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DS-160 Confirmation Page: Print, Reprint, and Next Steps
After you electronically sign and submit the DS-160, CEAC creates a confirmation page with your photo (or an X if the photo upload failed) and an alphanumeric barcode. Save this page and bring it as instructed to your visa interview. You do not need to print the full application.
What is on the confirmation page?
The page normally includes:
- Your name and basic identifying details
- The embassy or consulate location selected on the application
- Your DS-160 confirmation number and barcode
- Your uploaded photo, or an X if the upload was unsuccessful
Check that the details are legible before closing the browser.
How to save or print it
- On the confirmation screen, choose Print Confirmation or use your browser's print command.
- Select a printer or Save as PDF.
- Keep a private electronic copy and at least one clear paper copy.
- Make sure the entire barcode prints cleanly and is not cut off.
The DS-160 contains sensitive personal information. Store the file securely and do not upload it to public file-sharing services.
How to reprint a confirmation page
Go to the official CEAC DS-160 page, select the application location, and choose Retrieve an Application. Enter the requested identifying information. If CEAC retrieves a submitted application, use its confirmation-page option to view and print the page again.
If you cannot retrieve it, use the official DS-160 FAQ or contact the embassy or consulate where you will apply. Do not share your security-question answer with an unofficial service. For lost Application IDs, expired saves, and .dat file restores, see the full retrieval guide.
What to do after submitting the DS-160
- Save and print the confirmation page.
- Follow the instructions on the website of the U.S. embassy or consulate where you will apply.
- Pay the visa application fee using the authorized country-specific service.
- Schedule the interview if your visa category and location require one.
- Gather your passport, confirmation page, appointment confirmation, photo if required, and visa-category supporting documents.
- Attend biometrics and the interview as instructed.
If the confirmation page shows an X instead of your photo
The photo upload failed. Follow the photo instructions for your embassy or consulate and bring a compliant printed photo. Do not assume that the X means the entire DS-160 failed to submit.
If you notice a mistake after submitting
A submitted DS-160 cannot be edited. Do not create a replacement automatically: the procedure for correcting a DS-160 or updating the confirmation number connected to an appointment can vary by embassy or consulate. Follow that location's instructions. If you submit a corrected application, keep both confirmation pages and make sure the appointment record uses the correct barcode when required. For which errors matter and how to submit a corrected form, see the DS-160 mistakes guide.
Official links
Frequently asked confirmation-page questions
My checklist says "confirmation and instructions page printed from this website" — what is that?
It is one document, not two, and it is the DS-160 confirmation page. Embassy and appointment-service checklists word it that way because the page carries both your confirmation details and the instructions block. Print that single page. You do not need the full application, and printing all sixteen sections instead is a common and harmless waste of paper.
What does the DS-160 confirmation page look like?
A single portrait page headed Confirmation, with a large barcode near the top, your Application ID beginning AA, your name, date of birth and passport number, the consular post you selected, and a thumbnail of the photo you uploaded. If the thumbnail shows an X, the photo upload failed — see below.
How do I print the DS-160 after submission?
Reopen the submitted application on CEAC using your Application ID and security answer, then choose to print the confirmation. You are printing the confirmation page, not the form itself: once submitted, the answers are with the Department of State and the printout is only your proof of submission.
Do I need to print the entire DS-160 application?
No. The barcode confirmation page is what the consulate scans. Printing the full application is optional and most posts do not want it.
Can I reprint my confirmation page later?
Yes. Retrieve the submitted application on CEAC and use its confirmation-page option — the steps are in the retrieval guide.
How long is the confirmation page valid?
The DS-160 submission itself does not expire on a fixed clock, but consular posts generally expect a form submitted reasonably close to the interview. If your circumstances changed materially since submitting, file a new DS-160.
What if the page shows an X instead of my photo?
The photo upload failed. The submission is still valid — bring a compliant printed photo to the interview and check your file first with the DS-160 photo tool.
Can I still fix an error after submitting?
Not on the submitted form. Complete a new DS-160 and bring both confirmation pages — details in the mistakes guide.
Is the name on it right?
The confirmation page carries the name that will be printed on the visa. The system strips accents, hyphens and titles, and a single-name applicant appears as FNU — see why your name may look different.
New to the DS-160?
The confirmation page is what the form produces at the end. For the form itself and who has to file one, see what the DS-160 form is.
Got your confirmation number?
That number is what the appointment system asks for. See how to book a U.S. visa appointment.
Tracking the case afterwards
The AA barcode on this page is exactly what the CEAC Status Check asks for. See what each CEAC status means — including why "Refused" often does not mean denied.