Short answer: The B visa is the standard visitor visa. B-1 covers short business trips. B-2 covers tourism, family visits and medical treatment. Most consulates issue the two together as a single B-1/B-2 visa.
What this visa is for
The B visa lets you enter the United States for a temporary visit with a clear end date. You are visiting, not moving. That single idea drives almost every rule attached to it.
B-1 covers activities like attending a conference, negotiating a contract, consulting with business partners, settling an estate, or attending professional training where you are not paid by a U.S. source. B-2 covers holidays, visiting relatives, tourism, amateur sport or music events where you are not paid, and medical treatment.
The line that matters most is the line about work. A B visitor may not take employment in the United States. You may attend a meeting about work. You may not do the work.
Who qualifies
You must show three things to a consular officer.
You have a specific and temporary purpose for the trip. You have the funds to cover the trip. You have ties to your home country that will pull you back, such as a job, a business, family or property.
Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act assumes every applicant intends to immigrate until they prove otherwise. Most B refusals are 214(b) refusals, and they are not permanent bars. They are a finding that on that day you did not overcome the presumption. You may reapply when your circumstances change.
How long you can stay
The visa can be valid for many years, often ten, and often with multiple entries. Validity is not permission to stay. At the border, the officer decides your admission period and records it on your I-94. Six months is common. Your I-94 date is the date that counts. Check it at i94.cbp.dhs.gov.
You can request more time by filing Form I-539 with USCIS before your I-94 expires. Approval is discretionary.
How to apply
- Complete the online Form DS-160 nonimmigrant visa application.
- Pay the visa application fee. Current amounts are on the Visa Services fee page.
- Book an interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate. Wait times vary a great deal and are published at Visa Appointment Wait Times.
- Attend the interview with your passport, confirmation page, photo and supporting documents.
Family members
There is no dependent category for B visitors. Each family member, including each child, files a separate DS-160 and needs a separate visa.
Common mistakes
Treating a ten year visa as a right to live in the United States in six month blocks. Officers watch for a pattern of long stays with short absences, and they can refuse entry.
Doing paid work, including remote freelance work for U.S. clients, while in B status.
Enrolling in a full course of study. Short recreational classes are fine. Anything that amounts to a course of study needs F or M status.
Assuming a visa guarantees entry. It does not. Admission is decided at the port of entry.
Overstaying by even a short period. An overstay of more than 180 days can trigger a three year bar on return, and more than a year can trigger a ten year bar.
Official sources
TR Immigration is an independent immigration information platform. It is not a law firm. Nothing here is legal advice, an eligibility determination, or a prediction about your case. Rules and fees change often, so confirm anything you rely on against the official page it links to.