Yes, effective April 1, 2008, the electronic DS-1648 is no longer available for use.

Enter your place of birth as contained in your birth certificate. Please include your birth certificate and an English translation if it's not in English. Include these with your other required documents.  If a birth certificate is unavailable, submit other evidence to show your place of birth.

No, visas issued using the old form are still valid. Applicants just need to use the new form when it is time for them to renew.

Only those marked "Optional" may be left blank. If any mandatory fields are left blank, the application will not let the applicant submit the form. Instead, an error message will appear and the applicant will be taken back to the field that needs information.

Yes.

To apply for an A, G, or NATO visa, you must provide your sponsoring mission, organization, or military base details.

When applying, select a date that is 5-10 years from today. This date is the longest you can stay based on agreements with your home country. 

Make sure you followed the example below the entry box. Use dashes in the phone number (e.g., 555-555-5555). 

If the DS-1648 is not used for about 10 minutes, it will "time out" and all data will be lost. To avoid losing any entered data, use the "Save" button on each page's bottom center.  To avoid losing any entered data, use the "Save" button on each page's bottom center. You can then use the "Import Application Data" option on the "Getting Started" page to pull up the data you have already entered.

To know what to bring to the photo lab, read the guidance on photograph requirements and digital image requirements. For using a digital camera, follow the guidance. Scanned images have their own set of requirements.

The photo upload failed. You will need to submit one 2x2 inch color photograph that meets requirements explained in the Photograph Requirements, stapled or glued to the online DS-1648 confirmation page ONLY if the confirmation page has an X in the box where the uploaded photo should appear. If the confirmation page includes a photo image, then the photo upload function has succeeded and no separate print photograph is required.

To save changes made on the review page, use the buttons at the bottom of each page instead of the browser's buttons.

You have two choices. One option is to ask staff to come to your office and sign the application electronically. This way, you can guide them to the correct spot in the application and finish the rest of the process on your own. You have another option: save the data and email it to the applicant. Include instructions on importing the data, uploading the photo, reviewing it, and electronically signing. The applicant can then finish by specifying where to submit the application and printing the confirmation.

Please make a note of the exact error in pen on the confirmation page to draw it to our attention.

If you notice you selected the incorrect location before printing the confirmation page, please correct it. If you notice after printing the confirmation page, please create an application to the correct location for submission to avoid the risk of your application being rejected by our office.

If the photo uploads correctly, we only need the DS-1648 confirmation page with a clear barcode featuring the embassy or organization seal (or diplomatic note), NOT a print-out of the "review entries" page; current passport (and previous passport, if it contains the previous visa); and most recent I-94. If submitting the application at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, applicants also need to include a diplomatic note. If the applicant is a foreign military member, then he/she needs to submit orders or a letter from the host command. If dependents are applying separate from the principal alien, please submit a copy of the principal alien's visa and I-94. If dependents were born in the United States and did not acquire U.S. citizenship, please include a letter to this effect from the Department of State's Office of Overseas Citizens Services. If you couldn't upload the photo, staple or glue a 2x2 inch color photo to the DS-1648 confirmation page. Only do this if there's an X in the box where the uploaded photo should be.If the confirmation page includes a photo image, then the photo upload function has succeeded and no separate print photograph is required.

Yes. If one of the dependents has a different surname or nationality, for example, the applicant can alter those data on the application before submitting.