With over 77 million international visitors each year, the United States receives 15.7% of all world travelers, according to the figures released by the National Travel and Tourism Office. The US boasts plethora of unique tourist attractions, from the incredible landscape of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to the rich French architecture of New Orleans.
💡 Tip: Buy travel health insurance before your trip.
Check out popular travel insurance plans and choose one that suits you.
Most plans only cost less than $20 a day.
Types of US Visitor Visa
To travel to America, you first need to apply for a US visitor visa, which is a temporary visa issued to a person who intends to travel to the country for the purposes of business, tourism, or both, or for medical treatment.
Those traveling to the US for the purposes of temporary employment, education, religious work, etc., need to apply under a different visa category. There are two types of US visitor visas, so make sure to choose the one that best suits the purpose of your visit.
Business Visa (B1): A business visa is issued for the following purposes:
- Consulting business associates
- Negotiating a business contract
- Attending a scientific, business, or educational convention
- To settle an estate.
Tourism Visa (B2): A tourism visa is issued for the following purposes:
- Visiting family and friends residing in the US
- Medical treatment or procedures
- Tourism and leisure
- Participating in a music, sports, or social events, only if these activities do not result in any monetary remuneration
- Enrolling in certain recreational courses that do not count for credit towards a degree.
Documents Required for US Visitor Visa
The process of getting a visitor visa starts by filling up the non-immigration visa application form, DS-160. You need to submit certain necessary documents along with the accurately filled application form. These documents include:
- Your original passport, which must be valid for at least six months after the completion of your intended visit to the US, along with all your old passports, if any.
- A digital as well as hard copy of your passport-sized photograph, according to the specifications set by the US government.
- The confirmation page that you have submitted the visa application form.
- Proof of payment of the visa fee, as well as the original copy of your interview appointment letter.
- Documents verifying that you do not have any criminal history, in your home country or in any other country.
- Documents proving that you are financially capable of taking care of all expenses during your travels in America. Proof of financial ability can include recent bank statements, pay slips for the last three months, copies of your recent tax returns.
- In case you are visiting America to meet with relatives or friends or to attend an event, you will need to submit a letter of invitation or proof of the event.
- For those seeking medical treatment in the United States, documents from a doctor in their home country as well as a doctor and hospital in the United States accepting the person for treatment, must be attached.
Make sure your check and recheck the form and all the documents before submission, since any mistake or missing information could not just delay the visa approval, you could even risk being denied a visa.
Leave a Reply