U.S.
Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs |
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Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. The "visitor" visa is a nonimmigrant visa for persons desiring to enter the United States temporarily for business (B-1) or for pleasure or medical treatment (B-2). As examples, if the purpose for your planned travel is to consult with business associates, travel for a scientific, educational, professional or business convention, or conference on specific dates, settle an estate, or negotiate a contract, then you would apply for a visitors visa. As additional examples, if the purpose of your planned travel is recreational in nature, including tourism, amusement, visits with friends or relatives, rest, medical treatment, and activities of a fraternal, social, or service nature, then you would apply for a vistors visa. The visa allows a foreign citizen, to travel to the United States port-of entry and request permission of the U.S. immigration inspector to enter the U.S.
NOTE:
Representatives of the foreign press, radio, film, journalists or other
information media, engaging in that vocation while in the U.S., require
a nonimmigrant Media (I) visa and cannot travel to the U.S. using a visitor
visa and cannot travel on the visa waiver program, seeking admission by
the DHS immigration inspector, at the U.S. at the port of entry. The Department of State recommended first source of visa information is this Visa Services internet site. Please review this information carefully. For an additional visa overview, select the Department of State visa portal site, UnitedStatesVisas.gov. As explained below, it is also recommended that you review the Embassy Consular internet site, for the country where you will be applying for your visa. Visa Waiver Program Travelers coming to the U.S. for tourism or business for 90 days or less from qualified countries may be eligible to visit the U.S. without a visa if they meet the visa waiver program requirements. Select Visa Waiver Program to learn more, and find out if you meet the visa waiver requirements. Currently, 27 countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program, as shown below: Visa Waiver Program - Participating Countries
Qualifying for a Visa Applicants for visitor
visas must show that they qualify under provisions of the Immigration
and Nationality Act. Applicants must demonstrate that they are properly
classifiable as visitors under U.S. law.
Where Do I Apply for a Visitor Visa? Applicants for visitor visas should generally apply at the American Embassy or Consulate with jurisdiction over their place of permanent residence. Although visa applicants may apply at any U.S. consular office abroad, it may be more difficult to qualify for the visa outside the country of permanent residence. Required Documentation Each applicant for a visitor visa must submit these forms and documentation, and submit fees as explained below:
What are the Required Fees?
Additional Documentation It is important that you refer to the Embassy Consular Section web site to determine visa processing timeframes and instructions, learn about interview scheduling, and find out if there are any additional documentation items required. Learn more by contacting the Embassy Consular Section. Applicants must demonstrate that they are properly classifiable as visitors under U.S. law by:
Documentation
Needed - When Seeking to Travel for Medical Treatment
Misrepresentation of a Material Facts, or Fraud 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. Classes of Aliens Ineligible to Receive Visas provides important information about ineligibilities. The Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-156 list classes of persons who are ineligible under U.S. law to receive visas. 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. Classes of Aliens Ineligible to Receive Visas provides important information about ineligibilities, by reviewing sections of the law taken from the immigration and Nationality Act. Visitors are not permitted to accept employment during their stay in the U.S. Unless previously canceled, a visa is valid until its expiration date. Therefore, if the traveler has a valid U.S. visitor visa in an expired passport, he or she may use it along with a new valid passport for travel and admission to the United States. If the consular officer should find it necessary to deny the issuance of a visitor visa, the applicant may apply again if there is new evidence to overcome the basis for the refusal. For additional information, select Denials to learn more. In the absence of new evidence, consular officers are not obliged to re-examine such cases. Entering the U.S. - Port of Entry Applicants should be aware that a visa does not guarantee entry into the United States. The visa allows a foreign citizen coming from abroad, to travel to the United States port-of entry and request permission to enter the U.S. The Department of Homeland Security’s, Bureau of Transportation Security has authority to permit or deny admission to the United States. Also, the period for which the bearer of a visitor visa is authorized to remain in the U.S. is determined by a U.S. immigration officer of the Bureau of Transportation Security, not the consular officer. At the port of entry (an international airport, seaport or land border crossing), a Bureau of Transportation Security, a U.S. immigration official must determine whether you can enter and how long you can stay here, on any particular visit. If you are allowed to enter, the U.S. immigration official authorize the traveler's admission to the U.S. At that time, Form I-94, Record of Arrival-Departure, which notes the length of stay permitted, is validated by the immigration official. To find out more detailed information about admissions and entry in the U.S., select Admissions / Entry to visit the Department of Homeland Security’s, Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services internet site. Those visitors who wish to stay beyond the time indicated on their Form I-94 must contact the Department of Homeland Security’s Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services to request an application to extend status. The decision to grant or deny a request for extension of stay is made solely by the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. Learn more about Extension of Stay. To visit the Department of Homeland Security’s, Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services internet site to find out more detailed information, select How Do I Extend My Stay in the United States? Further Visa Inquiries
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