Filling Out the DS-160

Who this is for: Applicants in mainland China preparing a U.S. nonimmigrant visa application (B1/B2 visitor, F1 student, J1, H-1B and others), and family members filling out the DS-160 for parents or children in China.

Facts in this guide follow the U.S. Department of State (travel.state.gov) and the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in China, last checked 2026-10-14. Items marked ⚠️ change often, so check the official sites again before filling out the form.

1. What the DS-160 is and why it matters

• The DS-160 is the online application for U.S. nonimmigrant visas. Every nonimmigrant visa applicant fills it out, and after submitting you get a confirmation page with a barcode.
• It is only the first step: after submitting you pay the fee and book an interview (see Booking a visa interview), and you must bring the confirmation page on interview day.
• The officer has usually looked at your DS-160 before the interview. What you wrote, what you say at the interview, and what you tell customs at entry should all match.
• Your electronic signature declares that the information is true; false or misleading statements can lead to a permanent visa bar or denial of entry (the gist of the official FAQ).

2. Overview and timeline

Flow: Gather your passport, itinerary, résumé, travel history and list of social media accounts → open ceac.state.gov/genniv and choose your interview location → write down the Application ID and set a security question → fill out each page (clicking Next saves it) → upload the photo → review everything → sign electronically and submit → save the confirmation page (10-character barcode number) → pay and book the interview

Cost: Filling out the DS-160 itself is free. The visa application (MRV) fee is paid separately when booking: $185 for non-petition visas such as B, F and J, and $205 for petition-based visas such as H, L and O ⚠️ (State Department fee page, checked 2026-10-14). Any website that charges you "to fill out the DS-160" is not official.

3. Before you start

The official FAQ suggests having these ready:

• Your passport (and any old passports, especially ones with old U.S. visas);
• Your itinerary (if you have booked flights and hotels);
• The dates of your last five trips to the U.S. (if any); you may also be asked about international travel in the past 5 years;
• Your résumé: education and work history;
• Students and exchange visitors: the I-20 or DS-2019 (SEVIS ID, school address);
• Petition-based work visas (H-1B, L, O and others): the I-129 / I-797 approval notice; the receipt number is 13 characters starting with three letters;
• A list of social media accounts used in the past 5 years (see section 5).

Technical prep:

• There is only one official site: ceac.state.gov/genniv. Search ads for "DS-160 help" or "official DS-160 site" are mostly not official.
• Browsers: the official FAQ lists IE11+, Firefox and Chrome; Safari and Edge are not supported.
• Use English characters only; only the "full name in native alphabet" field is in Chinese. You can switch the page to Chinese translations to help understand the questions, but your answers must still be in English.
• Use the buttons at the bottom of the page to move between pages, not the browser's Back button, or changes made after returning from the Review page may not save.

4. Page by page: what to enter and common mistakes

Page order and questions follow the actual form; some visa categories have more or fewer pages.

1. Getting Started

• Choose your interview location first (for example CHINA, BEIJING / SHANGHAI / GUANGZHOU / SHENYANG / WUHAN). The official FAQ says that if you later interview at a different post, that post can still retrieve your form with the barcode, so you don't need to start over for that reason.
• The system generates an Application ID (often starting with AA) and asks you to set a security question. Take a screenshot or write it down immediately; without it you cannot retrieve the form, and you can reuse it to copy the old form when you renew (see section 7).

2. Personal Information 1 & 2

How to find your Chinese name telecode:

• The official explanation: a telecode is a four-digit number representing each character of a name in a non-Latin alphabet. Mainland China uses the Chinese Commercial Code, with one four-digit number per character.
• Use a standard code table or a common online lookup tool and check each character; enter the surname and given name separately (for example, a two-character given name is eight digits with no separators).
• If a rare character can't be found, forum practice is to explain honestly or follow the tool's instructions; the key is never to make up a number. Wrong telecodes are one of the more common reasons for redoing a form.

3. Address and Phone (address, phone, email, social media)

• Write your home address in English or pinyin; include the country code (86) in phone numbers.
• The form also asks for other phone numbers and email addresses you have used (the period is shown on the form, commonly the past 5 years). List any you have changed.
• Use an email address the applicant actually checks; family members filling it out should not make their own email the applicant's only email (it is needed to retrieve the form and receive appointment notices).
• The social media section is also on this page; see section 5.

