More specifically,

B-1 Visa – is issued to individuals who wish to enter the U.S. temporarily to engage in legitimate business activities, such as consultations, attend a scientific, educational, professional or business conventions or conferences, estate settlement, and contract negotiation. Additionally, personal or domestic assistants who come to the United States with a U.S. citizen or with a foreign nonimmigrant employer traveling on a B, E, F, H, I, J, L, M, O, P, R, or TN visa, may also be issued the B-1 Visa.

B-2 Visa – is issued to individuals who wish to enter the U.S. temporarily for pleasure or tourism purposes or medical treatments. In order to be approved and issued the B-2 Visa, the individual must establish nonimmigrant intent, more specifically, he/she is only coming to the U.S. for a specific period of time; will not be engaging in work and will engage solely in legitimate touristic activities; and that he/she will continue to maintain foreign residence that has absolutely no intention of abandoning during the period of stay in the U.S.

The B-1/B-2 Tourist Visa is applied directly at the United States Consulate Offices abroad. Although some applications may be done by mail or drop box, majority of the applicants must present himself/herself during the appointment at the closest consular post in the home country. This process must involve detailed and careful preparation by the applicant in order to have higher chances of being issued the B-1/B-2 Visa. The documents submitted in support of the visa application must address the following:

Non-Immigrant Intent: The foreign national must satisfy the consular officer that he/she will return to his/her home country upon the completion of the temporary business or visit for pleasure and will not engage in unauthorized employment in the United States.

Financial Capability: The foreign national must have substantial financial resources that would accommodate round trip travel to and from the United States, as well as payment of all living expenses during the temporary visit.

If the visa application is approved, a B-1/B-2 visa stamp is issued on the foreign national’s passport. The visa validity may vary from a multiple entry visa stamp that is valid for ten years or a single-entry visa.

It is important to note that the B-1/B-2 visa does not determine the duration that the foreign national is allowed to stay in the United States. The B-1/B-2 visa only allows you to seek admission into the U.S. at a U.S. port of entry (an airport in the U.S., a land/border crossing port or a U.S. seaport), during which the U.S. immigration officer will determine the length of the authorized stay for each visit in the U.S. However, once you have been admitted to the U.S. under the B-1/B-2 visa and during your stay you deem necessary to extend or change status, an application to extend or change status may be filed with the U.S. CIS.


**Please call our office for immediate assistance on your visa requirements.