Visit USA
WHY VISIT THE USA?
- Experience the ‘City that Never Sleeps’
- Explore the greens in National Parks
- Have fun at the theme parks
- Gorge on tempting cuisines
TRAVEL TO THE US FOR VISITS & TOURISM
Visiting friends and family in the US? Looking to travel for tourism or medical purposes? The US B2 visa is ideal for short-term travelers visiting the US for non-business purposes.
BUSINESS OR TOURISM VISITOR VISA TO THE US
The US offers different types of short-visit visas for – business travelers, tourists, and future spouses.
Those planning a short visit to the US – for business or tourism – might be required to get a US visitor or transit visa.
The US visa to be applied for will be as per the purpose of visiting the US.
B-1 Attend a conference, Consult with business associates, Negotiate a contract, or
B-2 For tourists on vacation and people coming to the US for participating in amateur contests or social events, or for taking medical treatment.
If an individual is engaged to a US citizen and planning to marry and live in the US, their fiancé(e) might be able to petition for a US K-1 visa on their behalf. The K-1 visa allows the visa holder to travel to the US to marry their fiancé(e) within 90 days of arriving. After marriage, they might apply for an adjustment of status to get US Green Card.
VistaEverest has helped thousands of people successfully apply for visas across the World. Our in-depth knowledge of the US visa process makes us the best option for you to file your US B2 visa application.
The B-2 visa is a non-immigrant US visa. The visa gives permission to individuals to enter the US for a short period either for tourism, recreation or for family visits.
B-visa holders can engage in the following activities when they are in the US:
- Come to the country on a holiday
- Visit the various cities in the country
- Visit their friends or family
- Take part in social events conducted by organizations
- Visit the country for medical treatment
- Participate in sports or music events
- Participate in short term courses
US B2 VISA DETAILS
The US B2 visa is the best way for short term visitors to visit the US. It is typically issued for a period of 6 months. In some cases, it is issued as a multiple-entry visa for a period of up to 10 years. Key details of the B2 visa are:
- You must be able to persuade US consular officials at a US Embassy/Consulate that they are not visiting the country with an intention to become an immigrant of that country
- You must show reasons and evidence that you would definitely return to your home country
- You must book appointments for giving your biometrics (finger scan) and visa interview
- Children below 14 years and adults above 80 years are not required to visit the Consulate/Embassy for an interview and can submit the documents at the visa application centre
- People who already had a US Visit Visa and now applying for renewal can get the visa renewed by booking the visa appointment at visa application centre and submitting the documents in person
- Typically the visa is processed within 2-3 days and your passport can either be collected from the VAC centre or couriered to you.
REQUIREMENTS FOR USA B2 VISITOR VISA
The documentation required for the B2 visa includes:
- Your passport
- Proof of funds
- Letters supporting your reason of visiting the US
- Adequate insurance coverage
- Details of who you are staying with and where
- Air tickets
- Evidence that you will return to your home country
- Financial documents
- Insurance and other supporting documents
APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THE B-2 VISA
- Submit the Form DS-160
- Pay the visa fees
- Schedule the tourist visa interview at the US embassy or consulate
- Complete the B-2 visa document file
- Attend the visa interview
- If you have applied for the US tourist visa, you will be required to attend a visa interview where you will be asked questions about the purpose of your trip and your travel plans.
PREPARING FOR THE VISA INTERVIEW
- Schedule an appointment for your visa interview in the country where you reside: While your interview may be scheduled at any U.S. Embassy or Consulate, it may be more difficult to obtain a visa outside the country where you live permanently.) Search for your country of residence at USEmbassy.gov to find the nearest embassy or consulate — and its contact details.
- Check on the wait time: Understand that wait times differ according to the venue, visa category and even season, which is why applying early is crucial.
- Pay the visa application fee which is non-refundable
- Gather the required documents: These include:
- Passport valid 6 months after your scheduled departure from the US
- Type DS-160 confirmation page for non-immigrant visa application
- Receipt of Transaction Fee
- One printed photo that satisfies visitor visa requirements
- Prepare for the interview by rehearsing answers for frequently asked questions
- Visa interviews are generally required of travelers between the ages of 14-79, Typically, interviews are not required of applicants 13 years of age and younger or 80 years of age and older—through consular officers can choose to interview any visa applicant, regardless of age.
HOW VISTAEVEREST CAN HELP YOU?
VistaEverest offers end-to-end assistance to help you with your B2, B1 visa. Talk to us to learn how our consultants can help you at each step of your visa process.
F.A.Q.
Frequently Asked Questions
The US Tourist Visa (B-1/B-2) is a non-immigrant US Visa. Its validity period ranges from 1 month to 10 years and allows single, double or multiples entries to the US. The period of stay which is a maximum of 6 months is recorded by the Customs and Border Protection officer. This is at the entry port on the Form I-94 of the Visa holder.
The validity period specifies the time period for which the Visa can be used to arrive in the US. The period of stay specifies the duration for which an individual can remain in the US after every single entry.
The exact processing times for a US Tourist Visa vary and are an approximation that can change at any time. Processing times cannot be guaranteed. Non-refundable reservations and tickets must not be bought till the time you obtain all the Passports and Visas.
The holiday seasons have high travel volume. The processing times for Consulates such as the Houston are at least 3 weeks.
General Processing Times
- It will take approximately 3 to 5 working days if the application is made in person
- For PIOs and US nationals requiring reference and all non-US nationals, it will take minimum 1 or 2 weeks for processing
- For all applications that require prior reference check, the processing time for the reference check alone is minimum 1 week
- You will have to add the transit and mailing time both ways when you apply by mail like courier or post
- The time needed to process an application
- Time taken for processing through the Consulate and National Visa Centre
- Time taken for the case to become current
Officially, there is no limit for the money to be shown for the US Tourist Visa. Any amount that can validate the overall expenses for your US trip must be adequate. This includes to and fro air tickets, medical insurance, boarding, lodging, shopping, etc. It is keeping in mind the duration and purpose of the trip. The higher the amount, the better.
For example, it can be estimated that the cost for a 15-day tour for one person can be around 5000 to 6000 USD. So the equivalent amount of money must be present in your or your sponsor’s bank.
The mandatory documents needed for the US Tourist Visa are:
- An original passport that has a validity of minimum 6 months after the likely arrival date in the US
- All expired passports
- 1 photograph for every specification, both hard and digital copy is needed
- Confirmation page of the DS – 160 US Visa application form stamped at the VAC – Visa Application Centre
- Valid fee payment receipt
- Printout of the appointment letter for US Visa interview
Applicants of US Tourist Visa must demonstrate that they are eligible as per the provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The law’s presumption is that every applicant of a Visitor/Tourist Visa is an intending migrant. Thus, the applicants of this Visa have to overcome this presumption.
Applicants have to demonstrate that they have a home in their nation of origin and they do not intend to abandon it. They must also prove that their intention is to arrive at the US for a limited and specified purpose. The purpose of their tour is to enter the US for medical treatment, tourism, or business.
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
- They must prove that their visit will be temporary
- They must indicate their intention to return to their home country at the end of their stay (or any extension)
- They must have a valid foreign passport
- They should have a residence abroad where they intend to return
- They should have enough funds to support themselves financially while in the country