B-2 Visa

• Tourists on a pleasure trip to the U.S.
• People visiting friends and relatives in the U.S.
• People coming to the U.S. for medical treatment
• Foreign nationals coming to the U.S. to marry a U.S. citizen or Green Card holder, upon establishing to the consular official and the INS that after the marriage, they will depart from the U.S., even though intending ultimately to immigrate
• Amateur athletes, musicians etc. who participate in their respective activities in the U.S. without remuneration
• People coming to participate in the conventions of social organizations
• Dependents of alien members of the U.S. armed forces temporarily assigned duty in the U.S.
• Dependents of crewmembers (D visa holders) or B-1 visa holders solely to accompany the principal foreign national
• Dependents of nonimmigrant for whom no derivative classification is available. For example, the elderly parent of an E visa holder
• Persons to enter the U.S. to apply for special naturalization benefits on the basis of U.S. military service
• Persons seeking a change to another visa status if they so advise the U.S. Consulate, and if the consulate is fully appraised of the circumstances
• U.S. citizens, green card holders and non-immigrant visa holders to invite their friends and relatives to the U.S.

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

• Passport valid for travel to the United States – 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). If more than one person is included in your passport, each person who needs a visa must submit a separate application.
• Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160 confirmation page
• Application fee payment receipt, if you are required to pay before your interview.
• Photo – You will upload your photo while completing the online Form DS-160. If the photo upload fails, you must bring one printed photo in the format explained in the Photograph Requirements.

Additional Documentation May Be Required Review the instructions for how to apply for a visa on the website of the embassy or consulate where you will apply. 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.

Evidence of your employment and/or your family ties may be sufficient to show the purpose of your trip and your intent to return to your home country. If you cannot cover all the costs for your trip, you may show evidence that another person will cover some or all costs for your trip.

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. After your visa interview, your application may require further administrative processing. You will be informed by the consular officer if further processing is necessary for your application. When the visa is approved, you may pay a visa issuance fee if applicable to your nationality, and will be informed how your passport with visa will be returned to you. Review the visa processing time, to learn how soon your passport with visa will generally be ready for pick-up or delivery by the courier.