Visitor Visas
If
you desire to enter the United States for tourism, business,
or medical visits, a visitor visa is generally required. A
visitor visa is a temporary (nonimmigrant) visa for
business (B-1) or for pleasure or medical treatment (B-2).
However, if you are from a qualified country, you may be able
to visit the U.S. without a visa, through the Visa Waiver
Pilot Program.
Persons planning to travel to the
U.S. for a different purpose, such as students, temporary
workers, crewmen, journalists, etc, must apply for a different
visa (see Temporary
Visitor Home Page).
Visa Waiver
Pilot Program
If you are
coming to the U.S. for tourism or business for 90 days or
less from a qualified country, you may be eligible to visit
the U.S. without a visa. Currently, 28 countries participate
in the Visa Waiver Pilot Program: Andorra, Australia,
Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San
Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the
United Kingdom and Uruguay. If you enter on
the Visa Waiver Pilot Program, you are not allowed to work
or study while in the U.S., and you cannot stay longer than
90 days or change your status to another visa category.
For more information, please see Visa Waiver Pilot Program.
Am I
Eligible for a Visitor Visa?
You must overcome the presumption that you are actually an
intending immigrant by demonstrating that:
- The
purpose of your trip is to enter the U.S. for business,
pleasure, or medical treatment;
- You
plan to remain for a specific, limited period; and
- You
have a residence outside the U.S. as well as other binding
ties which will ensure your return abroad at the end of
the visit.
How Do I Apply?
You should generally apply at the U.S. Consulate
or Embassy with jurisdiction over your place of
permanent residence. Although you may apply at any U.S. consular
office abroad, it may be more difficult to qualify for the
visa outside your country of permanent residence.
Documentation
Each applicant
for a visitor visa must pay a nonrefundable US$45 application
fee and submit:
1.
An
application Form
DS-156, completed and signed. Forms are also available
without charge at all U.S. consular offices;
2.
A passport
valid for travel to the United States and with a validity
date at least six months beyond your intended period of stay
in the United States. If more than one person is included
in the passport, each person desiring a visa must make an
application;
3.
Two
photographs 1 and 1/2 inches square (37x37 mm) for each applicant,
showing full face, without head covering, against a light
background.
Additional Requirements
You must demonstrate that you are properly classifiable as
a visitor under U.S. law. You may provide evidence that
shows the purpose of your trip, your intent to depart the
United States, and arrangements you have made to cover the
costs of your trip. It is impossible to specify the exact
form the evidence should take since circumstances vary greatly.
·
If
you are traveling to the U.S. on business, you may present
a letter from the U.S. business firm indicating the purpose
of your trip, your intended length of stay, and the firm's
intent to cover travel costs.
·
If
you are traveling to the U.S. for pleasure, you may use letters
from relatives or friends in the U.S. whom you plan to visit,
or confirmation of participation in a planned tour.
·
If
you are traveling to the U.S. for medical treatment, you should
have a statement from a doctor or institution concerning the
proposed medical treatment.
If
you do not have sufficient funds to support yourself while
in the U.S., you must present convincing evidence that an
interested person will provide support. You are not permitted
to accept employment during your stay in the U.S. Depending on individual circumstances, you
may provide other evidence substantiating your trip's purpose
and specifying the nature of binding obligations, such as
family ties or employment, which would compel your return
abroad.
Important Information
·
If
your passport contains a previously issued visitor visa, you
should inquire about special expedited procedures available
at most consular offices for issuance of a new visitor visa.
·
Unless
previously canceled, a visa is valid until its expiration
date. Therefore, if you have a valid U.S. visitor visa in
an expired passport, you may use it along with a new valid
passport for travel and admission to the United States.
·
If
there is a fee for issuance of the visa, it is equal as nearly
as possible to the fee charged to United States citizens by
your country of nationality.
·
You
should not find it necessary to employ persons to assist you
in preparing documents or securing access to the U.S. consular
office.
·
Attempting
to obtain a visa by the willful misrepresentation of a material
fact, or fraud, may result in the permanent refusal of a visa
or denial of entry into the United States.
·
If
the consular officer should find it necessary to deny you
a visitor visa, you may apply again if there is new evidence
to overcome the basis for the refusal. In the absence of new
evidence, consular officers are not obliged to re-examine
your case.
Visa
Ineligibility / Waiver
There
are categories of persons
ineligible to receive visas under U.S. law. In some instances
an applicant who is ineligible, but who is otherwise properly
classifiable as a visitor, may apply for a waiver of ineligibility
and be issued a visa if the waiver is approved. If you are
found to be ineligible, the consular officer will advise you
of any waivers.
Visa Denials
For an explanation
of the most common circumstance under which a visa is denied,
as well as your right to reapply, see Visa
Denials.
Admission through a U.S. Port of Entry
You should
be aware that a visa does not guarantee entry into the United
States. A visa is issued by a Department of State Consular
Office abroad, but a separate U.S. agency, the U.S. Citizenship
and Immigration Services (USCIS), has authority to deny admission
at the port of entry. Also, the period for which you are authorized
to remain in the U.S. is determined by the USCIS, not the
Department of State Consular Office. At the port of entry,
an USCIS official must authorize your admission to the U.S.
At that time, the USCIS official will provide you with a stamped
Form I-94 (Record of Arrival-Departure), which notes how long
you are permitted to stay in the U.S.
If you wish to stay beyond the time indicated on your
Form I-94, you must file Form
I-539, Application to Extend Status with the USCIS. The
decision to grant or deny a request for extension of stay
is made solely by the USCIS. For more information, see:
HELP!
-
For assistance in your country, contact the
nearest U.S. Consulate.
- For inquiries on visa cases in progress overseas, contact
the appropriate U.S.
Embassy or Consulate handling your case.
- For assistance within the U.S., contact the State Department's
Visa Office at 202-663-1225. You may also email a
general inquiry to usvisa@state.gov.
Be sure to indicate the
general subject of your inquiry on the subject line (e.g.,
visitor visa), and do not expect an immediate reply. You
may also write to:
U.S.
Department of State
Visa
Services
Washington,
DC 20520-0113
- In the U.S., you may also contact
your nearest
USCIS District office or Sub Office
or call the national
USCIS toll-free information service at 1-800-375-5283.
The
information provided in this website is not legal advice and
should not be interpreted as legal advice. This website is
intended to provide a basic understanding of this information
in summary form. This information may not be comprehensive,
is subject to change, and may not apply to all individual
circumstances. Any information received here should be confirmed
with the appropriate government agencies or with an attorney,
particularly as it relates to your individual circumstances.
Your use of this website indicates your agreement to be bound
by our Terms of Use.
|
