How to apply for a US visitor visa from London
Katerina Galkina · EN · 07/10/2026
Читать на русскомEstablish whether you need a visa
UK residence does not make every passport eligible for ESTA. First check the Visa Waiver Program ↗: nationality, passport and individual eligibility, including travel history, matter. Where a tourist visa is required, the usual route is B-2 or combined B-1/B-2; it does not provide an ordinary right to work in the US.
Establish your basis for applying in London
The Department of State ↗ directs nonimmigrant applicants to their country of nationality or residence. If applying in the UK based on residence, prepare evidence of actual residence and lawful status. Simply visiting Britain is not the same as residing here.
Before payment, check current nationality restrictions and the relevant consulate's procedure. Do not assume a fee paid in one country can automatically be transferred to another.
Complete DS-160 and arrange the appointment
The Visitor Visa instructions ↗ lead to the official DS-160. Complete a separate application for each person, keep the confirmation page and check that its number matches the booking. For payment and interview scheduling, follow the link from the US embassy's UK visa section ↗.
Distinguish a saved DS-160 draft, a submitted form and a scheduled interview. Interview waiver eligibility depends on current conditions, rather than simply having an old visa.
Prepare for the interview
Bring your passport, DS-160, appointment and payment confirmations, a photograph as instructed and evidence relevant to your circumstances. Be ready to explain the purpose, length, funding and reasons for returning after the visit. An invitation from an American relative does not replace assessment of your circumstances or guarantee approval.
Answer consistently and truthfully. Do not buy a fabricated employment history or a supposedly compulsory agent's package.
Plan cost and timing
Check applicable charges, including any nationality-dependent issuance fee, and passport return arrangements. Waiting for an interview, administrative processing and delivery are separate stages; an oral statement at interview is not a returned passport containing a visa.
Avoid non-refundable commitments before the decision. Check the issued visa carefully; the period of admission on arrival is determined separately from its validity.