4. Passport

• Copy the passport number, place of issue, and issue and expiration dates exactly.
• Passport Book Number: the official explanation is that this is an "inventory control number"; some passports have it and some don't, and its location varies by country. If you can't find it, check Does Not Apply; if unsure, the official advice is to ask the passport issuing authority.
• Official tip: your passport generally needs to be valid for at least 6 months beyond your arrival in the U.S. If it is about to expire, renew it before filling out the form, or you will also have to re-enroll in EVUS (see EVUS enrollment).
• Report any lost passports truthfully.

5. Travel / Travel Companions / Previous U.S. Travel

• If you haven't booked flights, enter an "intended date of arrival + length of stay"; don't invent a specific flight.
• Your length of stay should match what you say at the interview (for example "attending my child's graduation, staying 3 weeks"). Listing six months with no clear reason can make the officer suspect immigrant intent.
• Previous U.S. travel: list the dates and lengths of your last five entries; prior U.S. visas (the visa number is the red number at the bottom right of the visa foil); whether you have been refused a visa; and whether anyone has filed an immigrant petition for you. Answer truthfully. Answering No after a refusal is a serious mistake; for 221(g) administrative processing, answer according to what actually happened (if unsure, see 221(g)).

6. U.S. Point of Contact

• If you have family or friends in the U.S., enter their name, address, phone and email; if you are only staying in hotels, you can enter the hotel name and address.
• For family visits, the contact is usually the child; the information should match what you say at the interview (school or company, city).

7. Family

• Your parents' names and dates of birth and whether they are in the U.S.; your spouse's information; immediate relatives in the U.S. and their status (student, work visa, green card, citizen).
• Parents whose children study or work in the U.S. must state the child's status truthfully here; the officer will ask questions based on this section (see the family-visit section of B1/B2 step by step).

8. Work / Education / Training

• Present: your current occupation and employer. Retired: Retired; full-time homemaker: Homemaker; student: Student.
• Previous: the official help text says only your previous two employers are required; you can bring a full résumé to the interview.
• Education: list all schools above secondary level (as the form requires).
• Additional questions ask about languages you speak, countries you have visited in the past 5 years, military service, professional organizations and so on. If you have military service, or worked at a research institute or defense organization, state it truthfully; concealment is far riskier than the experience itself, and with such a background you should allow time for administrative processing.
• Job titles and employer names should match the English or pinyin on your employment letter or business license.

9. Security and Background (Parts 1–5)

• A series of yes/no questions (communicable diseases, criminal history, immigration violations, terrorism and so on). Most people answer No, but if you have overstayed, been removed or been refused entry, you must answer Yes and explain.
• If you don't understand a question, switch to the Chinese translation to read it, rather than answering No by feel.

10. Photo (upload)

See section 6.

11. Review, Sign and Submit

• Check every page on the Review page: pinyin name, date of birth, passport number, ID number, telecode, email.
• If someone helped you fill out the form, you must state that on the Sign and Submit page (an official requirement), but the applicant should click the sign button. Applicants under 16 or physically unable to complete the form may have a parent or guardian sign for them.
• After submitting, print the confirmation page (not the whole form); bring it on interview day and keep it throughout the process. If you lose it, you can reprint it with your Application ID through "Retrieve Application" on the official site.
• For a family applying together, you can choose create a family/group application on the "Thank You" page after submitting; some information carries over, but each person still needs their own DS-160.

5. The social media section in 2025–2026

Official rule (in effect since 2019):

• The DS-160 lists a number of social media platforms and asks for all account names/usernames you have used on those platforms in the past 5 years (handles, identifiers); list every account.
• Accounts you have deactivated or deleted but used within the past 5 years still count.
• The government does not ask for passwords.
• If you really have not used any of the listed platforms, you can choose None; the government says it will not refuse a visa just because you have no social media. But writing None when your public accounts are easy to find would be a false statement.
• There is also an optional question for platforms not on the list. Whether WeChat, Xiaohongshu (RED) and others are in the drop-down depends on the form when you fill it out; for platforms not in the list, use the optional question to list them truthfully.

2025–2026 change: do you have to make accounts public? ⚠️

• The State Department's announcement, updated 2026-09-18, lists the visa categories whose applicants must set all social media accounts to "public": F-1/F-2, M-1/M-2, J-1/J-2, H-1B and H-4, H-3, K-1/K-2/K-3, Q, R, S/T/U, some diplomatic categories, and, added from 2026-10-01, I, TN and TD.
• As of 2026-10-14, B1/B2 is not on this list. B visa applicants must still list their accounts truthfully on the DS-160, but they are not required to make them public.
• Students, visiting scholars and H-1B applicants should set accounts to public as required and keep them public through the interview and any review; switching to private temporarily can raise questions (see F1 student visa, H-1B).

