# US Visa Itinerary for Indians: Day-by-Day Sample > An itinerary is not a required US visa document, but a clear day-by-day plan helps you explain a temporary visit. Use our sample tourist and business templates. _Published: 2026-10-20 · Reading time: 5 min · Words: 1146_ ## TL;DR The U.S. Embassy in India does not list an itinerary as a required document for a B-1/B-2 visa. A short day-by-day plan is optional supporting evidence that your visit is temporary and for a limited period. Keep it consistent with your DS-160 and avoid buying tickets before the visa is issued. ## Key takeaways - An itinerary is not on the U.S. Embassy's required list for B-1/B-2 visas; it is optional supporting evidence. - Your plan should match your DS-160 dates, purpose and US address. - B-1/B-2 applicants must show a temporary visit, a specific limited stay, funds and ties to India (INA 214(b)). - The official appointment service advises applying at least three months ahead and not buying tickets until the visa is issued. - The length of stay is set by CBP on Form I-94 at entry, not by your itinerary or the visa's expiry date. **The U.S. Embassy in India does not list a travel itinerary among the required documents for a B-1/B-2 visa; it asks for the DS-160 confirmation page, passport, photo and $185 fee receipt. A short day-by-day plan is optional supporting evidence that shows a temporary visit for a specific, limited period.** ## Article That makes the itinerary a tool for you, not a form for the embassy. Writing one forces you to fix dates, cities and addresses before you fill the DS-160, and it helps you answer interview questions clearly. Below are two sample plans you can adapt. The visa rules quoted are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. ### Do you need an itinerary for a US visa from India? No, not as a mandatory document. The required items for every nonimmigrant applicant are: - the DS-160 confirmation (barcode) page, matching the barcode used to book the appointment; - a passport valid at least six months beyond your stay in the US; - the photo uploaded with the DS-160; - the MRV fee payment receipt; - documents stated in your appointment letter. The embassy then adds an optional line: any supporting documents you believe support the information you give the consular officer. A printed itinerary belongs here. Bring it if it helps you explain your trip; nobody is obliged to submit one. ### What should a US visa itinerary prove? Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act presumes every B applicant is an intending immigrant. Your itinerary can support three of the four points you must establish: What you must show (INA 214(b))How the itinerary helpsThe trip is a temporary visit for business, pleasure or medical treatmentEach day has a clear tourist, business or family activityYou plan to stay for a specific, limited periodFixed arrival and departure dates with a return to IndiaEvidence of funds to cover your expensesHotels and travel that match the budget you can explainResidence and binding ties outside the USNot shown by an itinerary; this comes from your job, family and home in India ### Sample 10-day tourist itinerary (day by day) This is an illustrative template for a first trip on a B-2 visa. Replace the cities, hotels and dates with your own plan, and keep the same level of detail. DayCityPlanOvernight stay1New YorkArrive from Delhi or Mumbai; check in; evening walk in MidtownHotel, Manhattan (name and address)2New YorkStatue of Liberty and Ellis Island; Lower ManhattanSame hotel3New YorkCentral Park, museums, Times SquareSame hotel4New York to Washington, D.C.Train or bus; afternoon at the National MallHotel, Washington (name and address)5Washington, D.C.Smithsonian museums, Capitol areaSame hotel6Washington, D.C. to Niagara FallsDomestic flight or road tripHotel, Niagara Falls (US side)7Niagara FallsFalls viewpoints and boat rideSame hotel8Niagara Falls to New YorkReturn to New York; shoppingHotel, New York9New YorkFree day; packSame hotel10New YorkDepart for India-Add one line under the table with your return date and your job or business in India, for example the date you are expected back at work. That single line links the plan to your ties at home. ### How should a business or family-visit itinerary differ? For a B-1 trip, build the plan around the business purpose. The embassy's examples of B-1 activities include consulting with business associates, attending scientific, educational, professional or business conventions and conferences, settling an estate and negotiating contracts. A five-day sample: - Day 1: Arrive in the conference city; check in near the venue. - Day 2-3: Attend the conference; list the event name and venue address. - Day 4: Meetings with named business associates; company names and