All About OFC Appointment for the US Visa

The USA is one of the most sought-after study destinations for higher education. If you want to study in the USA too, booking an OFC appointment will be one of the most important parts of your journey to the USA. The aspirant will be required to book an OFC appointment for a US visa. On the appointment date, these aspirants will have to provide the administrators with biometrics details including fingerprints and photographs at the Offsite Facilitation Center (OFC). 

What is the Offsite Facilitation Center (OFC)?

The OFC has been set by the US embassy for a faster visa application process. In line with this, the candidates have to provide their fingerprints (biometric) and photographs during their OFC appointment that is to be held before their US visa interview. 

What is an OFC Appointment?

An OFC appointment is required by law for most applicants. Before visiting the Consulate Sections for the US visa process, the students will most likely have to book an appointment with the OFC. An OFC appointment for a US visa is the beginning of the visa process that an aspirant has to complete before he/she can fly to the country.

However, the students should note that they don’t have to go there empty-handed; they will have to compile a range of documents that are to be submitted on the day of the appointment. We have provided a list of these documents in the following information. But before that, let’s understand how to book an appointment.

How to Book an OFC Appointment for a US Visa? 

The students who want to pursue their further education in the USA can schedule their appointment just around the time their visa interview is scheduled. 

For this, they may visit the website: https://www.ustraveldocs.com/. They will then have to choose the New Application/Schedule Appointment placed on the left of the screen. 

Documents Required for Booking OFC Appointment

Following is a list of documents that will be required at the time of your appointment. 

1. Passport: Apart from the present passport, the students will also have to carry their old passports.
2. Appointment Confirmation Copy: Apart from the passport, the aspirants will have to carry a printed copy of the Appointment Confirmation. This is mandatory and the students will have to submit a copy of the ‘Appointment Confirmation Page’ to enter the OFC centre.
3. DS-160 Confirmation Copy: The students will also need to carry a printed copy of the DS-160 confirmation page if they want to enter the OFC centre. 

Fee

Depending on the country you are applying to as well as the country of residence, the appointment fee may sometimes be pricey as aspirants have to pay fees at different intervals and different places. However, in this case, the fee that the student has paid for the US visa interview application process encompasses the OFC biometrics fees as well.

OFC Fingerprinting and Visa Photo Process

Once the student reaches the centre, they will have to wait for their turn. When they are called, the process will include noting down the biometric information of the student. The students will have to provide their fingers scans in order to go through the process. The students must also note that their photos will be clicked on the venue.  

What to Expect During an OFC Appointment?

For booking an appointment, the applicant will have to submit the aforementioned documents (passport, confirmation copy, etc.). Once the applicant’s appointment has been booked and he/she reaches the centre, he will be called for OFC fingerprinting as well as the visa photo process. Everyone has to undergo a scanning and checking process. 

In a situation wherein the applicant needs any form of help before the appointment date, he/she will have the opportunity to approach some official at the centre. However, the applicants must keep in mind that no US official will be present as this process is done by a third-party company.

What Happens After the Appointment?

After the applicant is done with the process of the appointment, they will have to visit the US consulate for the visa interview on the appointment date that has been scheduled. Once this is done, the applicants will again have to visit the OFC centre to collect their passports in case their visa application is approved.

OFC Appointment Centers in India

There are several centres in India. One centre is in New Delhi, the other is in Mumbai. Another three are in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Chennai. It’s always the best option to know about various locations of OFC within your country in order to know which location suits the best.

FAQs

This was all about how to go about the appointment before your visa interview for the US. If you want to know more about visa application processes, contact our Leverage Edu experts today for proper guidance.