How Do I Enter Passport Issuance Information on the DS-160?

Passport details on the DS-160 need to match the passport you plan to use for your U.S. nonimmigrant visa application. The fields are short, but a wrong number, wrong issuing country, or unclear name entry can create problems later. Use the passport in front of you as you complete the form, and check these fields again before submitting.

What “passport issuance information” means on the DS-160

The passport section asks for details about the document you will use for your visa application. Depending on the questions shown in your DS-160, this can include:

• Your passport number
• The country that issued the passport
• The authority that issued the passport, if the form asks for it
• An explanation if you cannot provide a requested passport detail
• Your name as it appears in the passport

These details are separate from other parts of the DS-160, such as your travel plans, contact information, or previous U.S. travel.

The information on the DS-160 is used by consular officers when they process your visa application. That makes accuracy especially important. Enter the information from the passport itself rather than relying on memory or copying details from an old application.

The form may also show an option such as “do not know” for the passport number. Use that option only when it applies to your situation. If you know the number, enter it as printed in your passport.

How to open the DS-160 and locate the passport section

The DS-160 form online is completed through the Consular Electronic Application Center, often called CEAC. Start the application there and follow the form’s instructions as each page appears.

The exact order of screens can depend on the answers you give. Look for the section that asks about your passport or travel document. This is where the passport number, issuing country or authority, and related explanation field may appear.

Before you begin, keep these items nearby:

• The passport you plan to use
• Any details needed to answer the other DS-160 questions
• A safe place to record your Application ID

The DS-160 displays the Application ID in the top-right corner. Write it down when you start. You may need it to return to a saved application through the DS-160 retrieve application function.

Saving the application is useful if you cannot finish in one sitting. Still, saving the form does not replace the final submission. You must submit the completed DS-160 and keep the resulting confirmation page for the visa process.

How to enter the passport number

Find the passport number exactly as it appears on the passport identification page. Enter the number in the passport field on the DS-160.

Pay close attention to characters that can look alike. For example, a letter and a number may be easy to confuse when the print is small. Do not change the order of the characters, add spaces that are not shown, or leave out part of the number.

A practical way to check it is to compare the screen with the passport one character at a time:

1. Read the first character in the passport.
2. Find the same character in the DS-160.
3. Continue through the full number.
4. Check the beginning and ending characters again.

If the form provides a “do not know” choice and you truly cannot identify the passport number, use the option provided by the form. If you have the passport and can read the number, entering the correct number is the better choice.

Do not guess. A guessed number can be less useful than selecting the form’s available “do not know” response and giving the explanation requested on the next field.

Also check which passport you are using for the application. If you have more than one passport, do not copy the number from a passport you will not use for the visa application unless the relevant U.S. embassy or consulate tells you to do so.

How to enter the country or authority that issued the passport

The DS-160 may ask for the country that issued the passport. Choose the country shown by the form that matches the passport’s issuing country.

This field is about the passport issuer. It is not necessarily the country where you currently live, the country where you will attend your DS-160 appointment, or the country you plan to visit.

Some forms or passport documents may also refer to an issuing authority. If the DS-160 asks for that information, copy the authority as it appears in the passport or in the document details. Do not replace the authority with your current address, your city of residence, or the name of the visa appointment location.

The wording can matter here:

• Issuing country means the country that issued the passport.
• Issuing authority means the government office or authority identified as issuing the document.
• Current location means where you live or apply, which is a different piece of information.

If you are unsure whether the form wants a country or a specific authority, read the field label carefully. If the passport itself does not make the answer clear, check the current instructions from the U.S. embassy or consulate handling your visa application before submitting.

What to do when the form asks for an explanation

The DS-160 may show an explanation field if you choose “do not know” for the passport number or cannot provide another requested detail.

Keep the explanation short and accurate. Say what you do know and why the requested information is unavailable. For example, you might explain that the passport number cannot be identified or that the requested document detail is not available to you.

Do not use the explanation box to guess. Do not enter a made-up number just to fill the space. The explanation should help a consular officer understand why the normal passport information is missing.

Before moving on, check whether the form marks the explanation as required. If it does, complete it in the way the screen directs. If the question does not apply to you, provide the requested answer rather than adding unrelated details.

The form’s questions control what you should enter. If your situation does not fit the available choices, follow the instructions from the relevant U.S. embassy or consulate instead of forcing your situation into an inaccurate answer.

How to handle a passport with only one name

Some passports show only one name. If that is your situation, the DS-160 FAQ instruction is to enter that single name as your surname.

Use the name exactly as it appears in the passport. Do not invent a family name, add a parent’s name, or split the one name into several parts simply to make the form look more familiar.

The form may still display a field for a given name. Follow the instructions shown on the DS-160 and any current guidance from the embassy or consulate where you will apply. The key point is that the single name belongs in the surname field under the DS-160 instruction for applicants whose passport contains only one name.

Review this carefully before submitting. Name errors can be easy to miss because the rest of the passport information may be correct.

Common passport-information mistakes on the DS-160

Most errors happen when people rush through a small field or use information from the wrong document. Before submitting the DS-160, check for these problems:

• A mistyped passport number: Compare every character with the passport.
• A number copied from an old passport: Use the passport connected to this application.
• The wrong issuing country: Do not choose your country of residence or appointment location by mistake.
• Confusing the issuing authority with the issuing country: Answer the field that is actually shown.
• Guessing when the number is unknown: Use “do not know” if that option applies, then explain.
• Leaving a required explanation blank: Check whether the form requires a reason.
• Adding a made-up name: If the passport has one name, enter it as the surname as directed.
• Changing the passport spelling: Keep names and document details consistent with the passport.
• Failing to review after editing: A correction in one field can make another answer look inconsistent.

A good final check is to place the passport beside the completed screen and review only the passport-related fields first. Then review the rest of the DS-160 separately. This focused check makes it less likely that a small document detail gets lost among the longer questions.

What to save before submitting: application ID and confirmation page

The Application ID appears in the top-right corner of the DS-160. Write it down when you start, and keep it with your visa paperwork. If you leave the form unfinished, the ID can help you retrieve the saved application.

After you submit the DS-160, retain the DS-160 confirmation page. It is part of the information used in the visa appointment workflow. You may need details from it when arranging or attending your DS-160 appointment, so do not assume you can easily recreate it later.

Before submitting, check that:

• The passport number matches the passport.
• The issuing country is correct.
• Any issuing-authority field is answered accurately.
• Required explanations are complete.
• The one-name rule has been followed, if it applies.
• Your Application ID is saved.
• You know where the confirmation page will be kept after submission.

Submitting the form is a point where you should slow down. Once it is submitted, changing an answer may require steps set by the specific U.S. embassy or consulate handling your application.

What to do if passport details change after submission

Passport details can change after you complete the DS-160. You might receive a new passport, discover that a number was entered incorrectly, or notice that the document information on the submitted form no longer matches the passport you will use.

Do not assume that every embassy or consulate handles this in the same way. Check the current instructions from the relevant U.S. embassy or consulate before your appointment. Those instructions may tell you whether to complete a new DS-160, bring the updated information, or take another step.

If you discover the issue during the visa process, explain the change clearly and bring the relevant passport information. Consular staff may be able to add remarks about new passport information, and the case may still be processed using the updated details. The correct procedure depends on the post handling your application, so follow its instructions rather than relying on a general rule.

Before your DS-160 appointment, review the completed application, save the Application ID and DS-160 confirmation page, and make sure your passport information matches the document you plan to present. Then follow the current instructions from the relevant U.S. embassy or consulate.