Once the new system gets up and running and visa applicants get used to it, the move to a fully online process should make it more convenient for applicants, reduce errors, and cut the time spent waiting when applicants come to the US Embassy in Tashkent for their interviews, said Vice Consul Matt Whitton.

“The whole goal of this is to make things easier,” he said. In

the past, non-immigrant visa applicants filled out three separate forms and brought them to the Consular Office at the US Embassy in Tashkent by hand. With the new system, which will be available for use starting 1 April and required to use after 30 April, those three forms will be consolidated into one “DS-160” application. Applicants will fill out the online form, and the information will be submitted to the Consular databases, where it will be available when the applicants arrive for their interviews.

“The idea is, instead of compiling all these different papers, they can do it all on the computer,” Whitton said. “Visa applicants will have to wait less time for their visa interview after arriving at the Embassy.”

The new system will serve all people applying for non-immigrant visas, including students, businesspeople, those coming for visits, workers and others. About 8,000 people from Uzbekistan applied for non-immigrant visas to come to the United States in 2009, according to Consul David Mico.

The new non-immigrant visa application process has several features designed to make things easier for applicants. While the form must be filled out in English, pop-up windows provide translations of the questions into Russian. The Embassy is also developing a translation of the questions for Uzbek speakers as well. Groups of applicants, such as families planning to travel together, will not need to input the same data over and over for each application. The system can automatically upload data from previous applications, and it allows applicants to scan in their own photos.

To facilitate use of the application system, Whitton recommended that people should be prepared with all the documents and information needed before filling out the form. They should also make every effort to fill out the application accurately. He noted that the system asks applicants for information based on answers to previous questions, so it is especially important to provide accurate information.

The US Embassy would also like to remind people that there is no cost to fill out the DS-160 form. As in the past, the visa application fee is only paid at the Embassy on the day of the visa interview. Those applying for visas may choose to receive assistance from a third-party in filling out the online form for a nominal service fee. The Consular Section of the US Embassy does not endorse any of these facilitators and choosing one is at the applicant’s discretion. Visa applicants are advised to be cautious in all dealings with companies that claim to offer any assistance in obtaining US visas and should not use the services of those requesting more than a small one-time fee.

The US State Department has been phasing in use of the DS-160 form for the past year at Consulates and Embassies around the world. By the end of April 2010, the system should be operational worldwide, Mico said.

Officials at the US Embassy in Tashkent have been meeting with journalists, working with their counterparts in the Government of Uzbekistan, and plan to conduct additional outreach to inform the public about the new application system. On April 8, the Embassy will host its first online webchat to discuss the change in procedures. The Embassy is also organizing information sessions for the public, particularly for businesses such as travel agencies and Internet cafes that provide services to assist people with their visa applications, Mico said. Information on these sessions will be announced on the Embassy’s website in the coming weeks.