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B-1/B-2

VISITOR VISAS

The b-1 visa covers temporary business visits: meetings, negotiations, conferences. The b 2 visa covers tourism, family visits, and medical treatment. Most are issued as one combined b1/b2 visas stamp, and the b1/b2 visa usa, written b1 / b2 visa, works for both purposes. Here’s the whole journey, in plain English.

Free Case Review How It works

6

Months of admission CBP typically grants a B-2 visitor on entry.

DS-160

One online application starts it, filed with the MRV fee before the consular interview.

3

Minutes, at most, in which answers about purpose and return plans decide most cases.

Who Qualifies

Built on ties and truth.

Five things decide a b 1 visa usa case, and these visa b1 requirements turn on strong home ties, which carry the most weight.

A temporary purpose

A genuinely temporary visit, with no U.S. employment or study.

Strong home ties

Job, property, family, finances: the heart of overcoming INA 214(b) refusals.

Funds for the trip

Enough money to cover the visit from start to finish.

Admissibility

Past overstays and misrepresentation are the usual landmines.

Or skip the visa ESTA

Citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries may travel visa-free for 90 days with ESTA, but ESTA entries cannot be extended or changed to another status.

The Process

Five steps. One trip.

Every step of the b1 b2 visa tourist process, the visitor b1 b2 visa journey, runs the same way.

01

the application

Complete Form DS-160 online and pay the MRV fee.

02

the interview

Schedule and attend the consular interview with ties evidence. Answers about purpose and return plans decide most cases in under three minutes.

03

the entry

On issuance, travel. CBP grants admission, typically up to 6 months for B-2.

04

the extension

Need more time? File Form I-539 extension before status expires. Overstays trigger the 3/10-year bars.

05

the pivot

Changing plans (marriage, work, study) requires a proper change of status. Timing and intent at entry matter enormously: get advice before acting.

Forms & Fees

Know the paperwork.

DS-160

The online b1 visitor visa application, filed with the MRV fee.

I-539

The extension request, filed before status expires.

Refused under 214(b)?

There's a right way to reapply. 214(b) refusals turn on ties and purpose, so strengthen the ties evidence and the answers before trying again.

The Rules

What you can and cannot do.

What you can do

  • Attend business meetings, conferences, and negotiations
  • Visit family and friends, travel, and sightsee
  • Receive medical treatment
  • Take a short recreational class that is not for credit

Cannot

  • Work for a U.S. employer or freelance for U.S. clients
  • Enroll in a degree program or study for credit
  • Live in the U.S. through back-to-back visits
  • Arrive intending to marry and adjust status without disclosing it

Costs

What it costs in 2026.

Two government fees now apply to most B visa applicants: the long-standing $185 application fee, and the new $250 visa integrity fee created by the 2025 budget law, charged when a visa is issued. The integrity fee took legal effect on October 1, 2025, but consulates are rolling it out unevenly, so confirm the current total with the embassy handling your case. The law allows a refund after a fully compliant visit, but no refund process has opened yet, so treat it as a cost, not a deposit.

Item Fee Notes
Application fee (MRV) $185 per person Paid when you book the interview; not refundable if refused
Visa integrity fee $250 per person At issuance; phasing in since Oct 2025; adjusts with inflation
Extension inside the U.S. (Form I-539) $420 online / $470 paper USCIS filing fee to extend or change status after entry
ESTA (Visa Waiver alternative) $40 For citizens of the 40+ waiver countries; 90-day visits, no B visa needed
Fee amounts reflect published government figures as of August 2026 and change over time; the live links above are always current. Fees apply per person, including children.

FAQ

Questions we hear every week.

As soon as your trip is realistic. Some consulates schedule interviews within weeks; others run backlogs of many months. The State Department publishes current appointment wait times for every post.

Checking email is one thing; running your workday from a U.S. beach house for months is another. There is no clean rule, and immigration officers look at the whole picture. Keep visits short and purpose-true.

No fixed rule, but officers look for patterns. Spending more time inside the U.S. than outside it looks like living here, and that is a common reason entries and renewals get refused.

Usually yes, if admitted for six months on each entry. Repeated long stays back-to-back invite scrutiny. For parents of U.S. citizens who want to stay permanently, a family green card is the honest tool.

More than 180 days of unlawful presence triggers a 3-year bar when you leave; more than a year triggers a 10-year bar. Even short overstays void the visa and complicate every future application.

Yes. The $185 application fee applies per person regardless of age, and the integrity fee is also charged per visa issued.

YOUR JOURNEY.
Our fight.

Refused under 214(b)? There’s a right way to reapply. Tell us your story: the evaluation is free, and we’ll tell you exactly how to prepare.

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