Important Travel Information – Please Read
The B2 Visa is intended for visitors wishing to go to the United States for tourism or medical treatment. With this temporary non-immigrant visa, you will be able to visit relatives and friends in the United States, as well as iconic sights, cities, and towns around.
If you wish to travel to the United States for solely business purposes, you should apply for a B1 visa instead. If you visit the United States on a regular basis for both tourism & business, you can apply for a B1/B2 combination visa.
Other USA Visa Options:
What is the procedure for applying for a B2 visa?
Here are the fundamental steps of our B2 Tourist Visa application process:
- Fill out our online Form.
- Receive your processed documentation and guidance
- Pay the MRV fee to the U.S. Department of State.
- Schedule an interview with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your area.
- Assemble the necessary paperwork for your Visa as advised by your caseworker
- Participate in a visa interview
- Receive your B2 Visa stamped in your passport
B2 Visa Interview
You must attend an immigration interview to enter the United States as a tourist. This interview must be scheduled at your home country’s embassy or Consulate of the United States. All applicants between 14 and 79 years old must attend. It is recommended to schedule the interview as soon as possible. The officer at the U.S. embassy will inquire about your background and application details. They will review your portfolio of documents to confirm that you meet the B-2 Visa requirements.
You must bring all the necessary information and documents to the interview. If you fail to do so, the official may reject your application. You will receive an interview confirmation letter once the interview has been confirmed, which you must bring to the interview.
What documents are necessary for a B2 visa?
You must bring several supporting documents to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate for your tourist visa interview.
The specific documentation you will be required to give will depend on your situation. For instance, if you are traveling to the United States for medical purposes, you must present pertinent medical documentation. However, if you are traveling for tourist reasons you will need the documents supporting this such as accomodation bookings & travel itineraries.
The following supporting documentation must accompany an application for a basic B2 tourist visa:
A passport valid for at least six months beyond the desired period of stay.
A photograph compliant with U.S. visa regulations.
Page of interview confirmation.
Receipt of the visa fees paid.
A letter describing the reason for your trip to the United States.
Financial or bank statements demonstrate that you have the funds to fund your journey to the United States.
Documents demonstrating your need to return home by demonstrating your ties to your native nation.
An optional letter of invitation from family or a friend in the U.S. to improve your application for a guest visa.
Photocopies of the relative's U.S. immigration status (if applicable).
A paper or letter indicates that you have no prior criminal convictions.
When does the B2 visa expire?
The validity period of a B2 visa depends on the issuing country and can range from one month to ten years, with possibilities for single, double, or triple entries.
The visa may be valid for ten years, but each stay is limited to six months.
On the visitor’s I-94 form, the Customs and Border Protection officer at the U.S. port of entry will record the length of stay.
Can you extend a B2 visa?
B2 visas are extendable for an additional six months. You are allowed a maximum stay of one year in the United States. B2 visa holders who wish to petition for an extension must submit their request at least 42 days before their I-94’s expiration date. The I-94 is the paperwork attached to the B2 visitor’s passport upon entry into the United States by a Customs and Border Protection official.
In the first three months of your stay in the United States, you are ineligible to request a B2 visa extension.
B2 Visa Purposes
The B2 Visa is mostly for tourism purposes, making it one of the most common U.S. visas. This Visa can be used for recreational activities, including:
- Tourism
- Vacation (holiday)
- Meeting with friends, relatives, or family members
- Medical treatment
- Participation in social or organization-hosted social events
- Taking part in musical, sporting, or similar events or competitions, if they are not being paid for doing so
- Enrolment in a brief course of study
Requirements for a B2 Visa
Under U.S. immigration law, visa applicants must meet the following criteria to qualify for a B2 visa:
- You must be able to show that the reason for your journey is to temporarily enter the United States for medical treatment or for enjoyment.
- Show that you have sufficient funds to cover your travel expenses during your stay in the United States.
