The booking flow is the same shape everywhere. Get the order right and it is painless.

  1. Find your correct consulate by jurisdiction. Wrong office, wasted fee.
  2. Complete the application form first. For US visas, that is the DS-160 at ceac.state.gov. You need the confirmation number to book.
  3. Create the account on the official scheduling portal. US visas in India use ustraveldocs.com. Schengen visas use VFS, BLS, or TLScontact.
  4. Pay the fee. The US MRV fee is $185, paid before you can see slots.
  5. Book the appointment. US applicants in India book two: biometrics at a Visa Application Center, then the consular interview.
  6. Print both confirmations. Screenshots are not enough at every post.

Sources: U.S. State Department

The headache comes from doing step 4 before step 1, or booking the wrong city's slot. Slow down at the jurisdiction step and the rest is admin.