Visa Tips

How To Apply For a Visitor Visa

Published on October 24, 2024

A visitor’s visa is obtained by someone who wishes to visit another country for a particular purpose. Before entering another country as a foreigner, you must get a visa, which could be an immigrant visa for a permanent stay or a non-immigrant visa for a temporary stay.

A visitor’s visa is a non-immigrant visa for someone who wishes to travel to the U.S. for a business transaction, tourism, or a combination of both.

Below are some examples of activities that are permitted when you have a visitor visa:

1. Tourism (B-2)

2. Business (B-1)

Travel reasons are not allowed on a visitor’s visa.

You can’t obtain a visitor’s visa if you are traveling to give birth in the U.S. just to obtain United States citizenship for your child.

How to Apply for a visitor’s visa

Applying for a visa is different. The procedures involved in obtaining a visitor’s visa depend on the embassy or Consulate. Below are some tips to guide you while applying for a visa.

1. Complete the Online Visa Application

The first step is to fill out the application form and upload your picture according to the uploading format. After that, you print out the form confirmation page, which you will bring with you to the interview.

2. Schedule an Interview

Once you are done filling out the form, the next step is to fix a date for a visa interview, which may include the following requirements:

If you have come of age, below are the requirements:

♦ 13 years and below are generally not required.

♦ 14-79 are permitted, with some exceptions for renewals.

♦ 80 years and above are not accepted.

You have to schedule an appointment for an Interview. You may schedule your interview at another U.S. Embassy or Consulate, but be aware that it may be more challenging to qualify for a visa outside the country you live in.

Note that the time for the interview differs and can be delayed due to application time, season, registration process, etc. Make sure you book the appointment on time.

3. Appointment Wait Time

Every visa has an appointment wait time; check for yours in the embassy where you reside.

Note: Some embassies or Consulates might have a different procedure for applying for a visa when the applicant’s visa requirements are relinquished.

4. Fees

Pay the non-refundable visa application fee if you must pay it before your interview. If your visa is approved, you may also need to pay a visa issuance fee, if applicable to your nationality. Fee information is provided below:

♦ Select your nationality to see the Issuance Fee

♦ Enter a country/authority or area

♦ All Fees

♦ Review the instructions available on the U.S. Embassy or Consulate website where you will apply to learn more about fee payment.

5. Gather Required Documentation

Gather and prepare the following required documents before your visa interview:

Your passport must be valid for the duration you spend in the U.K.

6. Check what documents you need

Visa applications differ in their requirements. So, before you apply, get a checklist of all the requirements needed to avoid missing things. Get the details clearly and try to differentiate similar documents. Some embassies might ask you to submit an additional document.

For example, if you are applying for a China tourist visa, you will be asked to submit documents that align with your affairs, related dates, accomplishments, and contact info. It’s enough to submit the tourist centers you want to visit.

6. Change or Adjustment of Status

Your status could change while in the country, so you are required to update it. If you are supposed to leave soon, you can also extend the duration.

Suppose you came for temporary work but extended your stay after work. You can apply for a non-immigrant visa to enable you to stay longer.

You might meet someone you get involved with, which could lead to marriage. In this case, you will need to change your status. Perhaps you got a better job that will require a longer time.

It could be that you traveled abroad for your studies, and due to your performance and skill, you were allowed to work also. You must apply for a work visa because your student visa won’t permit you to study and work except if you are working on campus.

7. Extending Your Stay

See Extend Your Stay on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website to learn about requesting to extend your stay beyond the date indicated on your admission stamp or paper Form I-94.

8. Additional Information

An individual on a visitor visa (B1/B2) cannot accept employment or work in the United States.

There is no guarantee you will be issued a visa. Do not make final travel plans or buy tickets until you have a visa.

A valid U.S. visa in an expired passport is still valid. Unless canceled or revoked. A visa is valid until its expiration date. If you have a valid visa in your expired passport, do not remove it from your expired passport. You may use your valid visa in your expired passport along with a new valid passport for travel and admission to the United States.