On July 26, 2013, the US Embassy Consular Section in the United Kingdom transitioned to a new appointment service for applicants applying for a visa to come to the US. Whereas previously applicants called to schedule their appointment, this new appointment service is online and coordinated through Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), a third-party company. For applicants who have decided to handle the visa appointment themselves, here are ten tips to help with the process:

1.  During the appointment scheduling process, first-time users of the CSC website must create an online profile before an appointment can be scheduled.

2.  There is no additional scheduling fee to book the visa appointment through the CSC appointment website (there used to be a $16 fee to schedule appointments by phone).