Overview
Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. Visitor visas are nonimmigrant visas for persons who want to enter the United States temporarily for business (visa category B-1), tourism, pleasure or visiting (visa category B-2),or a combination of both purposes (B-1/B-2).
The U.S. physical therapy licensure examination (NPTE) is only offered within the USA. Therefore, travel to the States is required -- most often on a B1 (visitor) visa.
How to obtain visitor visa for USA
Getting a visitor visa (B1) to USA is subject to approval USCIS. Each applicant must have a valid passport the validity should be of more than 6 months, submit the application form, pay the fee, and appear for the visitor visa interview at the nearest applicable US consulate in their country in a nutshell. Read below for a detailed process of applying for Visitor Visa
IMP Tips to Create account: Use the email id that you check regularly, and mobile number on which you could receive Text messages.
**Please note it’s important to write your point of contact in USA and their correct contact details, which would help embassy to know you are a genuine applicant. The point of contact is the person whom you will be contacting upon landing in USA but make sure its not FSBPT as FSBPT is only for NPTE examination they cannot be responsible for your stay in USA.
- Pay the application fees for Visa
While obtaining your appointment for visitor visa online on ustraveldoc website you will come across about paying the fees for visa
To pay your visa fee, read the Bank and Payment Options page. This page explains how to make your visa fee payment. You will create a profile and must keep your receipt number to book your visa appointment. The fee can be paid either electronically as a bank transfer or in cash at designated CitiBank or Axis bank branches throughout the India.
**Please note The fee is good for a year from the date of payment. You must take an appointment within a year for your visa interview.
Please Note: Some embassies or consulates no longer require you to upload a digital photograph while filling out the DS-160 form. In such cases, the photograph will taken at the OFC (offsite facilitation center) or ASC (Application Service Center) along with the fingerprint at Visa Application Center.
- Schedule your Appointment
After paying your fees upon activation of your receipt number you could complete the process of generating your appointment. There are two kinds of appointment to be generated to apply for visitor visa.
OFC stands for Offsite facilitation center to give Biometrics information that includes fingerprinting and photograph.
Documents required carrying at OFC
OFC appointment is usually scheduled before one or two day of Consulate appointment.
Consulate Embassy Appointment is the personal interview appointment. Reach the consulate before the time of appointment as certain consulate has long queues.
- Documents required carrying at Interview
- Passport
- Photograph
- DS 160 confirmation page stamped at OFC appointment
- Interview appointment Confirmation letter
- Visa application fee receipts (if applying at a US consulate in your country)
- Recommended Supporting Documents
Authorization to Test from FSBPT
Eligibility letter to give NPTE
Visa Screen Certificate
Prometric Confirmation
- Itinerary
- Tickets
- Hotel Booking Confirmation (if staying at a hotel)
- Current Job Offer Letter
- Current Job letter informing about the holiday approved
- Pay slips
- Contract with US employer
- Sponsorship letter from US employer
- Degree Certificate
- Mark-sheets of Bachelors and Masters
- TOEFL Score Report
- Bank Statement (last 6 months)
- IT Return documents (As applicable in country of your residence)
Arrange the entire document with flag tags so that when the visa officer ask for a document you would not search documents.
