What your visa lets you do

Permitted activities by category

Every category has its own list. These are the broad strokes — always check the official page for your specific classification, and remember that a category may attach further conditions (for example, work tied to a specific employer or a fixed period).

• B-1 (business visitor): attending meetings, conferences and conventions, negotiating contracts, consulting with associates, settling an estate, or undertaking independent research — commercial activity that does not amount to taking up US employment or being paid by a US source.
• B-2 (tourism/visitor): holidays, visiting family or friends, medical treatment, and social events. A short recreational course that earns no academic credit (for example, a weekend cooking class) is allowed.
• Visa Waiver Program / ESTA: the same business or tourism activities as B-1/B-2, for stays of up to 90 days — but with no extensions and no change of status while in the US.
• F-1 / M-1 (students): full-time enrolment at an approved school, plus limited employment (on-campus work, and off-campus training such as CPT/OPT) only where separately authorised.
• J-1 (exchange visitor): the specific programme activity named in your DS-2019, which may include work or training as part of that programme.
• H, L, O, P, Q, R (temporary workers): employment only in the role, and usually only for the employer, described in the approved petition.
• E (treaty trader/investor): trade or investment activity for the qualifying enterprise.

The B visa is not for work or study

This is the most common misunderstanding. A visitor visa (B-1/B-2), and travel under the Visa Waiver Program, do not permit employment of any kind — paid or unpaid, for a US or foreign employer — and they do not permit study that leads to a US degree or academic credit. Productive work for a US company, freelance work performed while in the US, or enrolling in a for-credit course all require a different, appropriate category. If your real purpose is to work or to study, apply for the visa built for that purpose before you travel; do not try to do those activities on a visitor status.

Status vs visa: what actually controls what you can do

The visa gets you to the border. Your status governs your stay.

When you are admitted, the CBP officer records your class of admission and how long you may remain on your I-94 (available electronically at the CBP I-94 site). Some categories, such as students, are admitted for 'duration of status' (D/S) rather than a fixed date, meaning you may stay as long as you keep meeting your category's conditions.

A visa can expire while you are lawfully in status, and a valid visa does not extend your permitted stay — the I-94 does. Always work from your I-94 admission record, not the visa sticker, to know your authorised activities and departure date.

Why unauthorised work is serious

Working without authorisation, or otherwise acting outside your category, is a failure to maintain status. The consequences are significant and can be long-lasting.

• It breaks your lawful status and can make you removable (subject to deportation proceedings).
• It can trigger 'unlawful presence', which for stays of more than 180 days or one year can bar re-entry for 3 or 10 years respectively.
• It can bar or complicate a later green card. Adjustment of status under INA 245 is generally blocked by unauthorised employment; the limited 245(k) relief for certain employment-based applicants does not help someone who worked without authorisation for more than an aggregate of 180 days.
• It can lead to visa revocation and future refusals, including under section 214(b) for failing to show you will respect the terms of a temporary visa.

If you want to do something different

If your plans change — you want to work, study, or stay longer — do not simply start the new activity. Depending on your situation you may be able to extend your stay or change to a different category by filing the correct application with USCIS before your current authorised stay ends (for example, Form I-539 to extend or change nonimmigrant status, or an employer-filed Form I-129 for a work category). Approval is not guaranteed, and you generally must remain in valid status while the request is pending. When in doubt, confirm what your category allows on the official pages below before acting.