If you are living in Canada and need a U.S. nonimmigrant visa—such as a B1/B2 visitor visa, F-1 student visa, J-1 exchange visa, H-1B work visa, or another temporary visa—the process involves completing the DS-160, paying the visa application fee, creating an appointment profile, and booking an interview through the U.S. visa appointment system.
Important 2026 update: Since July 15, 2026, the U.S. Department of State says nonimmigrant visa applicants should generally apply in their country of nationality or residence. If you are applying in Canada because you reside there, you should be prepared to demonstrate Canadian residence. Applying somewhere other than your country of nationality/residence can mean longer waits and the fee is generally not transferable or refundable.
Below is the complete process, with the official websites you need:
Step-by-Step Process:
Step 1: First: Determine whether you actually need a U.S. visa
This is an important first step.
Canadian citizens
Most Canadian citizens do not need a U.S. nonimmigrant visa for ordinary tourism or business travel. There are exceptions for certain categories and circumstances.
If you are a Canadian permanent resident but not a Canadian citizen, the situation is different. Your nationality/passport generally determines whether you need a U.S. visa.
For example, an Indian citizen who is a Canadian permanent resident generally needs the appropriate U.S. visa to visit the United States.
You can check the official U.S. visa information here:
U.S. Department of State — U.S. Visas
Before booking an appointment, determine which visa you need.
Common nonimmigrant categories include:
- B-1 — temporary business travel
- B-2 — tourism, vacation, visiting family/friends, medical treatment
- B-1/B-2 — combined business/tourism visitor visa
- F-1 — academic student
- M-1 — vocational student
- J-1 — exchange visitor
- H-1B — specialty occupation worker
- L-1 — intracompany transferee
- O-1 — extraordinary ability
- TN/TD — qualifying Canadian/Mexican professionals and dependents
- E visas — treaty trader/investor categories
The requirements and fees can differ substantially depending on the category.
Step 3: Complete the DS-160
The DS-160 is the online application for most U.S. nonimmigrant visas.
This is the first major form you need to complete.
Official DS-160 website
Start the DS-160 — Consular Electronic Application Center
The Department of State specifically says that every applicant must submit a DS-160 for nonimmigrant visa applications, including applicants for K visas.
Information you should have ready
Before starting the DS-160, have:
- Your passport
- Current Canadian address
- Previous addresses
- Employment information
- Education information
- Travel history
- Previous U.S. travel information
- Previous U.S. visa information, if applicable
- Information about family members
- Details of your intended U.S. trip
- U.S. contact information, where applicable
- Travel itinerary, if already arranged
- Digital photograph, if required
The Department of State recommends having your passport, travel itinerary, previous U.S. travel dates and employment/education information available when completing the form.
Very important: Save your application ID
When you begin the DS-160, you receive an Application ID.
Write it down.
The DS-160 system can time out after inactivity, so save your application regularly.
Step 4: Select Canada as your visa application location.
When completing the DS-160, you will be asked where you intend to apply.
If you are applying from Canada, select the appropriate Canadian U.S. consular post.
Don't worry if you ultimately obtain an appointment at a different Canadian post. The State Department's DS-160 FAQ explains that the consulate where you actually apply can generally access the submitted DS-160 using the barcode on your confirmation page.
Step 5: Submit the DS-160
Once you have reviewed everything carefully, electronically sign and submit the application.
Do not rush this step.
Errors in your DS-160 can cause problems later. The Department of State warns that inaccurate or incomplete answers can require corrections and potentially rescheduling.
After submitting:
Save and print the DS-160 confirmation page.
You do not normally need to print the entire DS-160.
The confirmation page containing the barcode/application ID is the important document for your appointment.
Step 6: Create your U.S. visa appointment account for Canada
For Canadian nonimmigrant visa applicants, the appointment system is:
U.S. Visa Information and Appointment Services — Canada
This is the site used for appointment scheduling and related services in Canada.
You will create an account and enter information such as:
- Name
- Passport information
- DS-160 confirmation number
- Visa category
- Contact information
- Delivery/passport-return information
Make sure the information matches your passport and DS-160.
Step 7: Pay the U.S. visa application fee
The visa application fee is commonly referred to as the MRV fee.
For many common non-petition-based nonimmigrant visas—including B1/B2, F, J and M—the current application processing fee listed by the State Department is:
US$185
Certain petition-based categories have different fees. For example, the State Department currently lists US$205 for many petition-based categories such as H visas.
Always verify the fee shown in the Canadian appointment system before paying because fees and procedures can change.
Official U.S. Visa Fee Information
Important
The visa application fee is generally non-refundable.
Therefore, don't pay the fee casually before determining:
- Your correct visa category
- Where you are eligible to apply
- Whether you actually need a visa
- That your DS-160 information is correct
Step 8: Select your Canadian appointment location
Canada has several U.S. diplomatic posts.
The Department of State lists U.S. visa-related posts including:
- Ottawa
- Calgary
- Halifax
- Montreal
- Quebec City
- Toronto
- Vancouver
You should check the appointment system to see which location offers appointments for your particular visa category.
Important: Don't automatically assume Toronto is the best option.
Appointment availability changes.
The Department of State says new appointment slots can be released periodically and applicants who already have appointments can check whether an earlier appointment becomes available.
Step 9: Check U.S. visa appointment wait times
The official State Department wait-time page is:
Check official U.S. visa appointment wait times
The Department of State updates these estimates regularly.
Do not treat the displayed wait time as a guaranteed appointment date.
The State Department specifically says appointments are released regularly and that applicants may be able to move an existing appointment to an earlier available slot.
For example, the September 2026 data showed substantial differences between Canadian posts and visa categories, demonstrating why checking multiple eligible locations can be useful.
Step 10: Book the first available appointment
Once your payment is processed, the appointment system should allow you to select an available interview date/location, subject to your visa category and eligibility.
Select:
Location → Date → Time → Confirm
Then save:
- Appointment confirmation
- DS-160 confirmation
- Payment information/receipt
- Passport details
- Delivery information
I recommend saving electronic copies of everything and keeping a printed copy of your appointment confirmation.
What if there are no appointments?
This is one of the biggest problems applicants encounter.
Don't assume that "no appointment available" means you cannot apply.
Appointment availability changes.
The Department of State says U.S. embassies and consulates release additional appointment slots regularly. Applicants who have already booked can check back and move to an earlier appointment when a slot becomes available.
A sensible strategy
If you have a valid appointment:
- Keep your existing appointment.
- Log in periodically.
- Check whether an earlier date becomes available.
- If an earlier legitimate slot appears, reschedule through the official system.
- Don't cancel your existing appointment until you understand the rescheduling rules.
Avoid paying third-party companies simply because they claim to have "secret" appointment slots.
Your appointment is ultimately controlled through the official system.
Can you apply at any Canadian U.S. consulate?
This needs special attention in 2026.
The State Department's July 15, 2026 guidance says nonimmigrant visa applicants should schedule interviews in their country of nationality or residence. If you are applying based on Canadian residence, you should be able to demonstrate that residence.
Therefore:
If you live in Canada
Applying in Canada generally makes sense, assuming Canada is your country of residence.
If you are merely visiting Canada
Be careful.
You should not assume that simply being physically present in Canada makes you eligible to apply there.
The State Department specifically warns that applicants applying outside their country of nationality or residence may face longer waits and potentially greater difficulty qualifying. Fees paid in those circumstances generally aren't refundable or transferable.