Practical tips:

• Make a list before filling out the form: platform name + username (use the account ID shown by the platform, not a display name).
• Don't delete accounts or change names "to look better" before filling it out, and don't list only one or two "clean" accounts. Being caught omitting accounts is worse than anything the accounts contain.

6. Photo requirements (official specs)

The photo itself:

• In color, taken within the past 6 months, reflecting your current appearance;
• Plain white or off-white background, facing the camera directly, neutral expression, both eyes open;
• The head (chin to top of hair) takes up 50%–69% of the photo's height;
• Everyday clothing, no uniforms (except religious clothing worn daily);
• No hats or head coverings that hide the hairline (except for daily religious use), no headphones or devices; hearing aids are fine;
• No glasses, unless for a medical reason such as recent eye surgery, with a signed doctor's statement;
• No re-photographed ID photos, scans of driver's license photos, low-quality phone selfies or full-length shots, and no beautifying or editing that changes your appearance.

Digital upload specs:

The State Department has a free online cropping tool (tsg.phototool.state.gov); it only crops and does not judge whether the photo is acceptable.

If the upload fails: An "X" in the photo area of the confirmation page means the upload failed. According to the official instructions, you must bring a printed photo that meets the specs, following the post's requirements. If you can see your photo on the confirmation page, you don't need to bring one. Forum advice: even if the upload worked, bring one or two 51×51 mm white-background photos on interview day just in case.

A significant change in appearance (facial surgery, major weight change, adding or removing many facial piercings or tattoos) requires a new photo; growing a beard or dyeing your hair generally does not.

7. Saving, retrieving and making changes

Saving:

• Each page saves to the site when you click Next; if your connection drops or the session times out, retrieve the form with the Application ID + security question and continue from the last completed page.
• Unsubmitted forms are kept on the site for only 30 days. To keep a copy longer, click "Save Application to File" to save it to your own computer (not on a shared or public computer).

Shortcuts for renewing (official features):

• Option B: upload a previously saved file (Upload a Previously Saved Application);
• Option C: enter an Application ID you submitted before → Retrieve Application → Create a New Application, and your personal information carries over.
• After it carries over, re-check every page: your job, address, phone and U.S. travel history have probably changed.

Finding a mistake after submitting:

• You cannot edit a submitted DS-160 yourself. The official FAQ only says that if a post refuses to accept your form because of errors or missing information, the post will reopen it so you can correct it.
• If you find a mistake before your interview, the usual approach is to fill out a new DS-160 (option C above makes this quick), get a new barcode, and update the DS-160 number on your appointment as the appointment system or post instructs, or bring the new confirmation page on interview day. Follow the appointment system's and post's instructions. ⚠️
• Online claims that "you can edit within 30 days of submitting and keep the same barcode" do not match the official FAQ; don't rely on them.
• There is no official standard for whether a small typo (such as a missing house number) requires a new form; mistakes in name, passport number, date of birth, visa category or refusal history definitely do.

8. How officers use the DS-160 at the interview

There is no interview about the DS-160 itself, but nearly every interview question comes from it. Typical "form-based" questions:

• "You wrote 3 weeks. Where exactly are you going?" (your itinerary should match the form);
• "What do you do at XX company? How long have you worked there?" (the work page);
• "What does your son do in the U.S.? What is his status?" (the family page);
• "You went to the U.S. in 2019. How long did you stay?" (previous travel);
• "You listed this account. Is it yours?" (social media);
• Applicants with research or defense backgrounds may be asked for an English résumé and publication list (see 221(g)).

Before your interview, print a full copy of your DS-160 (you can print from the Review page) and read it through so you know exactly what you wrote.

Want to practice these questions? Try a mock interview in the 美签专家 app (in Chinese).

9. What applicants report (since 2025)

Common themes from 2025–2026 public posts on forums such as US Card Forum and 1point3acres, Zhihu, reposts from Xiaohongshu, and study-abroad agency blogs. Individual experiences, not guarantees.

