Application Process for B1/B2 U.S. Visa 2020 Extra Details

B-1 Business Visa is a non-immigrant visa for temporary visitors to the USA coming for business reasons. An immigrant visa is for a permanent stay in the USA.

A business visa, generally known as a visitor visa, is valid for a few months or up to one year, depending on whether the applicant is issued an entry or multiple entry visas.

The B-1 business visa is for people temporarily entering the United States to conduct business activities such as a meeting, conference, consultation, and negotiation.

They cannot work while in the USA, nor can they be paid from a source in the USA. People who want to work in the USA must enter for work visas such as , , , or other visas.

People who enter the USA for pleasure, tourism, or medical treatment require a . Dependants holding a B-1 visa must qualify for a B visa on their own. There are limited cases where a B-1 visa can be used instead of an H-1B visa.

This only applies if the beneficiary enters the USA as an employee of a foreign legal entity in order to offer services in the USA.

This person must be paid by the foreign employer and may only receive expense allowances or other reimbursements from a US legal entity for expenses incurred during their temporary stay in the USA.

The process of applying for a B1 / B2 visa can be divided into several steps which are explained below.

1. Online application using the DS160 form (usually 1 day):
This will take a few hours to a few days. Although it is a simple form, you must compile information from various sources, such as your passport, previous work, etc.

Depending on whether all documents and information are available, this step of visa procurement may take longer than one day.

2. Payment of the fee (usually 1 day):
The fees for a B1/B2 visa must be transferred. As things stand at present, there is no direct online payment available, so a bank must be visited.

3. Make an appointment with the authority (1 – 2 weeks):
Once you have paid the fees, you can arrange the visa interview online. Although you can select appointments online from a calendar, you can usually only plan one or two weeks in advance. In the worst case, the appointment can take several weeks.

4. Participation in the interview (1 or 2 days):
Once an interview date has been set, visit the consulate/office in charge and take part in the interview. Sometimes you will need to provide additional information and evidence, including after your visit, and the whole process will be extended.

Unfortunately, such additional requirements cannot be announced in advance, as some of them will only become necessary during the discussion.

However, if you did everything right when submitting the form and provided all the information correctly, your interview should be completed in one day.

5. Stamp the visa on the passport ( 1 – 4 weeks):
The duration of this step is most uncertain. It takes either a week or a few weeks to get your passport.

Important facts about B1/B2 U.S. Visa

Unlike the ESTA, the B1 and B2 visas cannot be applied for completely online. An application must be completed and submitted for approval, followed by a visit to a U.S. mission and an interview. In addition, processing fees may apply in some cases, and the period of validity may also vary.

Fees and validity depend on the applicant’s country of origin. Enclosed you see a world map showing how long a B1 /B2 visa is valid for citizens of certain countries.

The current processing fee for a B1/B2 (non-immigration visa) is currently 160 USD. Applying for a B1 /B2 visa can usually take several weeks, as different appointments have to be made and longer processing times are to be expected.