Visitor Visa

VISITOR VISAS
BUSINESS AND PLEASURE

Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for a temporary stay or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. The visa allows a foreign citizen to travel to a U.S. port of entry and request permission of the U.S. immigration inspector to enter the United States. A “visitor” visa is a nonimmigrant visa and generally is used to enter the United States temporarily for business (B-1), for pleasure or medical treatment (B-2), or a combination of these purposes (B-1/B-2). Business Visitor Visas (B-1) If the purpose of the planned travel is business-related, for example, to consult with business associates, attend a scientific, educational, professional or business conference, settle an estate, or negotiate a contract, then a business visitor visa (B-1) would be the appropriate type of visa for the travel.

For more details on these and other activities that you can undertake while in B-1 status, visit Business Travel to the United States at travel. state. gov/content/visas/English/business/business-visa-center.html.
Personal or Domestic Employees:
Under immigration law, qualified personal or domestic employees may travel to the United States as business visitors under certain circumstances when accompanying:
1) a U.S. citizen employer who lives permanently outside the United States or is stationed in a foreign country and is visiting or is assigned to the United States temporarily; OR

2) a foreign citizen employer in the United States who is in B, E, F, H, I, J, L, M, O, P, or Q nonimmigrant visa status.

Important Notice
The William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (WWTVPA) of 2008 requires that an individual applying for a B-1 domestic employee visa be made aware of his or her legal rights under federal immigration, labour, and employment law. For information on your rights and protections, see travel.state.gov. Pleasure, Tourism, Medical Treatment Visitor Visas (B-2) If the purpose of the planned travel is recreational in nature, including tourism, visiting friends or relatives, rest, or is related to medical treatment, activities of a fraternal, social, or service nature, or participation by amateurs who will receive no remuneration in musical, sports and similar events or contests, then a visitor visa (B-2) would be the appropriate type of visa for the travel

l. Persons planning to travel to the United States for a different purpose including students, temporary workers, crew members, or journalists, must apply for a different category of visa.

You will find additional information on B-2 requirements on travel.state.gov. Note Representatives of the foreign press, radio, film, journalists or other information media, engaging in that vocation while in the United States, require a nonimmigrant media (I) visa and cannot travel to the United States using a visitor visa or on the Visa Waiver Program.

Visa Waiver Program
Travellers coming to the United States for tourism or business (B-1 or B-2 category visa) purposes for 90 days or less from qualified countries* maybe eligible to travel without a visa if they meet the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) requirements.
Currently, 38 countries* participate in the VWP. For a list of participating countries* and additional information on VWP requirements, see

• Tourism
• Vacation (holiday)
• Visit with friends or relatives
• Medical treatment
• Participation in social events hosted by fraternal, social, or service organizations
• Participation by amateurs in musicals, sports, or similar events or contests, if not being paid for participating
• Enrollment in a short recreational course of study, not for credit toward a degree (for example, a two-day cooking class while on vacation)

These are some examples of activities that require different categories of visas and cannot be done while on a visitor visa:

• Study
• Employment
• Paid performances, or any professional performance before a paying audience
• Arrival as a crew member on a ship or aircraft
• Work as foreign press, in radio, film, print journalism, or other information media
• Permanent residence in the United States

Visitor visas will also not be issued for birth tourism (travel for the primary purpose of giving birth in the United States to obtain U.S. citizenship for their child).

How to Apply

There are several steps to apply for a visa. The order of these steps and how you complete them may vary by U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Please consult the instructions on the U.S. Embassy or Consulate website.

Complete the Online Visa Application

• Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160 – Learn more about completing the DS-160. You must: 1) complete the online visa application and 2) print the application form confirmation page to bring to your interview.
• Photo – You will upload your photo while completing the online Form DS-160. Your photo must be in the format explained in the Photograph Requirements.

Schedule an Interview

Interviews are generally required for visa applicants with certain limited exceptions below. Consular officers may require an interview of any visa applicant.

You should schedule an appointment for your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where you live. You may schedule your interview at another U.S. Embassy or Consulate, but be aware that it may be more difficult to qualify for a visa outside of the country where you live.

Wait times for interview appointments vary by location, season, and visa category, so you should apply for your visa early. Review the interview wait time for the location where you will apply: