Besides a great country to work in, the US is also a very popular country to visit. It has historical landmarks, impressive infrastructure, and beautiful nature. Additionally, the US presents an attractive environment to do business in. Many people have the US as their travel or business destination and because of that, there are also visas available which only give you the right to enter the US for visiting purposes.
The US visitor visas allow its holder to go to the US short-term visits for a maximum of six months.Because there are two main purposes that visitors can go to the US, there are also two types of visitor visas into the B category:
B1 is the visa which allows you to enter the US with the purpose of doing business with a company within the US.
B2 is the visa which allows you to enter the US with the purpose of tourism, pleasure, or visit to friends and family.
Important: From May 30, 2023, the cost of a B1/B2 visa application increased to $185 from the previous price of $160.
The main difference between a B1 and a B2 visa is that a B1 visa is issued for business reasons and the B2 permit is for tourism purposes to the US. Both of these visas are issued for a period of six months with the possibility of an extension to a year.
Here is a side by side comparison of the activities allowed under a B1 and a B2 visa:
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B1 Visa
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B2 Visa
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Negotiation and contract signing.
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Go to a family or school reunion.
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Take part in business meetings, conventions and exhibits.
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Go to a family or friend event, i.e., wedding, graduation ceremony, engagements, etc.
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Organize independent research.
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Go to recreational resorts.
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Buy business-related materials and supplies.
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Receive medical treatment.
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Finish an exam conducted only in the US.
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Take part in cultural events (concerts, sports events, etc) that you will not get paid for.
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Give business consultations.
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Tour different cities in the US.
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With a B1/B2 visa, you are allowed to visit and travel the US, but you are strictly forbidden from doing these activities:
The application for visitor visas is quite straightforward and goes through much of the similar process as other US nonimmigrant visas. This means that you apply at a US Embassy or Consulate in your home country.
For those who need a visa to visit the US, the following steps need to be followed:
Form DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application is a standard form required for a US visitor visa. It has various sections depending on the type of US visa that you are applying for. You must find the section for the visitor visas (either B1 visa or B2 visa) and fill the necessary spaces. It will ask about your personal information, background, and purpose of visit to the US. At the end, you will get a confirmation page and code which you need to retain for later.
You can fill the DS-160 form online through the Consular Electronic Application Center.
The application fee for the US visitor visas is $185. Besides this fee, you might have to pay visa issuance fees which are determined based on the relationship of your country with the US.
All visa applicants between 14 and 79 years old are required to attend a US visitor visa interview with an official from the US Embassy they are applying in. To learn more about how to schedule a US visa interview, visit the following article.
When you go to the US Embassy, you need to support your case as to why the US Embassy has to give you a visa. To apply for a US visitor visa, you need to compile a document file which contains the
With your document file and depending on the type of visitor visa you are seeking, attend your interview. During the interview, the official will mostly concentrate on your intent to return to your home country. Many people try to go into the US with visitor visas and find employment illegally, so you must prove that you will return.
The processing time for the B1/B2 visa can vary from a few weeks to a few months. If you have a specific date that you need to be in the US in, it is best to apply as early as possible so that you can allow enough time for the visa to be processed.
No. Purchasing health insurance is not a requirement of the US authorities to issue a visa. However, considering the high costs of the American healthcare system you are strongly advised to get health insurance before traveling to the United States.
For instance, the treatment of a broken leg or broken arm will cost you $2,500, while staying at a US hospital for one night may cost over $10,000, on average.
Here you can find more information about travel insurance plans for visitors in the United States:
US Visitor visas are given for a period 1 month up to 10 years. The maximum stay on a visitor visa is six months, but bear in mind that you are not allowed to work during that time, so you must prove you can afford to stay for that period of time.
If you want a B1/B2 visa extension, you must provide a valid reason as to why you need to stay and submit documents supporting your case. Additionally, during the time that you are in the US with a visitor visa, you can try to change your status to a longer-term visa. However, if your purpose is this, then you need to inform the officials at the Embassy during your interview. If you do not inform them, then you need to prove that you did not intend to change your status at the beginning of your trip and the opportunity came later on.
The B1/B2 Visas do not have dependents visas, so if you want to travel with your family, they must also get the appropriate visitor visas.
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