- Demonstrate that you intend to visit the United States for a limited amount of time.
- Show that you have binding ties and a domicile outside the United States, to which you will return after completing your travels.
USA Visa Types
A visa is required for any foreign national wishing to enter the United States. It could be a non-immigrant visa for a short period of time or an immigrant visa for a long period of time. To enter the United States, you must have a valid visa. If a B2 visa is not suitable, you may be interested in some of the following visa types:
What documentation must I present to receive medical care in the United States on a B2 visa?
If you meet the requirements, you may use your B-2 visa to undergo medical treatment in the United States. To do so, you must demonstrate that your treatment or medication is unavailable in your own country. Moreover, you must supply bank records or certified copies of your income tax returns. This will be used as evidence that you can afford to pay for U.S. healthcare.
The U.S. Embassy or Consulate may request that you undergo multiple medical examinations. In addition to your application, you must include the following supporting materials:
- A letter from you’re the doctor in charge of your treatment describing your medical diagnosis and recommended treatment and why you require medical care in the United States.
- The reason why this treatment is unavailable in your native nation.
- A letter from a U.S. doctor or medical facility stating that they will accept you as a patient.
- Estimate of all medical-related costs (doctor’s fees, hospitalization, etc.).
In addition, the American Center for Disease Control will only accept your stay if your illness is not deemed “significant to public health.”
People Also Asked...
B2 visas are valid for six months and can be renewed once more for another six months. It usually takes 60–90 days to process a B2 visa application.
It is neither automatic or easy for visitors from certain nations to qualify for a B-2 tourist visa. It depends on what you want to do during your visit and whether you can persuade US consular officials that you will return home.
If you make an application for the B2 Tourist Visitor Visa, you will have to pay the application cost of $160. This is not inclusive of the Visa-Applications.org service fee. You might also have to pay extra charges associated with gathering all the paperwork and translating them if they were not issued in English. Based on your home country’s relationship with the US, you might also have to pay your visa issuance fee.
During your scheduled appointment you will be required to present receipts verifying that you have paid all the relevant payments so do not forget to bring those.
Financial or bank statements demonstrating that you have the funds to stay in the United States for at least $266 each day of your scheduled stay.
The B2 Tourist visa in the United States is valid for ten years after it is issued. If you intend to stay in the United States for an extended period of time after that, you will need to renew your B2 Visa. It also allows you to stay in the United States for up to 180 days each entry.
When you enter the United States, a customs officer will grant you permission to stay for up to six months. If youd want to stay longer, you may be eligible to request for a one-year extension.
You can visit the United States whenever you want if you hold a B2 visa, as long as your passport is valid. The B visa is a multiple-entry visa, which means you can enter the United States many times.
Information that is either insufficient or incorrect. If you provide erroneous or missing information on the application form, you will be denied a US visa. As a result, double-check that the information you enter corresponds to the documentary proof, such as your residence, passport number, date of birth, and employment information.
If your permitted stay in the United States is about to expire, you may want to extend it, especially since staying in the United States for longer than you were allowed can have long-term effects.
If you have a B-2 visa, you can request a one-year extension of your stay. To do so, fill out Form I-539, Request to Extend or Change Status. Its best to file for an extension of your status at least 45 days before your current authorization expires, so plan ahead
If you want to renew your B-2 visa, you must go through the original application process. You may be able to complete your visa renewal without an interview depending on the US embassy or consulate where you apply.
You can apply for an ESTA instead of a B-1/B-2 visa if you are a citizen of one of the 38 countries that participate in the Visa Waiver Program.
Both allow you to enter the United States for vacation or commercial purposes, but the ESTA can be applied for online. The B-1/B-2 visiting visa may be an option for you if you want to stay in the US for longer for travel or business.
Most Canadian nationals do not require a visa for casual business or tourism travel and will be immediately admitted under the B-1 or B-2 categories.
Yes, you can marry in the United States while on a B-2 tourist visa or a visa waiver.