Overview
The purpose of your intended travel and other facts will determine what type of visa is required under U.S. immigration law. As a visa applicant, you will need to establish that you meet all requirements to receive the category of visa for which you are applying.
You can find out more about each type of visa from the travel.state.gov website, or by clicking on the Visa Types below. To Apply for a Visa, follow the steps above.
Tourism & Visit Visa Type – B2
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. Visitor visas are nonimmigrant visas for persons who want to enter the United States temporarily for business (visa category B-1), tourism, pleasure or visiting (visa category B-2), or a combination of both purposes (B-1/B-2).
Here are some examples of activities permitted with a visitor visa:
- tourism
- vacation (holiday)
- visit with friends or relatives
- medical treatment
- participation in social events hosted by fraternal, social, or service organizations
- participation by amateurs in musical, sports, or similar events or contests, if not being paid for participating
- enrollment in a short recreational course of study, not for credit toward a degree (for example, a two-day cooking class while on vacation)
How to Apply
Interview Waiver Eligibility
Swati citizens and residents of Eswatini applying to renew a visa of the same category (e.g. B1/B2, C1/D, F, etc.) not more than 48 months after the date on which the prior visa expired may be eligible for the interview waiver. This program waives the in-person visa interview requirement for eligible applicants. All applicants must still complete a DS-160 Non-Immigrant Visa Application and pay any applicable visa fees. Eligible applicants should email us to schedule a time with which to drop off your passport, passport photo, barcode confirmation sheet and the application fee.
Step 1. Check the Validity of Your Passport
Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the United States, unless exempt by country-specific agreements (PDF 21KB). If more than one person is traveling, each person who needs a visa must submit a separate application.
Step 2. Complete the Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160
- Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160
Please note that you must answer EVERY question on the application forms. If the answer to a question is “none,” please write “none”(Do not leave it blank). Incomplete/incorrect forms will be returned and will require you to schedule a new interview appointment.
Important! Many of our visa applicants are completing the DS-160 incorrectly, causing us to postpone their planned visa interview dates.
Please also note that if you submit an application but do not attend your interview, your application will be deleted from the system after one month. You will then need to resubmit a new online application form if you reapply for the interview.
Step 3. Collect any Supporting Documentation
Only a passport, DS-160 confirmation page, a 5 cm. x 5 cm. (2 inch x 2 inch) color photo not older than 6 months – with a light or white background, and the forms listed in Step 2 are required for the visa interview. Additional documents may be requested to establish if you are qualified. For example, additional requested documents may include evidence of:
- The purpose of your trip;
- Your intent to depart the United States after your trip; and/or
- Your ability to pay all costs of the trip.
Note: Visa applicants must qualify on the basis of the applicant’s residence and ties abroad, rather than assurances from U.S. family and friends. A letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support is not needed to apply for a nonimmigrant tourist visa. If you do choose to bring a letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support to your interview, please remember that it is not one of the factors that we use in determining whether to issue or deny a nonimmigrant tourist visa.
Step 4. Schedule an Interview Appointment
To schedule an appointment for a non-immigrant visa (NIV) interview, please follow this link: NIV Appointment System. Please have your DS-160 Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application Form Confirmation Number handy. It is located on your DS-160 confirmation page, in bold print.
Step 5. Pay the MRV Fee
On the day of your interview, please pay the following nonrefundable visa application fees to the consular cashier: $160 for B-1 (Business), B-2 (Tourism & Visit) and C1/D (Crewmember) nonimmigrant visas; and $190 for H, L, O, P, Q, and R visas. Payments must be in U.S. or local cash using the current consular exchange rate. No cards are accepted for payment.
Submit the completed DS-160 confirmation sheet, documents specified above, if any, a 5 cm. X 5 cm. (2 x 2 inch) color photo not older than 6 months (white background and no eyeglasses), and a passport valid for more than 6 months, to the Consular Section when you arrive at the Embassy for your interview.
If you are issued a visa, you will usually be invited to return to the embassy in two days to collect your passport and visa.
Step 6. Interview for your visa with the Consular Officer
During your visa interview, a consular officer will determine whether you are qualified to receive a visa, and if so, which visa category is appropriate based on your purpose of travel. You will need to establish that you meet the requirements under U.S. law to receive the category of visa for which you are applying.
Ink-free, digital fingerprint scans will be taken as part of your application process. They are usually taken during your interview, but this varies based on location.
Case Status
You can check the status of your visa application on ceac.state.gov.
Some visa applications require further administrative processing, which takes additional time after the visa applicant’s interview by a consular officer. Applicants are advised of this requirement when they apply. Most administrative processing is resolved within 60 days of the visa interview. When administrative processing is required, the timing will vary based on the individual circumstances of each case.
If your visa has been denied, you may find useful information on Ineligibilities and Waivers on usvisas.state.gov.
After the Interview
Entering the United States
A visa allows a foreign citizen to travel to a U.S. port-of-entry (generally an airport) and request permission to enter the United States. A visa does not guarantee entry into the United States. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials at the port-of-entry have authority to permit or deny admission to the United States. If you are allowed to enter the United States, the CBP official will provide an admission stamp or a paper Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record. Learn more about admissions and entry requirements, restrictions about bringing food, agricultural products, and other restricted/prohibited goods, and more by reviewing the CBP website.
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.
You must depart the United States on or before the date indicated on your admission stamp or paper Form I-94, unless your request to extend your stay is approved by USCIS. Failure to depart the United States on time may also result in you being ineligible for visas you may apply for in the future. Review Visa Denials and Ineligibilities and Waivers: Laws to learn more.
Additional Information
Visitors are not permitted to accept employment or work in the United States.
We cannot guarantee that you will be issued a visa. Do not make final travel plans or buy tickets until you have a visa.
Unless canceled or revoked, a visa is valid until its expiration date. Therefore, a valid U.S. visa in an expired passport is still valid. 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.