I don’t have any sponsor and want to go to the US on my own. How can I get a USA visa for tourist purposes?
You can apply for a visitor visa or tourist visa, which does not required a sponsor. In order to be approved for this type of visa, you’ll need to have a strong financial backing supported by tax return documents.
I want to go to the USA for business purposes. What is the process to get a US Business Visa?
To apply for a business visa, you’ll need to acquire documentation and proof of the business matters you are attending during your visit. Typically, business visas are sponsored by your employer. To learn more about the US Business Visa process, see here.
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What are “strong ties”?
Strong ties differ from country to country, city to city, and individual to individual. “Ties” are the various aspects of a person’s life that bind them to their country or residence: possessions, employment, social and family relationships. Some examples of ties can be a person’s job and income, a house or apartment, a car, close family relationships, bank accounts, etc. Consular officers are trained to look at each application individually and consider professional, social, cultural and other factors. With younger applicants who may not have had an opportunity to form many ties, consular officers may look at the applicant’s specific intentions, family situations and long-range plans and prospects within his or her country of residence. Each case is examined individually and is accorded every consideration under the law.
Should I use a travel agent or other adviser to help me apply for a US visa?
This is a personal decision for each applicant. However, in most cases, it is not necessary for applicants to hire a travel agent to assist with a visa application. Travel agents will often charge to fill out forms which are available for free. They also charge large sums on the promise of enabling the traveler to bypass the visa interview. Our experience shows that many applicants are coached by intermediaries to provide answers which are misleading. While the truthful answer would not have harmed the application, the discovery of a misleading answer often jeopardizes the visa grant and may have negative impact on future attempts.
I currently have a valid US visa. Do I need to take fingerprints at a US consulate before I travel to the United States?
No. Any existing valid visa holder does not need to have fingerprints taken at a US consulate. Their visa is good to travel to USA. The fingerprinting process will be done at a USA port of entry.
My visa is about to expire (or has already expired), how can I renew my visa?
Non-immigrant US visas, such as a visitor visa or tourist visa (B1 and B2 visas), business visas, etc. must be applied for as a fresh application once the visa is expired – it cannot be renewed. The visa must be reapplied for at the applicable US consulate or embassy in your home country.
FAQs Related to Application Forms:
Do I need to have a specific trip planned in order to apply for a US visitor visa?
No, you may apply for a visa even if you simply wish to have the option to make a US trip at some point in the future.
What is the difference between single entry and multiple entry visa?
A single entry visa is good for one time entry into the USA. A multiple visa entry visa allows a person to go and come back to USA on the same visa based on a permissible time frame.
If I receive a 10 year visa, can i stay in the USA for 10 years?
No, the 10 years refers to the expiration of the visa. In other words, the visa is valid for 10 years, but each visit stay will be determined and governed by the I-94 at the Port of Entry in the USA and generally can not be more than six months at a time.
Can I convert a tourist (B1/B2) visa into a work visa? If yes, how?
If you enter into the USA on a B1/B2 visa, you may change your status to a non-immigrant visa status, but it depends upon whether you qualify and if you are able to find an employer who can sponsor a work visa for you. For example, you can file for adjustment of status from a B1/B2 visa to an H1 work visa if you find an employer to sponsor you.
If you entered into the USA on a Visa Waiver basis, you cannot change your status. With the visa waiver, you are unable to change to any other status (except for “spouse of US citizen”). You would have to leave the USA before your 90 days are up.
Can I get an extension for my tourist visa while in USA?
Yes! See tourist visa extension.
I have a valid visa stamped on my passport, but my passport is expired. If I get a new passport, do I need a new visa stamp as well?
No, just carry your old passport along with your new passport. Unless previously revoked, a visa is valid until its expiration date. Therefore, if the traveler has a valid US visitor visa in an expired passport, he or she may use it along with a new valid passport for travel and admission into the United States.
Can a person with a US visitor visa travel to other countries from the USA?
Yes, you can. However, you will need to acquire a visitor visa for your destination country as well. Also, if you want to enter back into the USA, you should have a multiple entry visa. Request for a multiple entry tourist visa if you plan to travel to other countries while in the US. Generally, all 10-year visas are multiple entry visas and 6 months visas are single entry visas. On your visa stamp, you will see a “M” mark for multiple entry validity.
FAQs for a Visa Sponsor:
As a sponsor, do I need to send documents directly to VFS or the US Consulate? Or will the applicant carry the documents to the consulate at the time of interview?
As a sponsor, you should send the documents to the applicant, and let the applicant carry those documents to the consulate for their interview.
Do I need to send separate I-134 forms for each visitor?
If the people applying for a visitor visa are husband, wife and their children, you don’t need to send separate forms. One form is sufficient and the same form will have space to provide all of their details.
For example: if you are inviting your parents or your in-laws, just one form is sufficient.
How much minimum savings should be acceptable to show in my bank account as a sponsor?
There is no minimum balance requirement for your bank account, however, based on the experience of others we recommend anywhere between $5,000 to $10,000 will be sufficient.
How much bank balance is required to show in an applicant’s bank account if it is a self-sponsored trip?
For self sponsored trips, funds and a sound bank balance is certainly an important factor.
If it is a leisure/tourism trip, you must have enough money to justify that you can afford your trip to USA. Including funds sufficient enough for roundtrip airfare, domestic expenses, lodging, boarding, shopping, medical insurance, etc. considering the purpose and length of the trip. For example, a 15 day trip to the US for an individual may cost between $5,000 to $10,000. Calculate the amount of money you anticipate your trip to cost, and show that your bank account balance is sufficient enough to support this expenditure during your visa interview.
