You may apply for the B2 tourist visa at an American Consulate nearest to your residence. Your B2 visa application should include the following:

A. DOS Form DS-156, Nonimmigrant Visa Application

B. DOS Form DS-157, Supplemental Nonimmigrant Visa Application, for all male applicants between the ages of 16 and 45

C. A copy of your passport which is valid for at least six months beyond the period of stay in the U.S. and with at least one blank page

D. Two identical color photographs showing full face without head covering against a light background. You may wear a headdress if required by a religious order of which you are a member

E. Letters of invitation from your friends or relatives in the U.S.

F. A copy of your tour itinerary

G. Documentation demonstrating your ability and intention, or that of your friends or relatives in the U.S., to support your travel and other expenses

H. Documentation establishing your personal status such as marriage certificates, letters confirming your employment, bank statements, and pay slips etc.
IV. Duration of Stay

The USCIS admits B2 visitors for pleasure for a period of time that is fair and reasonable for the completion of the purpose of the visit.

When you apply for entry to the U.S., you will be required to explain to a USCIS Immigration Inspector the nature and purpose of your visit so that the Inspector can determine the appropriate length of stay. While USCIS Inspectors will make every effort to determine a fair and reasonable period, the burden of proof rests with you. When the time needed to accomplish the purpose of the visit cannot be determined, USCIS will grant you a 30-day period of admission.

A. B2 Tourist Visa Extension

You may apply for B2 visa extension provided the request is due to unexpected or compelling humanitarian reasons such as medical treatment or unforeseen delay in conclusion of a business matter.

You must file the request using Form I-539 and prove that you have adequate financial resources to continue staying in the U.S. and that you are maintaining residency abroad.

B. Change of Status in B2 Tourist Visa

You may change from a B2 visitor visa to another nonimmigrant category provided you can prove that you had no preconceived intent to change status. If you intend to change status to F-1, M-1 or J-1, you must state your intent while applying for the B2 visa.

B2 Visa is appropriate for the following category of people:

A. Foreign nationals planning to:

Tour and visit friends and relatives in the U.S.

Undergo medical care in the U.S.

Participate in conventions, conferences, or convocations of fraternal or social organizations in the U.S.

B. Dependents of:

Foreign members of the U.S. armed forces temporarily assigned duty in the U.S.

Crewmembers on D-1 or D-2 visa

Foreign nationals for whom no derivative classification is available, e.g. elderly parents of E-1 visa holder

Foreign nationals applying for special naturalization benefits, on the basis of U.S. military service

C. Amateur entertainer or group of entertainers to perform in:

A social and/or charitable context in the U.S. for which they will receive no payment other than incidental expenses

A competition or talent show in the U.S. for which they will receive no payment other than incidental expenses

D. An amateur athlete or group of athletes competing in an athletic event for which they will receive no payment other than incidental expenses

B-2 Visa is Suitable For:

* Tourists on a pleasure trip to the U.S.

* People visiting friends and relatives in the U.S.

* People coming to the U.S. for medical treatment

* Foreign nationals coming to the U.S. to marry a U.S. citizen or Green Card holder, upon establishing to the consular official and the USCIS that after the marriage, they will depart from the U.S., even though intending ultimately to immigrate

* Amateur athletes, musicians etc. who participate in their respective activities in the U.S. without remuneration

* People coming to participate in the conventions of social organizations

* Dependents of alien members of the U.S. armed forces temporarily assigned duty in the U.S.

* Dependents of crewmembers (D visa holders) or
B-1 visa holders solely to accompany the principal foreign national

* Dependents of nonimmigrant for whom no derivative classification is available. For example, the elderly parent of an E visa holder

* Persons to enter the U.S. to apply for special naturalization benefits on the basis of U.S. military service

* Persons seeking a change to another visa status if they so advise the U.S. Consulate, and if the consulate is fully appraised of the circumstances

* U.S. citizens, green card holders and nonimmigrant visa holders to invite their friends and relatives to the U.S.

F-1 Student Visa General Information: The United States welcomes foreign students to American language schools, high schools, universities and other institutions of higher education. Thousands of learning institutions are approved by the USCIS to accept foreign students as full time students. It is possible to change schools and universities while being on an F-1 Visa without leaving the country.

F-1 Student Visa Eligibility Requirements: An applicant for a US student visa must come to the United States to pursue an academic program in an institution recognized by the United States government. The foreign citizen must have a valid educational purpose for coming to the United States and be a full time student. It is not possible to be a part-time student on an F-1 Visa. The student can stay in the United States for as long as he/she is enrolled in school. The student visa is normally issued at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the student’s home country.

