US Tourist Visa - Definitive Guide

To enter the country for the purpose of tourism, you will need a permit for the same. The B2 Visa - USA allows you to visit the country for recreational purposes such as visiting family/friends, touring, and also for medical treatments. A common question people ask is “what is B2 Visa for USA?”; The tourist and the B2 Visa is one and the same. It is usually issued along with the B1 as a B1/B2 Visa. The permit is an NIV (Non-Immigrant) and is in the form of a stamp in your passport. Unlike other countries, the US Tourist Visa validity is totally dependant on the decision of the issuing authority. Depending on how your interview goes, and how strong your application is, they may issue it for multiple-entry for any duration between 6 months, and up to 10 years. However, you can only stay in the country for a maximum of 6 months during each entry. People from countries belonging to the US tourist Visa Waiver Program (VWP) do not require a permit to enter the country.

The US Tourist Visa application is a long and tiring process. However, before applying for a permit, you will need to define the purpose of the visit. It is also vital to ensure that you are eligible to apply for the same. Once you have this under your belt, the process of applying for US Tourist Visa follows as below -

1. Make sure that you have all the documents required for B2 Visa for USA.
2. To answer the question on where to apply for US Tourist visa; It is done online. Visit the US Department of State Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) website, and fill in the DS-160 US Tourist Visa form. You will need the DS-160 form barcode for the rest of the procedure.
3. After this, you should proceed to pay the application fees. Make a note of the receipt number as you will require this for the next step.
4. Once this is done, log in to your account again and proceed to book the appointments. You will have to book 2 appointments. The first one is for the biometric submission at one of the five VACs, and the second one is for your interview at the US Embassy or Consulate. The B2 Visa interview questions will be based on your application, purpose, duration, etc.
5. On the day of your first appointment, visit your VAC along with a passport, appointment confirmation page, and a DS-160 confirmation page. You will be required to submit to a fingerprint scan, and a photo will be taken.
6. For your visa interview, you will have to visit the embassy or consulate along with a valid passport, appointment confirmation page, and the VAC stamped DS-160 page. 

Your US Tourist Visa duration will vary on the status of your interview at the embassy. You will have to prove to them that you are planning to stay in the country only for a specific period. It is necessary to answer honestly, and correctly to get your visa approved, and have long validity.

Note:- Individuals between the below the age of 14 and older than 80 do not require to attend the interview, and are also exempt from a biometric submission. The visa interview is also waived for people who have had their US Tourist Visa expired in the last 12 months and are visiting the country for the same purpose. However, in certain cases, you may be required to attend biometrics and interview. 

The application for USA Tourist Visa online has to be completed correctly. The documents that are submitted have to be genuine. Any mistakes in the application can cause a delay in your processing. Alternately, fake or invalid documents can get your application rejected. A visa rejection is an important issue and can prevent you from applying for another visa in the future.

To determine if you are one of the people who can apply for US Tourist Visa, there are certain criteria you must meet. To apply for a tourist visa for USA from India, you will need to satisfy the following conditions -  

• You must hold a passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of intended travel.
• You must be able to prove to the consular officer that your purpose of the visit is purely for tourism or medical treatment and that your stay is only temporary.
• You should be able to prove that you have sufficient funds to support your stay.
• You should also be able to show that you have a residence in India, or that you have social or economic ties that will ensure that you come back to India.

As per the US Tourist Visa guidelines, the following is the list of documents required for US tourist visa need to be submitted during your application.

• Original passport
• 2 identical photos
• Proof of sufficient funds - Bank Statements for the last 6 months/ Passbook
• Proof of employment/study/retirement
• Travel itinerary
• Proof of accommodation
• Proof of return
• If visiting a family/friend, letter of invitation along with their valid green card/visa/residence permit

• Dimensions:  50mm X 50mm
• Colour: Coloured
• Recently taken
• Background: plain white
• Must have 70% face coverage
• Facial expression: neutral
• Eyes directed towards the camera and wide open 
• Glasses: allowed for medical reasons only
• Uniforms are not permitted
• Headgears: allowed only for religious reasons
• Facial hair is permitted.

The time taken to complete the tourist visa for USA process depends on several factors such as the workload at the embassy or consulate, express delivery, type and length of visa, and so on. Normally, this takes around 15-30 days and can vary if there are additional administrative processes required. However, the job of scheduling an interview can take much more and have high waiting time. As a result, it is highly suggested to apply well in advance. 

The total fees for the process depend on several factors like the service charges, biometric charges, and delivery charges, and so on. The fees may be changed by the US government without any prior notice. Therefore, it is necessary to confirm the fees before you start applying.

Post your submission of the application, it will be processed. This might take longer or shorter than the predicted time. In the meanwhile, you can track your application in several ways. 

To track your application, you can visit the CEAC and check the US Tourist Visa status using your interview location, and DS-160 barcode number. Alternately, you can also mail ‘passportstatus@ustraveldocs.com’ with your passport number.

Once you have the B2 Visa, there are a few things you should keep in mind before, and during your visit. These are given below as - 

• Before travelling, ensure that you have all the necessary travel documents, along with your visa stamped in the passport.
• Check for the type of entry, and the validity.
• The permit does not guarantee you entry into the country. The US Customs and Border Patrol officials at the port of entry have the authority to permit or deny you entry.
• While you are in the USA, you cannot participate in any work or employment activities while you are on a tourist permit.
• You must abide by the US immigration laws.
• A US B2 Visa in an expired passport is still valid. It is valid till the visa expiry date until which you can enter the country using a new passport and valid visa in the old passport.