How to find the official U.S. visa site for your country

Who this guide is for

If you are applying for a U.S. visa from outside the United States, you will need to pay a fee and book an interview through the official system for your country. Search results and social media are full of lookalike sites that charge extra fees, steal personal data or sell fake appointment slots. This guide explains how to reach the real system for your country, how to tell official sites from fakes, and how to pay safely, as of October 2026.

How do I find my country's official U.S. visa site?

Official appointment systems

The State Department uses contractors to run visa information and appointment services. Which system you use depends on the country where you apply. As of October 2026:

• ais.usvisa-info.com is the official appointment and fee-payment platform in many countries. The list changes over time, so confirm on your embassy's visa page that it is the system for your country.
• Other countries use different official systems, operated for the State Department under contract. The embassy website for your country names the right one.
• Immigrant visa cases usually begin with the National Visa Center through the State Department's Consular Electronic Application Center (ceac.state.gov), not a private site.
• The DS-160, the nonimmigrant visa application, is completed on ceac.state.gov.
• ESTA for Visa Waiver Program travelers is obtained only at esta.cbp.dhs.gov or CBP's official app. See Visa Waiver and ESTA.
• The Diversity Visa lottery accepts entries only at dvprogram.state.gov. See green card lottery.

Since September 2025, the State Department has told nonimmigrant visa applicants to schedule interviews at the embassy or consulate in their country of nationality or residence. Nationals of countries without routine visa services apply at a designated post, and diplomatic and official visa applicants are among the exceptions. Applying elsewhere is not banned, but it may be harder to qualify and the fee will not be refunded. Check your embassy's page for the current rule.

What the official process usually looks like

For most nonimmigrant visas, such as visitor, student and temporary work visas, the official steps generally follow the same order. Knowing the order helps you notice when a site asks for something out of sequence.

Some applicants may qualify for an interview waiver, commonly called "dropbox". Since September 2, 2025, it has been limited mainly to diplomatic and official applicants and to adults renewing a full-validity B-1/B-2 visa (or a Mexican border crossing card) within 12 months of its expiration, applying in their country of nationality or residence and with no prior refusal. Consular officers can still require an interview, so check your embassy's page rather than relying on a third party.

How embassies and agencies contact you

• Embassies and consulates communicate through the official appointment system, official email addresses on their .gov or contractor domain, and their published call center.
• USCIS sends notices by mail and posts them in your USCIS online account. It does not hold appointments over messaging apps.
• The State Department never emails Diversity Visa winners. Selectees learn results only by checking dvprogram.state.gov with their confirmation number.
• No agency will ask for payment by phone, threaten arrest unless you pay, or ask you to keep a call secret.

What about visa agents and travel agencies?

In many countries, travel agencies offer to fill out the DS-160 or book appointments for a fee. Using one is not illegal, but you remain responsible for everything submitted in your name, including errors and false statements, which can lead to a permanent visa bar. If you use a helper, review every answer yourself, never let them keep your passport or login, and pay government fees only through official channels. Legal questions about eligibility should go to a licensed attorney or accredited representative, not a travel agent; see free legal help.

How to recognize an official site

How can you tell if a visa website is fake?

• Odd domain names. Addresses like "usvisa-appointment-online" ending in .com, .org or .net, or with extra words or hyphens, are not government sites.
• Higher fees. Fake sites often charge a "service" or "processing" fee on top of, or instead of, the official fee.
• Promises of faster or guaranteed appointments or approval. No one can guarantee a visa, and official systems do not sell priority.
• Requests for unusual payment such as gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers to individuals or payment over messaging apps.
• Look-alike branding. Seals, flags and eagle logos are easy to copy; the web address is what matters.
• Unsolicited contact. Emails, texts or social media messages offering appointments are red flags.
• Ads at the top of search results may lead to private companies that simply fill out forms you could submit yourself.

Paying visa fees safely

• Pay the visa application (MRV) fee only through the payment methods listed on your country's official appointment system or embassy page.
• Immigrant visa fees are paid through the State Department's official consular systems.
• USCIS fees are paid through a USCIS online account or as instructed on uscis.gov.
• Keep every receipt and confirmation number.
• Never pay an individual to "reserve" or "release" an appointment. Embassies have warned they may cancel appointments booked through fraudulent agents.

Current fee amounts are in immigration fees.

If you used a fake site

More warning signs are in avoiding immigration scams.