Traveling on F-1 Student Visa:

* Foreign students may enter the United States multiple times if they hold a valid F-1 Student Visa.
* It is important that the F-1 Student Visa holders have all the necessary documents and signed authorizations to avoid any problems at the U.S. port of entry.
* The passport must also be valid for a certain amount of time in order to be granted entry.
* F-1 Visa holders can also travel freely within the within the United States.

Working on F-1 Student Visa:

* Students may work on campus as long as they are enrolled in school.
* Students may apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) to gain work experience in their field of study while being a full time student.
* Students may take advantage of Optional Practical Training (OPT) once the degree is completed as a full time employee.
* Many students obtaining a bachelor or master degree in the United States go on to be sponsored by their employer for an H-1B Work Visa.

Benefits of the F1 Visa

A. You can enter the U.S. as a fulltime academic or language student

B. You can legally work part-time on-campus. You may also work off-campus if necessary

C. You are eligible to take up employment as a part of your optional practical training

D. You can travel in and out of the U.S. or remain in the U.S. till the completion of your studies

E. You can bring your dependents (spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21) to live with you in the U.S.

F. F1 visas are issued quickly
II. Requirements for the F1 Visa

To be eligible for an F1 visa, you must prove that:

A. You have successfully completed a course of study normally required for enrollment

B. You have been accepted for a full course of study by an educational institution approved by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The institution must send you a USCIS Form I-20A-B, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant F-1 Student Status for Academic and Language Students

C. You are sufficiently proficient in English to pursue the intended course of study, or the school you intend to attend has made special arrangements to teach you the English language or conduct the course in your native language

Note: You may be exempt from this requirement if you intend to come to the U.S. to participate exclusively in an English language-training program

D. You have sufficient funds to cover the first year of study, and access to sufficient funds to cover subsequent years

E. You have a permanent residence in your home country, which you do not intend to abandon

F. You intend to depart the U.S. upon completion of the course of study. You may establish this by presenting evidence of economic, social and/or family ties in your homeland sufficient to induce you to leave the U.S. upon completion of studies

G. Your proposed education in the U.S. would be useful in your homeland, and therefore induce you to leave the U.S. upon completion of studies

Your F1 student visa application must include:

A. DOS Form DS-156, Nonimmigrant Visa Application

B. DOS Form DS-157, Supplemental Nonimmigrant Visa Application, for all male applicants between the ages of 16 and 45

C. DOS Form DS-158, Contact Information and Work History for Nonimmigrant Visa Applicant

D. A copy of your passport which is valid for at least six months beyond the period of stay in the U.S. and with at least one blank page

E. Two identical color photographs showing full face without head covering against a light background. You may wear a headdress if required by a religious order of which you are a member

F. Financial evidence that shows you or your parents who are sponsoring you have sufficient funds to cover your tuition and living expenses during the period of your intended study

G. For example, if you or your sponsor is a salaried employee, you may include income tax documents and original bank statements. If you or your sponsor owns a business, include business registration, licenses, etc., and tax documents, as well as original bank statements

H. Transcripts and diplomas from previous institutions attended

I. Scores from standardized tests required by the educational institution such as the TOEFL, SAT, GRE or GMAT

J. Documents demonstrating your intent to depart from the U.S. upon completion of studies
IV. The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS)

The SEVIS system replaces the Interim Student and Exchange Authentication System (ISEAS), which the Department of State had been using since mid-2002. All new Form I-20A-B and DS-2019 dated after February 15, 2003, must be created within the SEVIS system.

The purpose of SEVIS is to monitor the visa adjudication process and oversee the academic career of foreign students and their dependants who enter the U.S. using an F1 or F-2 visa.

Under the SEVIS guidelines, the student’s proposed U.S. school must submit specific information electronically before a student visa may be issued.

The required information is:

A. The full name of the student

B. Date and place of birth of the student

C. Nationality/Citizenship of the student. The school’s code/program number

D. The school/program name

This information can only be entered by the U.S. schools - students cannot enter the information on their own behalf.

Hello,

Hope everybody is doing great.This blog is an effort towards helping all of those who are willing to pursue a better career a better life abroad.We will be posting articles which we hope will help all of those aspirants to achieve their goals.Our blog is not limited within visa guidance for any particular country,we intend to cover all the countries where people are eager to go for study business or even immigrate.Last but not the least we intend to cover all the issues regarding insurance etc..Hence it’s our earnest request to all of our visitor to post comments regarding their knowledge,experience about obtaining visa.We welcome all.

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