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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.
The visitor visa is a nonimmigrant visa for persons
desiring to enter the United States temporarily for
pleasure. Persons planning to travel to the U.S. for
a different purpose, such as students, temporary workers,
crewmen, journalists, etc, must apply for a different
visa in the appropriate category.
Travelers from certain eligible countries may also be
able to visit the U.S. without a visa, through the Visa
Waiver Program. Click to visit the Department of State
web site.
Qualifying for a Visa
Applicants for visitor visas must show that they qualify
under provisions of the Immigration and Nationality
Act. The presumption in the law is that every visitor
visa applicant is an intending immigrant. Therefore,
applicants for visitor visas must overcome this presumption
by demonstrating that
- The purpose of their trip is to enter the U.S. for
business, pleasure, or medical treatment
- They plan to remain for a specific, limited period;
and
- They have a residence outside the U.S. as well
as other binding ties which will insure their return
abroad at the end of the visit.
Passing through a U.S. Port of Entry
Applicants should be aware that a visa does not guarantee
entry into the United States. The U.S. US Citizenship
and Immigration Services (USCIS) has authority to deny
admission. Also, the period for which the bearer of
a visitor visa is authorized to remain in the United
States is determined by the USCIS, not the Department
of State Consular Officer.
At the port of entry, an USCIS official must authorize
the travelers admission to the U.S. At that time the
USCIS Form I-94, Record of Arrival-Departure, which
notes the length of stay permitted, is stamped. Those
visitors who wish to stay beyond the time indicated
on their Form I-94 must contact the USCIS to request
Form I-539, Application to Extend Status. The decision
to grant or deny a request for extension of stay is
made solely by the USCIS.
CHECKLIST
FOR TOURIST VISITORS (B-2) (PDF)
Disclaimer
" Any information on this website should
not be construed as legal advice for any individual
case or situation. The information is intended to be
general and should not be relied upon as being specific".
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