Overview

The visitor visa is for a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States on a temporary basis for pleasure, for business, or for medical treatment.  This visa category allows a foreign citizen to travel to the port of entry in the United States and request a U.S. Custom and Border Patrol (CPB) inspector to enter the U.S; a visa does not guarantee entry into the U.S.  Citizens of Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries, for temporary visits to the United States of 90 days or less, can request a waiver of B visa at the port of entry, if they meet the visa waiver program requirements.

Related Issues

• A residence outside the U.S. which the applicant has no intent of abandoning;
• Non-immigrant intent i.e. financial and family ties outside of the United States;
• Financial ability to travel to and remain in the United States;
• Documents to prove that the trip to the U.S. is purely of temporary nature.
• B-1 visa is appropriate for commercial transaction though it does not permit gainful employment while in the United States;
• B-1 visa category is also used for domestic servants;
• Generally B-1/B-2 visitors are admitted for an initial period of six months;
• Request for extension of initial period of stay for B-1/B-2 visitors must be filed with the US Citizenship & Immigration Services;
• VWP beneficiaries are not allowed to extend or change their status.