How to Update Your DS-160 Number on the US Visa Portal

Why you can't just edit the DS-160 number

The US Visa Appointment portal (usvisascheduling.com) does not provide an option to edit the DS-160 confirmation number on an existing application. The DS-160 is tied to the application profile from the moment you start it, so the only supported way to correct it is to close the current application and start a fresh one.

If you already have a scheduled appointment under the wrong DS-160, you must cancel that appointment before you can close the application. The good news: in most cases the visa fee you already paid is automatically claimed against the new application, so you do not need to pay again.

Before you start: things to know

A few country-specific rules and edge cases can affect this process. Read these carefully before you begin so you do not get caught out at the payment step.

• Appointment scheduling is limited per applicant. Each country sets its own cap on how many times you can schedule a US visa appointment. For example, applicants from India are limited to 2 schedules per visa fee payment.
• If you are cancelling your second appointment (i.e., you have already used both schedules), starting a new application will require a fresh US Visa Fee (MRV fee) payment.
• If you are cancelling your first appointment — or you have not booked any appointment yet — and you paid the visa fee within the last 12 months, the portal will automatically claim that previous payment against your new application.
• If the previous fee is not claimed automatically, do not pay again immediately. Raise a support ticket from the visa portal dashboard and the portal support team will help reconcile the payment.

Step 1: Log in to the US Visa portal

Go to usvisascheduling.com and sign in with the email and password you used when you started the original application. Make sure you are logging into the correct country/consulate site for your application.

Step 2: Cancel your existing appointment (if you have one)

If an appointment is already scheduled under the wrong DS-160 number, open it from the dashboard and cancel it. There is no other way around this — the portal will not let you close or restart the application while a live appointment exists against it.

Once cancelled, you will be returned to the application dashboard.

• India and similar 2-schedule countries: cancelling your second appointment uses up your scheduling allotment for the current fee. You will need to pay the visa fee again.
• First appointment / no appointment yet: you keep your scheduling allotment, and a previously paid fee within 12 months is reusable.

Step 3: Click "Close and Start New Application"

On the application page, click the "Close and Start New Application" option. This closes the current (incorrect) application and starts a fresh one tied to your same profile.

Closing the application is not destructive to your account or your fee — it just marks the current application as closed so you can begin a new one.

Step 4: Fill in the new application with the correct DS-160

Re-enter your details in the new application. Take this opportunity to double-check every field, but most importantly:

• Enter the correct DS-160 confirmation number this time — copy it directly from your DS-160 confirmation page rather than typing it from memory.
• Make sure the DS-160 you are using is submitted (not a draft) and that the name, passport number, and date of birth on it match your appointment profile exactly.
• Verify the consulate location, visa category, and applicant details before moving forward.

Step 5: Continue to the payment page and choose VFS payment card

Proceed through the application until you reach the payment page. Select "VFS payment card" as the payment method and click Next.

Selecting VFS payment card is what triggers the portal to look up your existing visa fee payment and automatically apply it to this new application.

Step 6: Confirm the payment (balance should show $0)

On the confirmation page, the previously paid fee should be displayed as already claimed and the balance due should show as "0". If you see a $0 balance, click Confirm to finalize claiming the prior payment against your new application.

Once you confirm, the new application is active with the corrected DS-160 number, and you can proceed to schedule your appointment as normal.

What if the previous payment is not auto-claimed?

If the confirmation page shows a balance due even though you paid your visa fee within the last 12 months and this is your first appointment cycle, do not pay again right away.

Instead, go back to the dashboard / home page and raise a support ticket with the visa portal. The visa portal support team can locate your prior payment and link it to your new application. This is a known scenario they handle regularly.

• Keep your original MRV fee receipt and the receipt number handy when raising the ticket.
• Mention both your previous (closed) application reference and your new application reference.
• Wait for the support team to confirm the fee has been linked before retrying the payment step.

After your DS-160 is updated

Once the new application is active with the correct DS-160 and the fee has been claimed, you can pick a new appointment slot. Slot availability changes frequently — especially for high-demand consulates and visa types.

If you are watching for an earlier appointment, Check Visa Slots can alert you when matching slots open up so you do not have to keep refreshing the portal.

If you also need help with the booking itself, our team offers a human-assisted slot booking service — agents (not bots) actively monitor and book on your behalf once your application is in the correct state.