F1 student inviting parents for graduation, father’s passport expires before travel. Should I submit DS-160 now or wait for renewal?
Hi everyone,
I’m an F-1 student in the U.S. from Nepal, and I’m trying to bring my parents to the U.S. for my graduation in December 2026 on B2 visas.
I need to submit the DS-160 ASAP because I want to book interview appointments as early as possible due to long wait times.
Here’s the issue:
My father’s current passport expires on 10 September 2026, which is before the planned December travel date. He WILL renew the passport soon (probably in June), but I don’t want to delay submitting the DS-160 because appointment availability is already very limited.
My questions are:
- Is it okay to submit the DS-160 now using the current passport details and current expiry date, then later create a new DS-160 after passport renewal and update the DS-160 number in the appointment system?
- If I later update the DS-160 confirmation number after booking the appointment, would that require paying the visa fee again?
- Has anyone recently done this successfully for Nepal/India or similar consulates?
- I’ve read mixed things online and Reddit about changing DS-160s after booking appointments. Some people say it’s fine if done before the interview, others say avoid changing it unless absolutely necessary. What’s the actual safest approach?
Also another side question:
My parents are travelling to Dubai later this year before the U.S. interview. Since that travel hasn’t happened yet, I assume I should NOT mention it in the DS-160 right now, correct?
Would appreciate recent real experiences and advice. Thanks!