addresses. - Day 5: Depart for India. For a B-2 family visit, the itinerary is often one address for most of the stay. State the host's name, relationship and full US address, then list any trips you plan from there. Keep the address identical to the one in your DS-160. ### Should you book flights and hotels before the interview? Not paid, non-refundable ones. The official appointment service advises applying at least three months before your intended travel date and not buying tickets until the visa is issued. After the interview, nonimmigrant visas are typically processed in 7-10 working days, but some cases go into administrative processing, which cannot be predicted in advance; most is resolved within 180 days of the interview. If you want your itinerary to show real flight numbers, use a verifiable flight reservation rather than a paid ticket, and a cancellable hotel booking. Our travel itinerary service formats the same information into a day-by-day document. ### Which itinerary mistakes cause problems at the interview? - Dates that do not match the DS-160. Your intended arrival date and length of stay in the form should agree with the plan you carry. - An open-ended trip. A plan with no return date works against the "specific, limited period" test. - Activities outside the visa class. A B-1/B-2 plan should not include work for a US employer; work needs a separate visa such as H-1B, which requires an approved USCIS petition. - Treating the plan as your permitted stay. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer decides your length of stay at entry and records it on Form I-94. The visa's expiry date is only the last day you may use it to enter. - Too much paper. One or two clear pages are easier to hand across the counter than a thick folder. For fees, posts and the full application sequence, see our US visa guide for Indians or the official nonimmigrant visa application page. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa files. Packages run from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for a reservation, hotel booking, itinerary and cover letter. Contact us on WhatsApp at +91 95230 91018 or via our contact page. ### Frequently asked questions #### Can I change my US travel plan after getting the visa? The official pages do not tie a B-1/B-2 visa to a submitted itinerary. What matters at entry is that your visit is temporary and within the visa class; the CBP officer sets your permitted stay on Form I-94. #### Should the itinerary be uploaded with the DS-160? The official checklist mentions uploading your photo with the DS-160; it does not ask you to upload an itinerary. A printed plan, if you choose to carry one, is an optional supporting document for the interview. #### How long a trip can I plan on a US tourist visa? Your permitted stay is decided by the CBP officer at the port of entry and recorded on Form I-94, not by the visa itself. Plan a specific, limited visit and be ready to explain your return date. #### Do I need an itinerary for a US visa interview waiver? The interview waiver checklist asks for the appointment letter, current passport, DS-160 confirmation page, previous passport with the US visa and one 5 x 5 cm photo. An itinerary is not on that list. ## FAQ ### Can I change my US travel plan after getting the visa? The official pages do not tie a B-1/B-2 visa to a submitted itinerary. What matters at entry is that your visit is temporary and within the visa class; the CBP officer sets your permitted stay on Form I-94. ### Should the itinerary be uploaded with the DS-160? The official checklist mentions uploading your photo with the DS-160; it does not ask you to upload an itinerary. A printed plan, if you choose to carry one, is an optional supporting document for the interview. ### How long a trip can I plan on a US tourist visa? Your permitted stay is decided by the CBP officer at the port of entry and recorded on Form I-94, not by the visa itself. Plan a specific, limited visit and be ready to explain your return date. ### Do I need an itinerary for a US visa interview waiver? The interview waiver checklist asks for the appointment letter, current passport, DS-160 confirmation page, previous passport with the US visa and one 5 x 5 cm photo. An itinerary is not on that list. ## Sources 1. [U.S. Embassy India - Apply for a Nonimmigrant Visa](https://in.usembassy.gov/apply-for-a-nonimmigrant-visa/) — U.S. Embassy & Consulates in India 2. [Official US visa appointment service India - Business/Tourist visa](https://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/en/business-visa) — U.S. Mission India 3. [Official US visa appointment service India - Schedule your appointment (processing time, lead time)](https://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/en/step-4) — U.S. Mission India