Applying for a B-1 or B-2 Visa as a Foreign National Professional or Tourist
A brief visit to the U.S. for business or tourism often requires getting a B-1 visa (for business travelers) or a B-2 visa (for tourists). If you are coming from a country that participates in the visa waiver program, however, you may not need a visa at all if you are coming only for a short trip.
If you are eligible for a B-1 or B-2 visa, the process is usually simple. Most denials of B visas are based on a failure to comply with formal procedures, though, so you should make sure to take each step required. You will need to not only submit the main form for the visa but also provide additional documents to show the duration of your stay and your intent to return to your home country. You must pay certain fees associated with your application. At the end of the process, you will need to attend an interview at a U.S. consulate in your home country.
Documents for a B-1 or B-2 Visa Application
The main form for a B visa is known as Form DS-160, which is a Nonimmigrant Visa Application. You must complete this form online at the State Department website. Then, you will need to print a page with a bar code to show that you have completed the form, and you must take the page to the consular interview. Before the interview, you will need to pay the visa application fee and get a receipt. The U.S. consulate in your area will tell you where to pay the fee. In some cases, a foreign national who lives in a country that charges fees for visas to U.S. citizens will need to pay an additional fee. However, you can pay the visa reciprocity fee (also known as a visa issuance fee) at your consular interview.
- 1 Form DS-160 receipt
- 2 Visa application fee receipt
- 3 A photo
- 4 A passport
- 5 Evidence of travel arrangements
- 6 A letter from an employer, if applicable
- 7 Evidence of the reason for travel
- 8 Evidence of intent to return home
- 9 Evidence of financial resources
Other documents that you will need to provide include a photo and a passport. The photo must be two inches by two inches, and you may want to get it from a professional photographer, who will know the requirements for these photos. Your passport must not expire for at least six months after the projected end of your trip to the U.S. Also, you may need to provide evidence of your travel arrangements, including an itinerary, transportation tickets, and especially your ticket home. Foreign nationals who are seeking a B-1 visa will need to bring a letter from their employer that explains the purpose of their business trip to the U.S. The employer will need to establish that the foreign national will not receive payment from any U.S. sources and will return home on a certain date. If your trip involves an organized event, such as a business conference, you may want to provide materials related to the event.
Two main areas of concern for a consular officer are whether the foreign national will overstay their visa and whether they will need public assistance in the U.S. You can address the first concern by showing that you own a home or have a long-term lease in your home country, as well as family members and a job there. In response to the second concern, you may need to fill out a Form I-134 to show that you will not need a job or welfare for support. You also might bring a letter from someone in the U.S. with whom you will be staying, in addition to bank statements and pay stubs that show your available funds and income sources.
Immigration Law Center Contents
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Immigration Law Center
- Green Cards and Lawful Permanent Residence in the U.S.
- Becoming a U.S. Citizen Under Naturalization Law
- Immigrant Visas Leading to Lawful Permanent Residence in the U.S.
- Non-Immigrant Visas Providing a Legal Basis for Temporary Residence in the U.S.
- Work Visas Allowing Foreign Nationals to Legally Enter the U.S.
- Family Immigration Options Under the Law
- Investor Visas Providing Legal Status in the U.S.
- Visitor Visas Allowing Foreign Nationals to Legally Enter the U.S.
- Student Visas Allowing Foreign Nationals to Legally Enter the U.S.
- Denials of Visas or Green Cards & Your Legal Options
- Consular Interviews When Seeking a Visa or Green Card
- VAWA Petitions for Foreign Nationals Affected by Domestic Violence & Seeking Legal Status in the U.S.
- How Children of Foreign Nationals Affected by Domestic Violence Can Legally Obtain Immigration Status
- Work Authorization for Foreign Nationals Without Green Cards
- How Foreign Nationals Unable to Return Home Safely May Legally Qualify for Temporary Protected Status
- Asylum for Foreign National Refugees
- Humanitarian Parole for Foreign Nationals With Compelling Needs
- Advance Parole for Foreign Nationals Living in the U.S. Without Green Cards
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Legal Protections From Deportation
- Visa Waiver Program for Brief Visits to the U.S. Without Formal Legal Status
- Grounds for Finding a Foreign National Legally Inadmissible to the U.S.
- How the Deportation Legal Process Works
- Appeals of Immigration Decisions Through the Legal Process
- LGBTQ+ Individuals Facing Immigration Legal Issues
- Inspections of Foreign Nationals Seeking to Legally Enter the U.S.
- Unlawful Presence in the U.S. & Legal Penalties
- Tax Law Issues for Visa or Green Card Holders
- Waivers of Legal Inadmissibility to the U.S.
- How a Criminal Record Legally Affects Immigration Status
- How Social Media Use Can Affect Legal Admissibility to the U.S.
- Immigration Law FAQs
- Immigration Legal Forms
- Find an Immigration Law Lawyer
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