Whatever reason you want to travel to the United States, there is likely a visa category designed to suit your needs. Continue reading to learn what a B-1/B-2 visa is and whether or not you qualify. For more information and assistance, contact a Montgomery County nonimmigrant visa lawyer to set up your consultation today.

What’s a B-1/B-2 Visa?

A B-1/B-2 visa is a categorization of United States visas that allows foreign nationals to legally enter the country for a limited amount of time. Also called visitor visas, both B-1 and B-2 visas are non-immigrant, meaning that they grant temporary admission to the U.S.

While B-1 and B-2 visas are lumped together, they are separate and serve different purposes.

  • B-1: A B-1 visa is for business purposes. Foreign nationals may apply for this type of visa if they want to come to the U.S. to conduct business like consulting with associates and colleagues, negotiating and signing contracts, attending conventions and conferences, etc.
  • B-2: B-2 visas are for tourism. Individuals who want to take a holiday or vacation and visit with friends should apply for a B-2 visa. This type of visa also covers miscellaneous purposes such as obtaining medical treatment, participating in social events, enrolling in non-academic recreational study courses, participating in amateur musical or sporting events, etc.

Do I Qualify?

If you want to travel to the United States for any of the above-listed business or leisure purposes, there is a good chance that you qualify for the B-1/B-2 visa. To be considered eligible you must be able to demonstrate the following.

  1. The purpose of your visit: You must prove that the purpose of your visit is for tourism or business. This can be done by showing evidence of your work, a scheduled event, tickets to shows, proof of a scheduled medical treatment, etc.
  2. The length of your stay: B-1 and B-2 visas are nonimmigrant. You must be able to prove that you only plan to remain in the country for a limited time and have plans to return home or go somewhere else once your visa expires.
  3. Your financial resources: You must show that you have sufficient funds to cover your expenses while you stay in the United States to ensure you do not become reliant on government assistance or cannot afford to travel out of the country.
  4. Ties to your home: You have to demonstrate ties to your home country to ensure that you will return home after your visit and that you do not intend to stay in the country permanently. This can be done with proof of residence, employment, family, etc.

If you can provide evidence demonstrating the above, you will likely qualify for a B-1/B-2 visa. Otherwise, you can navigate to the U.S. Department of State website to determine if there is another type of visa that better suits your needs.

For more information and assistance when applying for a visa, contact a skillful immigration attorney today.