How to Apply for US Visa - Business/Tourist Visa (B-1/B-2)

Information for an adult traveling to the United States temporarily for business (B-1) or for pleasure or medical treatment (B-2).

Generally, the B-1 visa is for travelers consulting with business associates, attending scientific, educational, professional or business conventions/conferences, settling an estate or negotiating contracts.

The B-2 visa is for travel that is recreational in nature, including tourism, visits with friends or relatives, medical treatment and activities of a fraternal, social or service nature. Often, the B-1 and B-2 visas are combined and issued as one visa: the B-1/B-2.


Requirements:

• You must demonstrate to a consular officer that you qualify for a U.S. visa in accordance with the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Section 214(b) of the INA presumes that every B-1/B-2 applicant is an intending immigrant. You must overcome this legal presumption by showing:
• That the purpose of your trip to the U .S. is for a temporary visit, such as business, pleasure, or medical treatment
• That you plan to remain in the U.S. for a specific, limited period of time
• Evidence of funds to cover your expenses while in the United States
• That you have a residence outside the U.S., as well as other binding social or economic ties, that will ensure your return abroad at the end of your visit

Documents Needed:

• A Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application (DS-160) Form.
• A passport valid for travel to the United States with a validity date at least six months beyond your intended period of stay in the United States. If more than one person is included in your passport, each person desiring a visa must submit an application.
• One (1) 2"x2" (5cmx5cm) photograph.
• A receipt showing payment of your US$160 non-refundable nonimmigrant visa application processing fee, paid in local currency.

In addition to these items, you must present an interview appointment letter confirming that you booked an appointment

For every document you provide, you must include the original document and a photocopy.

You should also take the following documents to your interview. (Original documents are always preferred over photocopies):

• Current proof of income, tax payments, property or business ownership, or assets.
• Your travel itinerary and/or other explanation about your planned trip.
• A letter from you employer detailing your position, salary, how long you have been employed, any authorized vacation, and the business purpose, if any, of your U.S. trip.
• Criminal/court records pertaining to any arrest or conviction anywhere, even if you completed your sentence or were later pardoned.

Additionally, based on your purpose of travel, you should consider bringing the following:

Working adults - employment letter from your employer and pay slips from the most recent three months.

Business visitors and company directors - evidence of your position in the company and remuneration.

Visiting a relative - photocopies of your relative's proof of status (e.g. Green Card, naturalization certificate, valid visa, etc). 

Do not present false documents. Fraud or misrepresentation can result in permanent visa ineligibility.



Visa Fees
Visa applicants, including children, are required to pay a non-refundable, non-transferable visa application fee, sometimes referred to as the MRV fee, before applying for a nonimmigrant visa. The visa application fee must be paid whether a visa is issued or not.

	Fee Amount (USD)	Visa Type	Description
	$160	B	Business/Tourist
	$160	C-1	Transit

Scheduling Your Interview  

You can schedule your interview within a few hours of paying your visa application fee.

Whether you schedule your appointment online or contact our call center, you will need the payment code printed on your receipt. You also need to have your passport number in order to schedule your visa interview.


Fill Online Visa Form - DS-160
Each applicant - including children - must have their own Form DS-160 visa application.

The Form DS-160 must be completed and submitted online prior to your interview at the Embassy or Consulate. The barcode number on the Form DS-160 confirmation page is required in order to book your interview.

The Form DS-160 must be submitted online and the printed confirmation page must be brought to the interview. The Embassy or Consulate will not accept handwritten or typed applications and you will not be permitted to attend your interview without a Form DS-160 confirmation page.

You must submit your DS-160 application online prior to making an appointment for an interview at the Embassy or Consulate.

• The interview post you select at the beginning of the Form DS-160 must be the same post where you schedule your interview appointment.
• All questions must be answered in English using English-language characters only, except when you are asked to provide your full name in your native alphabet.
• If you stop working on this application for more than 20 minutes, your session will expire. You will have to start over, unless you have recorded your Application ID Number or have saved your application to a file on your computer. Write down the Application ID displayed on the top right-hand corner of the page. If you need to close the browser before submitting your application, you will need this Application ID to continue your application.
• The completed DS-160 application form will generate an alpha-numeric barcode confirmation page. The printed confirmation page is required for the interview at the Embassy/Consulate.
• Once you have printed the barcode confirmation page, hit the "Back" button on your web browser and then email yourself a backup copy of the DS-160. The emailed file will be in PDF format.

Book Appointment for Interview
The earlier you book your appointment, the more likely you are to be able to get the interview date and time you want.

Nonimmigrant visa applicants are encouraged to apply at least three (3) months in advance of the intended date of travel.