Visa B2 : Tourist Visa USA
The B2 visa is a U.S. visitor visa that allows you to enter the U.S. for tourism, recreation, or to visit friends and family.
Holders of a U.S. Tourist Visa may participate in the following activities:
* Participate in charity events;
* Obtain medical treatment;
*
Spend vacations, visit different cities in the United States;
* Visit friends and family;
* Participate in a sporting or musical event without payment;
* Enroll in learning courses as a hobby.
If you do not find your travel plans in this list, you cannot apply for a B2 Visa. You will have to look at other types of non-immigrant US visas to see which ones are available to you.
For example, unlike the B2 visa, the B1 visa allows you to enter the United States for the purpose of negotiating a contract or attending conferences or other business-related events.
Do I need to apply for a tourist visa for the USA?
Only those who do not participate in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program need to apply for a U.S. Tourist Visa. If you come from a country that does not require you to apply for a U.S. visa, you are lucky, you will simply have to follow the procedure to obtain your ESTA and then make your travel arrangements.
Eligibility Criteria for B2 Visa
To be allowed to travel to the United States on a tourist visa, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:
* Your reason for travel and your local intentions are consistent with the purpose of the visit authorized by the B2 visa;
* You have sufficient financial means to cover your stay in the United States economically;
* You intend to return to your home country upon expiration of your visa and will not remain in the United States.
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USA Tourist Visa Application
To apply for a tourist visa to the United States, you must follow these steps:
* Submit form DS-160 ;
* Pay the visa fee;
* Schedule your interview for a B2 visa;
* Prepare your supporting documents;
* Attend the visa interview.
Submit Form DS-160
You can easily complete the DS-160 form online without assistance. Fill in your personal information and details about the purpose of your visit. You must complete the tourist visa application form and submit it online. After submitting your application, you will be taken to a verification page and a personal code will be assigned to you and provided for your supporting documents.
Payment of the B2 visa fee
The application fee for the tourist visa is $160. In order to validate your visa application, you must pay this fee when you apply online. Depending on the international relations between your home country and the United States, you may also have to pay additional fees to finalize the B2 Visa process. These additional fees, if any, are called visa "issuance fees" and vary from country to country. When you have paid all the fees, be sure to keep receipts and add them to your B2 visa receipt file.
Schedule your interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate
All U.S. Tourist Visa applicants between the ages of 14 and 79 must be interviewed at the U.S. Embassy to which they are applying. To obtain this interview, you must schedule it at the U.S. Embassy in your country. Due to the high workload at embassies, be sure to schedule the interview as soon as possible. Once your interview request is approved, you will receive an interview confirmation letter that you will need to bring with you on the day of the interview.
Prepare your Visa B2 credential file
The B2 Visa Credentials Package that you must prepare includes all supporting documents that demonstrate to the U.S. Embassy that the B2 Visa can be safely issued. You must bring all documents to your interview at the embassy.
Here are the documents required for a B2 Tourist Visa application:
* A valid passport;
* A photo that meets the requirements for a U.S. visa;
* Confirmation of submission of Form DS-160 and the code ;
* Proof of payment of the visa fee;
* The confirmation page of the scheduled interview;
* A detailed letter describing the reason for your trip;
* Proof of your financial means to travel: Bank statements certifying that you have the financial means to stay in the United States with a minimum of $266 USD in expenses for each day of your planned stay;
* Your ties to your home country: An employment contract, lease, or property deed that proves you will return to your home country at the end of your stay;
* An optional U.S. visitor visa invitation letter from friends or family in the United States;
* A criminal record or letter from authorities indicating that you have no previous convictions.
More specifically, in each of the following special cases you will need to attach certain additional documents:
* For those who have already visited the USA: Documents related to the contents of previous visits;
* For students: Transcripts or diplomas;
* For workers: A letter from your employer and pay slips from the last three months;
* For those visiting family: Photocopies of your relative's status in the United States.
* For those coming for medical treatment: Letters from doctors about your diagnosis and treatment.
New requirements: Recently, the process of obtaining a Visa also requires you to detail your presence on social networks by providing a list of your profiles and your user name.
Attend the interview at the embassy
On the scheduled date of your interview, you will go to the U.S. Embassy to meet with a representative of the U.S. authorities. He or she will ask you questions about your background and why you want to come to the United States. The embassy team will review your documents to make sure everything is in order. Interviews do not last long, but make sure you provide all the necessary information to avoid problems later.
Time required to obtain a B2 visa
The processing time for a B2 visa can take from a few weeks to a few months. Processing times for obtaining a B2 US tourist visa vary from one country to another. The time depends very much on the workload of the American embassy where you have applied. If you do not hear from the embassy, be patient and wait for them to contact you to inform you whether or not you have been granted a B2 visa.
Duration of validity of the B2 visa
The maximum length of stay with a B2 visa is 6 months. During this time, you can travel to the United States or elsewhere. However, as soon as your visa expires, you must return to your home country.
Extension of the B2 visa
If you wish to stay longer, you can obtain a B2 visa extension for an additional 6 months.
You must apply for a B2 visa extension at least 42 days before your I-94 card expires. But be aware that you are not allowed to apply within the first three months of your arrival in the United States.
Here are the documents you need to provide to apply for a B2 visa extension:
* The completed I-539 form;
* A valid passport;
* A detailed written explanation of the reason for the requested extension;
* Proof of financial resources for the new stay;
* Payment of the B2 visa extension fee of $370;
* The original or photocopy of the I-94 card.
The processing time for a B2 visa extension varies depending on the number of applications processed by USCIS at the time of your application.
Can I get a Green card with a U.S. B2 visa?
It is very difficult to obtain the Green card for permanent residence from a U.S. Tourist visa. Indeed, the B2 visa is a temporary U.S. visa.
To obtain the American tourist visa, you must prove that you will return to your country of origin after it expires. The B2 visa does not allow you to look for a job or begin studies. Therefore, you cannot stay in the United States longer than the time originally planned in your B2 Visa application.
Can my parents visit me in the United States on a B2 visa?
If you live, work or study in the United States, you may invite your parents to visit you. They can enter the United States on a B2 visa. They will have to follow all the processes explained above in this article. The only thing that will be a little different is the list of mandatory documents for parents.
You are responsible for collecting certain documents for your parents. They will also have to collect additional funds in their home country.
The B2 visa documents required for parents are as follows:
* Passports: Your parents will need to have valid passports;
* Fill out Form DS-160 ;
* Provide a bank verification letter: You must present proof that you are able to financially support your parents while in the United States ;
* Employment Verification: You will need to request this letter from your current employer;
* Provide Letter of Invitation: You will need to write a letter to your parents inviting them to visit you in the United States.