Overview

The "Visitor" visa is a nonimmigrant visa for persons desiring to enter the United States temporarily for business (B-1) or for pleasure or medical treatment (B-2).

Period of Stay

Any B-1 visitor for business or B-2 visitor for pleasure may be admitted for not more than one year and may be granted extensions of temporary stay in increments of not more than six months each.

Eligibility Requirements

* The purpose of the applicant’s trip to the United States is solely for business, pleasure or medical treatment

* The intended stay is within the authorized period given to them at the port of entry

* The applicant maintains a residence outside the United States which he has no intention of abandoning

How Do I Extend My Stay?

Those visitors who wish to stay beyond the time indicated on their Form I-94 must contact the Department of Homeland Security’s Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services to request an application to extend status. The decision to grant or deny a request for extension of stay is made solely by the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Duration of Stay - Form I-94

* Upon entering the U.S., an immigration officer of the Department of Homeland Security's, Border and Transportation Security, at the port of entry, places a small white card, Form I-94, Arrival-Departure Record in your passport. On this card, the U.S. immigration inspector records either a date or "D/S" (duration of status). In most cases, a specific date will be indicated on the Form I-94 (in the lower right-hand corner). If your I-94 contains a specific date, that is the date by which you must leave the United States. Some students, exchange program participants, and certain temporary workers (e.g., foreign diplomats) will be admitted for “duration of status.” If you have "duration of status" or “D/S” on your Form I-94, you may remain in the U.S. as long as you continue your course of studies or remain in your exchange program or qualifying employment.

* If you are traveling on the Visa Waiver Program, you will receive Form I-94W, Nonimmigrant Visa Waiver Arrival-Departure Record, a green card.

* Your Form I-94, or I-94W is a very important document to keep in your passport, since it shows your permission to be in the U.S.

* As example of the difference between the duration of stay permitted in the U.S. and validity of a visa, your visa may be valid for several years, and yet your authorized period of stay, as shown on the Arrival-Departure Record, Form I-94, may be limited to a few weeks.

* The date or D/S notation, shown on your Arrival-Departure Record, I-94 or I-94W is the official record of the your authorized length of stay in the U.S. You cannot use the visa expiration date in determining or referring to your permitted length of stay in the U.S.