USA B1/B2 Visa for UK Residents — A 2026 Walkthrough
If you're a non-British passport holder living in the UK, here's exactly how the B1/B2 process works in 2026 — DS-160, interviews at London and Belfast, and the new $250 Visa Integrity Fee.
If you're a UK resident who isn't a British passport holder, applying for a US B1/B2 visitor visa is a two-stage process: filing the DS-160 form online, then attending an in-person interview at the US Embassy in London or the Consulate in Belfast. Both stages carry equal weight — a clean DS-160 gets you to the interview, but the interview is what actually decides your case.
Filing the DS-160
The DS-160 is the official online nonimmigrant visa application form. Accuracy matters more than speed here: inconsistencies between your DS-160 answers and your interview responses are a common, avoidable cause of refusal. Once submitted, you'll pay the $185 MRV (Machine Readable Visa) fee and can then book your interview slot.
Booking your interview: London or Belfast
Wait times for an interview slot vary significantly by season and consulate — book as soon as your DS-160 is confirmed rather than waiting until closer to your travel dates. Your MRV fee receipt stays valid for 365 days, so if you're refused, you can reapply within that window without paying again.
What to bring
- •DS-160 confirmation page and appointment confirmation
- •Current and all old passports
- •One passport-style photograph (in case the uploaded one doesn't meet spec)
- •Original documents for anything referenced in your DS-160 — bank statements, employer letter, invitation letter
Preparing for the interview
Officers typically ask three or four questions in under 90 seconds. The most effective preparation isn't memorising a script — it's having one clear, honest sentence ready for each likely question: why are you travelling, how are you funding it, and why will you return to the UK. We run a full mock interview as part of our service for exactly this reason.
The new $250 Visa Integrity Fee
From 2026, most non-immigrant visas — including B1/B2 — carry an additional $250 Visa Integrity Fee, charged at the point of visa issuance rather than at the interview. It isn't charged if your application is refused, and it has narrow refund provisions if you depart the US on time or lawfully extend or adjust your status. A separate visa bond pilot also applies to applicants from a short list of countries; ask us if this affects your specific case.
Common refusal reasons
The single most common B1/B2 refusal is under Section 214(b) — failing to demonstrate strong non-immigrant intent, meaning the officer isn't convinced you'll return to the UK. Vague or inconsistent answers about the purpose of travel, and thin evidence of employment or family ties in the UK, are the next most common issues.
Frequently asked questions
The MRV application fee is $185. From 2026, a further $250 Visa Integrity Fee is charged at issuance (not at interview), bringing the typical total to $435 for an approved application.
Yes — with limited exceptions for applicants over 80 or under 14, every B1/B2 applicant attends an in-person interview at the US Embassy in London or the Consulate in Belfast.
The interview decision itself is usually issued within 2–4 weeks, but the real variable is how far out interview slots are available — this can range from days to several months depending on the consulate and season.
Section 214(b) refusals — where the officer isn't convinced you have strong enough ties to the UK to return — are by far the most common outcome for weak files, more so than any single missing document.
Yes, and your MRV fee receipt remains valid for 365 days from payment, so you won't need to pay again if you reapply within that window. We rebuild refused files around the specific reason for refusal rather than resubmitting the same case.