• Prepare offline first. Put everything you need (employer name and address in English, travel history, family information, social media accounts) into one English list first, then copy and paste while filling out the form. You are less likely to time out, and the whole family can check it.
• Don't copy "templates." In 2026 many students reported that DS-160 templates circulating online were out of date, and copying them led to answers that didn't match their own situation.
• Copying an old form works well. In 2026 people shared that using a two-year-old Application ID with "Retrieve → Create New" let them finish in half an hour; others noted the AA number can be found in that year's appointment email. Keep the AA number, confirmation page PDF and full form every time you submit.
• Mistyped confirmation numbers are a frequent problem. Write-ups mention confusing the letter O and the digit 0, or I and 1, when booking; filling out a new form but forgetting to update the number in the appointment system; or swapping two family members' numbers. Check manually entered numbers three times.
• Photo rejections are common. Taking a phone photo and cutting out the background yourself, files over 240 KB, and wearing glasses are common upload failures on forums. Going to a photo studio and asking for a "U.S. visa photo" with a digital file is the easiest route. (Note: some articles say "under 125 KB," which does not match the official ≤240 KB.)
• Don't gamble on the social media section. The most discussed question on Zhihu and Xiaohongshu in 2026 was "do I list WeChat and Xiaohongshu?" The consensus: list platforms not in the drop-down truthfully in the optional question, list accounts deleted within the past 5 years, and don't delete accounts at the last minute.
• List the person who helped. Children filling out forms for parents is common; follow the official requirement to name the helper on the signature page, then let the parent click to sign. Parents should know what the form says.

10. FAQ

1. Can I fill out the DS-160 in Chinese? No. Apart from the "full name in native alphabet," everything must be in English characters, or the form may be rejected and you'll have to redo it. You can switch to Chinese translations to read the questions.

2. If I close the page halfway, will I lose my work? No. Each page saves after you click Next; retrieve it with the Application ID and security question within 30 days. After 30 days, restore it from the file you saved to your computer.

3. I chose Beijing but want to interview in Shenyang. Do I need a new form? The official answer: the post where you interview can pull up your form with the confirmation barcode, so you generally don't need a new one. Some people redo the form for the new post just to be safe.

4. Where do I look up the telecode for my Chinese name? Use a standard Chinese Commercial Code table or a reliable online tool; each character is 4 digits; enter surname and given name separately and check each character.

5. I don't use any social media. What do I enter? Choose None. The government says it will not refuse a visa just because you have no social media, as long as that is really true.

6. Do B visa applicants have to make social media public? As of 2026-10-14, the State Department list of categories that must set accounts to public does not include B visas (it includes F, M, J, H-1B, H-4, K and others, plus I, TN and TD from 2026-10-01). B visa applicants must still list accounts used in the past 5 years. ⚠️ The list may expand; follow the latest official announcement.

7. What if I find a mistake after submitting? You can't edit a submitted form. The usual fix is a new form (you can copy the old one) and updating the number as the appointment system or post instructs. Key-information mistakes definitely require a new form.

8. Can I submit if the photo upload failed? Yes. The confirmation page will show an "X" where the photo goes; bring a compliant printed photo to the interview as the post requires.

9. What should I watch for when filling it out for my parents? Name yourself as the helper on the signature page; the content must reflect your parents' real situation; use an email they can receive; and go over the form with them before the interview.

10. How long is a DS-160 confirmation page valid? There is no single official "validity period." In practice, one confirmation page goes with one application; if you get a new passport, change important information or apply again much later, fill out a new form. ⚠️

11. Official links

• DS-160: https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/
• DS-160 FAQs: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/forms/ds-160-online-nonimmigrant-visa-application/ds-160-faqs.html
• Photo requirements: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/photos.html
• Digital image requirements: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/photos/digital-image-requirements.html
• FAQs on social media collection (2019, PDF): https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Enhanced%20Vetting/CA%20-%20FAQs%20on%20Social%20Media%20Collection%20-%206-4-2019%20(v.2).pdf
• Expanded screening and vetting announcement (updated 2026-09-18): https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/announcement-of-expanded-screening-and-vetting-for-visa-applicants.html
• Visa fees: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/fees/fees-visa-services.html
• U.S. Embassy and Consulates in China, nonimmigrant visas: https://china.usembassy-china.org.cn/visas/nonimmigrant-visas/

Related guides: B1/B2 step by step · Booking a visa interview · EVUS enrollment · 214(b) refusals · 221(g) administrative processing · F1 student visa

Disclaimer: This guide is for reference only and is not legal advice. Form questions, photo specs, vetting policies and fees can change at any time; always check the latest from the State Department and the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in China. If you have a visa refusal, an overstay, or a sensitive field of study or work, talk to a licensed U.S. immigration attorney.