Tourist & Business Visas

Temporary Visitors for Business/Pleasure (B-1/B-2)

The B Visa is the most common type of visa issued worldwide. The flexibility of the B Visa allows travelers to temporarily visit the United States for vacation as well as a multitude of business-related endeavors.

There are three general requirements that an alien must meet in order to qualify for a B visa: (1) The alien must have a foreign residence that the alien intends to maintain; (2) the visit must be "temporary," and (3) the visit must be for business (B1) or pleasure (B2).

The traveler must not be engaged in any gainful employment (labor for hire) in the United States. The visitor may extend his/her stay or change status to another type of visa. However, generally no more than one extension on a B-1/B-2 is granted, as the visa is for temporary travel to the United States.

B-1 “Business” Visa includes visas to the U.S. to attend conventions, conferences, consultations and other legitimate activities of a commercial or professional nature. This may include taking steps to establish a branch office of a foreign company or to set up an investment in the United States.

A B-1 visa is generally granted for a period of entry necessary to conduct his/her business.

B-2 “Tourist” Visa includes visits to the U.S. for pleasure involving recreation, tourism, amusement, visits with friends or relatives, rest, medical treatment, and social networking.

Generally, a B-2 visa will allow the traveler to enter the U.S. for 6 months