Many types of non-immigrant visas exist depending on the purpose of travel, and the U.S. consular office in your home country, which decides the type of visa to issue when you apply. If the purpose of your travel is short-term business or pleasure, you will be issued a Visitor Visa. The main exception is for people who qualify for the Visa Waiver Program and do not need a visa for entry, such as tourists or business travelers from qualified countries who are staying in the United States for 90 days or less.
Applicants for any non-immigrant visa must demonstrate on their application that they intend to stay in the United States for a specific, limited amount of time. A travel itinerary or scheduled events can help substantiate the trip duration, as well as scheduled events in the home country following return.
Applicants for any non-immigrant visa must demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to cover their expenses while traveling, or that someone else will be covering their travel expenses. This provision is designed to show that the visitor is not planning on working to earn money after arrival in the United States.
Applicants can more easily obtain a Visitor Visa if they show evidence of social and economic ties outside the United States, for instance, if they are employed and have family members in another country.
Applicants who have a permanent residence outside the United States may be more likely to obtain a visa because of the likelihood that they will return to their residence. The U.S. Department of State recommends that visitors apply for a visa in the country of their permanent residence if possible, since this can make the application process more streamlined.
An interview at the U.S. embassy or consular office in your home country is required for all applicants ages 14 to 79, with very few exceptions. Interested visa applicants should consult the U.S. Department of State website for up-to-date wait times for scheduling an interview well in advance and before submitting the visa application, since wait times may limit possible dates of travel. During the interview, applicants may also be required to submit an inkless fingerprint scan for documentation.
Visitors must also submit an electronic version of Form DS-156 for Visitor Visas. Some embassies use DS-160 rather than DS-156, so check with your home country office for the preferred form. The Supplemental Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-157, is also required for all male applicants ages 16 to 45, as well as any traveler over the age of 16 from a state sponsors of terrorism (as of 2010, these countries were Cuba, Syria, Sudan and Iran).
Applicants must pay the visa application fee when they conduct their interview. As of 2010, the fee was $131.
Applicants must also have a passport, into which the visa will be pasted, that is valid for at least six months after the intended period of stay in the United States.
Applicants should also bring an additional 2 by 2-inch passport photograph to the interview for documentation purposes. Furthermore, your embassy or consulate may require additional documentation to prove the purpose of your travel to the United States, the nature of which differs for every traveler.
