
2. Be punctual. Be there at least 15 minutes before the appointment time.
What To Bring For U.S. visa Interview Malaysia
Here is the list of items which you must bring along when you attend the interview at the embassy:
1. Your Passport.
2. Your printed out DS-160 Confirmation Page.
3. Your visa application fee payment deposit slip.
4. Bring an extra photo or two, in case your photo is not clear in your online application (optional)
Security Regulations Confusion
If you read the regulations stated on the USTravelDocs website, you will a list of items which you cannot bring into the U.S. Embassy.
Please DO NOT be confused. The instruction is NOT allowed TO ENTER the U.S. Embassy while carrying the list of items.
In other words, you can still bring items like your mobile phones, cameras, umbrella, handbag, drinking bottle, etc. along.
But you CANNOT bring them INTO the U.S. Embassy building.
You have to leave them at the security points.
By the way, you need to pass through two sections of security, before you meet up with your interviewer.
Passport/Visa Collection
As I have mentioned above, you can collect it personally by yourself or have it couriered it to your home or office.
For me, I have it couriered to my home. I got my passport/visa within two-working days.
It was delivered by GDex courier service.
Change Document Delivery Address
For any reason if you need to alter your document delivery address, you can still do it at any time prior to 11:59pm on the day of your nonimmigrant visa interview at the Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
Just go to this site and click the “Change Address” button.
Track Your Approved U.S. Passport/Visa
Now you even track your passport/visa. Click here.
How To Retrieve Application
1. Go to the hompage.
2. Select “MALAYSIA, KUALA LUMPUR“.
3. Type in the code in the empty box provided.
4. Click the red button that says: “RETRIEVE An APPLICATION“.
5. It will take you to a new page where you need to type in your Application ID in the space provided.
6. Click “Retrieve Application” button.
7. Now it will show you the first set of security questions which are: the first 5 letters of surname and your year of birth.
8. Then you click “Retrieve Application” button.
9. Now answer the second set of security question.
10. This is the one which you have created earlier in #18 as mentioned above.
First time Apply U.S. Visa By Malaysians
That’s all to how to apply United States Visa in Malaysia for the first time.
I hope you do not encounter any problem and have a nice trip to U.S. of America.
Here is a video on how to apply Non-immigrant Visa at U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
Note: To play the video below, just click on the image. To view it in the full view, click on the “Full screen” icon next to the word “YouTube”.