USA Tourist Visa

The B2 visa is a tourist visa which allows you to enter the United States for tourism, pleasure, or visit friends and family.

• Vacation (holiday)
• Visit with friends or relatives
• Medical treatment
• Participation in social events hosted by fraternal, social, or service organizations
• Participation by amateurs in musical, 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)

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. 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 non-immigrant Media (I) visa and cannot travel to the United States using a visitor visa or on the Visa Waiver Program. Visa Waiver Program Travelers 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* may be 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 travel.state.gov.

Qualifying for a Visitor Visa There are specific requirements which must be met by applicants to qualify for a visitor visa under U.S. immigration law. The consular officer at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate will determine whether you qualify for the visa.
The required presumption under U.S. law is that every visitor visa applicant is an intending immigrant until they demonstrate otherwise. Therefore, applicants for visitor visas must overcome this presumption by demonstrating:

• That the purpose of their trip is to enter the United States temporarily for business or pleasure;
• That they plan to remain for a specific, limited period;
• Evidence of funds to cover expenses in the United States;
• That they have a residence outside the United States as well as other binding ties that will ensure their departure from the United States at the end of the visit.

Applying for Visitor Visa Applicants for visitor visas should generally apply at the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where they live. It is important to apply for a visa well in advance of the travel departure date. Completing Form DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, (ceac.state.gov/genniv/), is the first step in the visa application process. After you have submitted Form DS160, print the confirmation page and bring it to your interview. Next, pay the non-refundable visa application fee, if you are required to pay it before your interview. Then, make an appointment for an interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you pay to apply for your visa.

You can learn how to schedule an appointment for an interview, pay the application processing fee, review embassy-specific instructions, and much more by visiting the website of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you will be applying at usembassy.gov. The wait time for an interview appointment for applicants can vary, so early application is strongly encouraged. Visa wait times for interview appointments and visa processing times for each U.S. Embassy or Consulate are available on travel.state.gov and on most U.S. Embassy or Consulate websites.

During the visa application process, an ink-free, digital fingerprint scan will be taken. Some visa applications require further administrative processing, which takes additional time after the visa applicant’s interview by a Consular Officer. For information about required documentation and fees, please visit travel.state.gov. Additional Information on visa denials, go to travel.state.gov.

Further Visa Inquiries For general information about applying for a visitor visa, including documentation and fee requirements, please visit travel.state.gov. For post specific visa application procedures or visa ineligibilities, review the particular U.S. Embassy or Consulate website where you will be applying at usembassy.gov. If your inquiry concerns a visa case in progress overseas, you should first contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you applied. Before submitting your inquiry, please be sure to review travel.state.gov and the particular U.S. Embassy or Consulate website.