DS-160 Form Guide for F-1 Students from Nepal (2026)

The DS-160 form is the online US visa application every F-1 student from Nepal must complete at ceac.state.gov before booking an interview at the US Embassy in Kathmandu. You fill it in English, upload a photo, list your social media identifiers from the last five years, and print the confirmation page with its barcode. Then you pay the $185 visa application fee (about Rs 28,164 at the NRB selling rate, 17 Oct 2026) and schedule your interview through the Embassy’s official appointment service.

Last checked: 17 October 2026.

DS-160 for F-1 students: key facts

What to have ready before you start

The form is long, and most delays come from hunting for documents halfway through. Keep these on the table before you open the site:

• Your passport. The State Department says it should be valid for at least six months beyond your intended stay in the US.
• Your Form I-20 from the university, with your SEVIS ID (starts with “N”) and the school’s details.
• Your I-901 SEVIS fee receipt, if you have already paid ($350 for F-1, paid at fmjfee.com).
• Your travel history to the US and any earlier US visa or refusal details.
• Education and work history: school, +2 and university names and dates; employer details if you have worked.
• Family details: parents’ full names and dates of birth.
• A list of your social media accounts used in the last five years.
• A digital photo that meets the rules below.

How to fill the DS-160 form for F-1: step by step

1. Open the official site. Go to ceac.state.gov/genniv. Select the location where you will apply: for most Nepali students this is NEPAL, KATHMANDU. The State Department says you should apply in your country of nationality or residence.
2. Write down your Application ID. It looks like AA00XXXXXX. Choose a security question you will remember. You need both to come back to a saved form.
3. Personal information. Enter your name exactly as in your passport. If your passport has no surname or no given name, follow the form’s instructions rather than inventing one.
4. Address, phone, email and social media. Give an email you check daily: appointment and case emails go here.
5. Passport details. Passport number, place of issue, issue and expiry dates, exactly as printed in your passport.
6. Travel information. Choose purpose “Student/Exchange Visa”, then F1. Give your intended arrival date and the US address from your I-20 or the university’s address if you do not have housing yet.
7. Previous US travel. Answer honestly about any earlier visa, refusal or visit, including a previous 214(b) or 221(g) refusal.
8. US contact. Usually your university’s international student office from the I-20.
9. Family, work, education and training. Use dates from your certificates. Small gaps are fine; be ready to explain them at the interview.
10. Security and background questions. Read each one. Most applicants answer “No”, but never tick an answer you are not sure about.
11. SEVIS information. Enter your SEVIS ID and school details exactly as on the I-20.
12. Upload your photo. The tool checks size and format.
13. Review, sign and submit. Clicking “Sign Application” is your electronic signature. If someone helped you (a family member, teacher or agent), the form asks for their details on the Sign and Submit page, but you must click sign yourself.
14. Print the confirmation page. Save it as PDF too. You bring this page, with its barcode, to the interview.

If the session times out, do not panic: the State Department says each completed page saves automatically. If your internet drops, log back in with your Application ID and security answer. Online drafts are kept for 30 days; after that, you can also save the application as a file on your own computer (never on a cyber café computer).

The social media identifiers field

The DS-160 lists specific platforms and asks for every identifier (username or handle) you have used on each of them in the last five years. The State Department’s FAQ on social media collection says consular officers will not ask for passwords, and you can answer “None” if you have not used social media. It also says untruthful answers on the application can lead to a visa denial.

Since June 2025, the State Department has told F, M and J applicants to set the privacy settings on all their social media profiles to “public” so officers can review their online presence. Its September 2026 update confirms this vetting already applies to students and exchange visitors. In practice for a Nepali student:

• List every account on the listed platforms, including old Facebook, Instagram or TikTok accounts you no longer use, if you used them in the last five years.
• Do not delete accounts or posts in a panic just before applying. The form asks what you used, not what you use today.
• Set the profiles to public before your interview, as instructed.
• Make sure what you post matches what you tell the officer (your course, your plans after study, your sponsor).

Photo rules that cause most rejections

The State Department photo requirements are strict. Your photo must be:

• In colour, taken within the last 6 months, and look like you do now.
• Against a plain white or off-white background.
• Full face, looking straight at the camera, neutral expression, both eyes open.
• Without glasses. Glasses are allowed only in rare medical cases with a signed medical statement.
• Without hats or head coverings, unless worn daily for religious reasons, with the full face visible.
• Digitally: JPEG, square, between 600×600 and 1200×1200 pixels, 240 kB or smaller, 24-bit colour.

If your confirmation page shows an “X” instead of your photo, the upload failed. The State Department says to bring one printed photo that meets the requirements to the interview, and to check the Embassy’s instructions.

Paying the $185 MRV fee and booking in Kathmandu

Once your DS-160 is submitted, the next steps happen through the US Embassy Kathmandu’s official visa information and appointment service at ustraveldocs.com/np, which the Embassy’s visa page names as its contact point for visa enquiries.

1. Create your profile on the appointment service with your passport and DS-160 details.
2. Pay the $185 visa application fee using one of the payment options the appointment service shows for Nepal. The amount you pay in rupees may differ slightly from our conversion because a set exchange rate applies.
3. Keep the receipt. The Embassy says MRV fee payments are valid for 365 days from the receipt date, and you must schedule your interview within that period.
4. Book your interview date, and print the appointment letter.

The fee is non-refundable, even if the visa is refused. There is no extra issuance fee for Nepali F-1 applicants, according to the State Department’s Nepal reciprocity page. Book only through the official service: anyone selling “guaranteed early slots” is a red flag. You can test an agent with our consultancy red flag test.

Timing matters. The State Department says new F-1 students can be issued a visa up to 365 days before the program start date on the I-20, but cannot enter the US more than 30 days before it.

Nepal-specific tips

• Dates. The DS-160 uses the Gregorian (AD) calendar. Convert BS dates on your SLC/SEE, +2 and citizenship documents carefully, and use the same AD dates everywhere.
• Names. Spell your name, and your parents’ names, the same way as in your passport, even if your certificates use a slightly different spelling. Bring proof if spellings differ.
• Sponsor details. If your parents or a relative pay, name them consistently with your financial documents. See our financial documents guide for F-1.
• Agents filling your form. You are responsible for every answer. Read the full form before you sign, and get your own copy of the Application ID.

Common DS-160 mistakes

• Picking the wrong location. Choose Kathmandu if that is where you will interview.
• Typing answers in Nepali. Answers must be in English; the State Department says other languages lead to denial and a new form.
• Leaving out social media accounts, or listing accounts that do not match what officers find.
• Mismatched SEVIS ID between DS-160, I-20 and SEVIS fee receipt.
• Hiding a previous refusal. The State Department warns that false or misleading statements can lead to permanent refusal.
• Old or edited photos, selfies, or photos with glasses.
• Not printing the confirmation page, or bringing the wrong DS-160 if you created more than one.

Made a mistake after submitting? The State Department’s FAQ explains that you can create a new DS-160 and reuse your earlier information (“Option B” to upload a saved file, or “Option C” to retrieve a previous application). Check every reused answer is still correct, and bring the confirmation page of the application you actually want considered.

What to do next

1. Pay the SEVIS I-901 fee at least three business days before your interview.
2. Prepare your documents with our F-1 interview documents checklist.
3. Practise answers using our F-1 interview questions for Nepali students.
4. Read the big picture in our F-1 student visa from Nepal guide.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the DS-160 fee for an F-1 visa from Nepal?
The DS-160 form itself is free. The visa application (MRV) fee is $185, about Rs 28,164 at the NRB selling rate on 17 Oct 2026. Nepali F-1 applicants pay no extra issuance fee.

How long is a DS-160 saved?
The State Department says online drafts are kept for 30 days. You need your Application ID and security answer to return.

Do I have to list social media on the DS-160?
Yes. List identifiers used on the listed platforms in the last five years, or answer “None” if you have not used social media. Passwords are never requested. F-1 applicants are also told to set profiles to public.

Can I wear glasses in my US visa photo?
No, except in rare medical cases with a signed medical statement.

Can I change my DS-160 after submitting?
The State Department says you can create a new DS-160 and reuse your earlier data. If an officer refuses the case because of errors, the Embassy may reopen your DS-160 for correction and tell you what to do.

How long is the US visa fee receipt valid in Nepal?
The US Embassy in Nepal says MRV fee payments are valid for 365 days from the receipt date, and you must schedule within that time.

Related guides

• SEVIS I-901 Fee Payment from Nepal: $350 Step-by-Step Guide
• 221(g) Administrative Processing for F-1: What Nepali Students Do
• F-1 Visa 214(b) Refusal: What It Means and How to Reapply

Sources

• DS-160 frequently asked questions – travel.state.gov
• Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application (DS-160) – CEAC
• Visa photo requirements – travel.state.gov
• Digital image requirements – travel.state.gov
• FAQs on social media collection – US Department of State
• Expanded screening and vetting for visa applicants, June 2025 – state.gov
• Expanded screening and vetting update – travel.state.gov
• Fees for visa services – travel.state.gov
• Nepal visa reciprocity schedule – travel.state.gov
• Student visa – travel.state.gov
• Applying in your country of residence – travel.state.gov
• Visas – US Embassy in Nepal
• Official visa appointment service for Nepal – ustraveldocs.com

Last checked: 17 October 2026. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice.