B visa

B1/B2 visa for an Argentinian citizen

A B visa is one of a category of non-immigrant visas issued by the United States government to foreign citizens seeking entry for a temporary period. The two types of B visa are the B-1 visa, issued to those seeking entry for business purposes, and the B-2 visa, issued to those seeking entry for tourism or other non-business purposes. In practice, the two visa categories are usually combined together and issued as a "B-1/B-2 visa" valid for a temporary visit for either business or pleasure, or a combination of the two. Visitors from some countries do not need to obtain a visa for these purposes (see United States visas).

Cost

The cost of a B visa consists of the application fee, which all applicants must pay (currently 160 USD[1]), and the issuance fee, which varies by nation, based on a fee reciprocity table.[2]

As of November 2016, nationals of the following countries have to pay the reciprocity fee.[3]

Country Price (US$)
 Angola 10
 Burma 32
 Cameroon 240
 Central African Republic 40
 Comoros 31
 Congo (Brazzaville) 20
 Congo (Kinshasa) 150
 Kyrgyzstan 45
 Libya 10
 Mauritania 70
 Oman 15
 Papua New Guinea 15
 Turkmenistan 355
 Yemen 30

Validity period and duration of stay

US visa validity period
  United States
  120 months
  60 months
  24-48 months
  12 months
  Under 12 months

As with other non-immigrant U.S. visas, a B-1/B-2 visa has a validity period (from 1 to 10 years), allows for either one or multiple entries into the U.S, and elicits a period of stay (maximum 6 months) recorded by the Customs and Border Protection officer at the port of entry on the individual's form I-94.[4]

Validity periods per country are listed in the U.S. Department of State Visa Reciprocity Tables and vary from 1 month for DR Congo, 3 years for Russia, and 5 years for Pakistan, to 10 years for Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Singapore, South Africa, Tunisia and most European Countries.

Periods of stay for B-1 visas may be granted initially for a duration long enough to allow the visitor to conduct their business, up to a maximum of 6 months, and can be extended for another 6 months;[5] B-1 visas are usually granted for three months or less, while B-2 visas are generally granted for six months.[6] Extensions are possible, provided the individual has not violated the conditions of their admission.[7]

A Border Crossing Card (BCC), also called a laser visa, has a 10-year validity and functions as both a BCC and a B-1/B-2 visitor's visa. The BCC is only issued to nationals of Mexico who apply for a visa inside Mexico.[8]

Validity of visas by nationality for B-1/B-2 visa:[9]

Country Validity (in months)
Afghanistan 12
Albania 36
Algeria 24
Angola 24
Antigua and Barbuda 120
Argentina 120
Armenia 120
Australia 12
Azerbaijan 12
Bahrain 60
Bangladesh 60
Barbados 120
Belarus 12
Belize 120
Benin 36
Bhutan 3[10]
Bolivia 120
Bosnia-Herzegovina 120
Botswana 120
Brazil 120
Bulgaria 120
Burkina Faso 60
Burma 3[11]
Burundi 12
Cambodia 3[12]
Cameroon 12
Canada 120
Cape Verde 60
Central African Republic 12
Chad 3[13]
China 120[14]
Colombia 120
Comoros 45 days[15]
Congo (Brazzaville) 6
Congo (Kinshasa) 1
Costa Rica 120
Côte d'Ivoire 12
Croatia 120
Cuba 6
Cyprus 120
Djibouti 12
Dominica 120
Dominican Republic 120
Ecuador 60
Egypt 60
El Salvador 120
Equatorial Guinea 60
Eritrea 12
Ethiopia 24
Fiji 120
Gabon 60
Georgia 120
Ghana 60
Grenada 120
Guatemala 120
Guinea 36
Guinea - Bissau 60
Guyana 120
Haiti 60
Honduras 120
Hong Kong 120
India 120
Indonesia 60
Iran 3[16]
Iraq 12
Israel 120
Jamaica 120
Jordan 60
Kazakhstan 60
Kenya 60
Kiribati 48
Kosovo 36
Kuwait 120
Kyrgyzstan 60
Laos 3[17]
Lebanon 60
Lesotho 120
Liberia 12
Libya 3[18]
Macau 120
Macedonia 120
Madagascar 3
Malawi 3[19]
Malaysia 120
Maldives 120
Mali 60
Marshall Islands 3
Mauritania 12
Mauritius 120
Mexico 120
Micronesia 3
Moldova 120
Mongolia 120
Montenegro 36
Morocco 120
Mozambique 12
Namibia 60
Nauru 60
Nepal 60
Nicaragua 120
Niger 12
Nigeria 24
North Korea 3[20]
Oman 24
Pakistan 60
Palau 3
Palestinian Authority 120
Panama 120
Papua New Guinea 12
Paraguay 120
Peru 120
Philippines 120
Poland 120
Qatar 120
Romania 120
Russia 36
Rwanda 120
Saint Kitts and Nevis 120
Saint Lucia 120
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 120
Samoa 120
Sao Tome And Principe 6
Saudi Arabia 60
Senegal 120
Serbia 120
Seychelles 120
Sierra Leone 36
Solomon Islands 60
Somalia 3[21]
South Africa 120
South Sudan 3[22]
Sri Lanka 60
Sudan 3[23]
Suriname 60
Swaziland 120
Syria 24
Taiwan 60
Tajikistan 12
Tanzania 12
Thailand 120
The Bahamas 120
The Gambia 60
Timor-Leste 3[24]
Togo 36
Tonga 120
Trinidad And Tobago 120
Tunisia 120
Turkey 120
Turkmenistan 12
Tuvalu 120
Uganda 24
Ukraine 120
United Arab Emirates 120
Uruguay 120
Uzbekistan 12
Vanuatu 60
Vatican City 60
Venezuela 120
Vietnam 12
VWP countries[25] 120
Yemen 12
Zambia 36
Zimbabwe 12

Electronic Visa Update System

On March 15, 2016, the U.S. Custom and Border Protection (CBP) announced that, starting from 29 November 2016, all holders of Chinese passports who also hold 10-year B visas are required to enroll in the Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS) before travelling to the United States via land, air or sea. The EVUS is designed for visa holders to update any changes to their basic biographic and employment information at the time of their visa applications. Similar to the ESTA, each EVUS registration is valid for a period of 2 years or until the holder's passport expiration date, whichever comes first, and each user of EVUS must pay a cost recovery fee of US$8 to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Holders of EVUS can travel to the U.S. for unlimited times providing that their EVUS registration and visa remain valid.[26]

The requirement applies to any holder of Chinese passport and B visa with a 10-year validity. It does not apply, however, to holders of HKSAR passports and MSAR passports, holders of B visas with a validity shorter than 10 years, and holders of other types of visas. The CBP and DHS are seeking to expand the EVUS to other nationalities in the future.[27]

EVUS was officially launched on 31 October 2016 for early enrollments. Upon launch, CBP announced that the enrollment fee will be suspended until further notice.[28]

Visitor visa statistics

Issued B-1/B-2 visas in fiscal 2015
  United States
  Visa exempt nationalities
  Over 400 thousand issued visas
  Over 100 thousand issued visas
  Over 50 thousand issued visas
  Over 25 thousand issued visas
  Over 10 thousand issued visas
  Over 5 thousand issued visas
  Under 5 thousand issued visas

In fiscal 2015 most B-1,2 visas were issued to the nationals of the following countries (listed over 40,000 visas):[29]

Nationality Issued B-1,2 visas in 2015
 China 2,227,670
 Mexico[30] 1,234,885
 Brazil 870,008
 India 553,385
 Colombia 345,233
 Argentina 240,115
 Venezuela 223,854
 Ecuador 150,458
 Israel 137,439
 Nigeria 136,409
 Russia 122,147
 Peru 97,936
 Saudi Arabia 85,303
 Dominican Republic 85,140
 Jamaica 83,483
 Philippines 83,139
 Poland 81,861
 Vietnam 80,936
 Turkey 78,118
 Pakistan 62,714
 Costa Rica 58,139
 El Salvador 56,287
 Hong Kong 54,027
 Ukraine 52,943
 Guatemala 48,735
 South Africa 48,432
 Indonesia 48,239
 Egypt 46,433
 Thailand 44,795

In fiscal 2014 most reasons to refuse a visa were cited as "failure to establish entitlement to nonimmigrant status", "incompatible application" (most overcome), "unlawful presence", "misrepresentation", "criminal convictions", "smugglers" and "controlled substance violators". Smaller number of applications were rejected for "physical or mental disorder", "prostitution", "espionage", "terrorist activities", "falsely claiming citizenship" and other grounds for refusal including "presidential proclamation", "money laundering", "communicable disease" and "commission of acts of torture or extrajudicial killings".[31]

Admission statistics

Number of non-immigrant admissions for tourist and business purposes into the United States in fiscal year 2014
  United States
  Over 2 million admissions
  Over 1 million admissions
  Over 500 thousand admissions
  Over 250 thousand admissions
  Over 100 thousand admissions
  Over 15 thousand admissions
  Under 15 thousand admissions

Highest number of non-immigrant admissions for tourists and for business purposes into the United States in fiscal year 2014 was from the following countries (listed over 700,000 admissions):[32]

Country FY 2014
 Mexico 18,889,281
 Canada 11,289,743
 United Kingdom 4,549,934
 Japan 3,933,941
 Germany 2,283,086
 Brazil 2,275,588
 China 2,001,302
 France 1,966,335
 South Korea 1,576,328
 Australia 1,389,358
 Italy 1,282,485
 India 1,111,738
 Spain 955,737
 Colombia 924,916
 Venezuela 726,963
 Netherlands 766,936
 Argentina 730,089
Total (worldwide) 67,519,113

Overstay rate

A number of visitors from overstayed the maximum allowed stay on their B-1/B-2 visa. The Department of Homeland Security published a report for 2015 that lists the number of violations made by passengers who arrived via air and sea. The table below excludes statistics on persons who left the United States later than their allowed stay or legalized their status and shows only suspected overstays who remained in the country.

The top 20 countries of nationality by the number of suspected in-country B-1/B-2 visa overstays (out of total 252,939) are:[33]

The top 10 countries of nationality by in-country B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate are:[34]

Use for other countries

US tourist visas that are valid for further travel are accepted as substitute visas for national visas in following countries:

Requirement to overcome presumption of intending immigrant

Under section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, a foreigner must prove to the satisfaction of the Consular officer his or her intent to return to his home country after visiting the United States. The act specifically states:[37]

“ Every alien (other than a nonimmigrant described in subparagraph (L) or (V) of section 101(a)(15), and other than a nonimmigrant described in any provision of section 101(a)(15)(H)(i) except subclause (b1) of such section) shall be presumed to be an immigrant until he establishes to the satisfaction of the consular officer, at the time of application for a visa, and the immigration officers, at the time of application for admission, that he is entitled to a nonimmigrant status under section 101(a)(15). ”

In practice, this means that consular officers have wide discretion to deny a visa application. Once refused, there is no judicial or other means to challenge a visa decision. The foreigner, however, is free to apply for a visa again, particularly if circumstances have changed that might show to the consular officer that the applicant overcomes the presumption of being an intending immigrant.[38]

Uses of a B-1/B-2 visa

Business or pleasure cover a wide variety of possible reasons to visit the United States. Under the category of temporary visitor for business, it can be used to:[39]

Under the category of temporary visitor for pleasure, a B-2 visa can be used to:

The B-2 visa can also be used by cohabiting (unmarried) partners of non-immigrant visa holders.

Holders of B-1/B-2 visas are prohibited to engage in the following activities:

Adjusted Visa refusal Rate

US B visa refusal rate
  United States
  Visa exempt countries
  Over 50%
  Over 40%
  Over 30%
  Over 20%
  Over 10%
  Over 5%
  Over 3%
  Under 3%

The Adjusted Visa Refusal Rate for fiscal year 2014 for B visas were:[41]

Country/Region Rate 2008[42] Rate 2014 Rate 2015[43]
Afghanistan 51.0% 46.7% 61.03%
Albania 38.7% 39.8% 36.82%
Algeria 20.3% 23.1% 25.92%
Angola 17.1% 21.4% 26.77%
Antigua and Barbuda 21.7% 20.8% 20.17%
Argentina 3.1% 1.4% 2.14%
Armenia 53.3% 43.8% 47.17%
Azerbaijan 14.0% 13.5% 12.93%
Bahrain 6.6% 4.7% 3.81%
Bangladesh 48.2% 50.8% 59.96%
Barbados 10.1% 9.8% 9.54%
Belarus 21.1% 14.0% 12.53%
Belize 25.4% 16.4% 30.47%
Benin 39.1% 31.4% 35.74%
Bhutan 48.3% 43.6% 54.55%
Bolivia 23.6% 13.6% 13.56%
Bosnia-Herzegovina 21.3% 16.1% 20.38%
Botswana 15.6% 16.9% 16.67%
Brazil 5.5% 3.2% 5.36%
Bulgaria 13.3% 15.2% 17.26%
Burkina Faso 44.4% 37.4% 50.37%
Burma 41.9% 15.5% 16.32%
Burundi 58.8% 50.0% 58.35%
Cambodia 44.3% 39.9% 48.41%
Cameroon 46.7% 28.2% 29.89%
Cape Verde 42.7% 28.7% 36.05%
Central African Republic 39.6% 46.6% 32.43%
Chad 41.4% 32.4% 33.87%
China 18.2% 9.0% 10.03%
Colombia 25.6% 12.3% 15.52%
Comoros 14.0% 17.0% 54.44%
Congo (Brazzaville) 33.2% 35.4% 40.77%
Congo (Kinshasa) 36.2% 39.1% 45.62%
Costa Rica 21.2% 11.4% 9.83%
Côte d'Ivoire 40.9% 29.8% 28.59%
Croatia 5.1% 6.1% 5.29%
Cuba 45.2% 66.2% 76.03%
Cyprus 1.7% 3.5% 3.53%
Djibouti 42.5% 50.1% 52%
Dominica 29.5% 29.0% 33.33%
Dominican Republic 45.6% 35.9% 33.78%
Ecuador 40.0% 20.8% 31.34%
Egypt 35.3% 34.0% 33.57%
El Salvador 45.7% 36.3% 45.72%
Equatorial Guinea 11.1% 17.8% 19.3%
Eritrea 51.1% 41.7% 55.67%
Ethiopia 46.7% 44.9% 48.32%
Fiji 38.0% 14.0% 14.92%
Gabon 23.0% 13.5% 15.74%
Georgia 46.6% 48.2% 50.58%
Ghana 50.1% 59.8% 63.28%
Grenada 29.9% 29.5% 32%
Guatemala 33.8% 35.9% 45.37%
Guinea 63.8% 47.8% 59.81%
Guinea - Bissau 63.4% 56.5% 65.18%
Guyana 56.6% 40.2% 37.28%
Haiti 54.4% 58.2% 60.45%
Honduras 33.6% 36.8% 39.73%
Hong Kong 3.3% 3.1% 4.36%
India 24.7% 19.8% 23.78%
Indonesia 37.0% 8.3% 8.71%
Iran 42.5% 41.8% 38.55%
Iraq 46.3% 41.4% 52.82%
Israel 3.0% 8.2% 3.85%
Jamaica 35.5% 32.3% 37.62%
Jordan 43.2% 26.9% 37.59%
Kazakhstan 11.7% 9.9% 12.7%
Kenya 35.6% 27.3% 27.34%
Kiribati 26.2% 15.4% 16.05%
Kosovo 47.9% 38.1% 44.03%
Kuwait 6.5% 5.7% 5.73%
Kyrgyzstan 32.1% 43.2% 55.75%
Laos 73.4% 61.1% 66.68%
Lebanon 27.9% 16.1% 27.1%
Lesotho 32.1% 16.7% 13.95%
Liberia 70.7% 49.4% 62.45%
Libya 27.1% 33.9% 43.02%
Macedonia 33.5% 29.8% 36.08%
Madagascar 11.9% 11.6% 11.01%
Malawi 28.9% 12.3% 10.23%
Malaysia 5.6% 4.6% 3.34%
Maldives 4.7% 6.7% 15.49%
Mali 48.1% 54.0% 52.77%
Mauritania 51.0% 52.2% 61.45%
Mauritius 11.6% 2.2% 5.71%
Mexico 11.4% 15.6% 20.17%
Moldova 36.7% 40.1% 41.83%
Mongolia 53.6% 27.9% 34.76%
Montenegro 25.6% 28.0% 31.26%
Morocco 24.0% 21.9% 20.6%
Mozambique 13.8% 4.0% 4.03%
Namibia 6.8% 7.6% 7.43%
Nauru 66.7% 42.9% 5.26%
Nepal 51.2% 38.2% 42.19%
Nicaragua 41.8% 35.8% 41.19%
Niger 55.7% 36.4% 31.1%
Nigeria 36.0% 33.2% 32.56%
North Korea 16.3% 55.6% 47.67%
Oman 2.2% 2.1% 2%
Pakistan 46.3% 38.0% 40.4%
Palestinian Authority 55.6% 36.7% 42.68%
Panama 19.2% 10.0% 11.36%
Papua New Guinea 3.4% 7.4% 5.14%
Paraguay 14.4% 6.1% 6.15%
Peru 37.7% 13.8% 14.46%
Philippines 31.0% 24.6% 27.96%
Poland 13.8% 6.4% 6.37%
Qatar 4.9% 2.1% 2.97%
Romania 25.0% 9.8% 11.16%
Russia 7.5% 7.8% 10.24%
Rwanda 50.3% 51.1% 49.17%
Samoa 32.4% 27.2% 29.99%
Sao Tome And Principe 28.6% 10.7% 5.71%
Saudi Arabia 6.6% 3.3% 3.24%
Senegal 55.2% 57.5% 54.37%
Serbia 11.7% 16.0% 16.54%
Seychelles 18.0% 6.8% 7.26%
Sierra Leone 50.1% 51.9% 53.02%
Solomon Islands 6.5% 5.4% 7.26%
Somalia 54.0% 52.0% 64.6%
South Africa 4.6% 2.6% 5.08%
South Sudan N/A 43.8% 41.77%
Sri Lanka 31.4% 19.5% 22.07%
St. Kitts And Nevis 25.0% 27.5% 26.6%
St. Lucia 26.6% 27.6% 26.9%
St. Vincent And The Grenadines 26.4% 24.1% 27.15%
Sudan 38.6% 42.4% 40.45%
Suriname 9.6% 13.6% 7.78%
Swaziland 13.0% 10.0% 12.95%
Syria 33.1% 60.0% 63.43%
Tajikistan 32.4% 49.0% 44.44%
Tanzania 26.2% 21.3% 12.02%
Thailand 19.8% 10.2% 12.35%
The Gambia 55.7% 69.3% 75.64%
Timor-Leste 16.7% 25.0% 12.68%
Togo 51.7% 35.6% 43.42%
Tonga 48.7% 25.4% 28.09%
Trinidad And Tobago 23.8% 21.2% 25.16%
Tunisia 23.9% 17.5% 19.69%
Turkey 11.2% 7.1% 13.88%
Turkmenistan 45.4% 18.6% 25.41%
Tuvalu 17.6% 27.3% 21.05%
Uganda 34.4 37.2% 30.63%
Ukraine 30.9% 27.7% 34.03%
United Arab Emirates 10.4% 4.8% 7.1%
Uruguay 9.5% 1.8% 2.7%
Uzbekistan 61.1% 52.1% 49.59%
Vanuatu 16.7% 20.0% 10.53%
Vatican City 16.7% 7.7% 25%
Venezuela 25.4% 15.2% 15.57%
Vietnam 38.8% 14.3% 23.43%
Yemen 54.7% 44.2% 54.01%
Zambia 53.3% 22.2% 20.98%
Zimbabwe 30.3% 13.2% 21.03%

See also

External links

References

  1. ↑ "Fees for Visa Services". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
  2. ↑ "Reciprocity by Country". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
  3. ↑
  4. ↑ "Difference between visa stamp and arrival departure record". immihelp.com. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
  5. ↑ "B-1 Temporary Business Visitor". USCIS. Retrieved 2011-10-24.
  6. ↑ "B Visa Overview | Immigration.Com - Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna, PC". Immigration.Com. Retrieved 2011-02-14.
  7. ↑ "Extend Your Stay". USCIS. Retrieved 2011-10-24.
  8. ↑ https://mx.usembassy.gov/visas/tourism-visitor/
  9. ↑ Visa Reciprocity Tables
  10. ↑ Single entry
  11. ↑ Single entry
  12. ↑ Double entry
  13. ↑ Single entry
  14. ↑ Mandatory EVUS registration at evus.gov required
  15. ↑ Single entry
  16. ↑ Single entry
  17. ↑ Single entry
  18. ↑ Single entry
  19. ↑ Single entry
  20. ↑ Double entry.
  21. ↑ Single entry
  22. ↑ Double entry.
  23. ↑ Single entry
  24. ↑ Double entry.
  25. ↑ Except Australia and Taiwan.
  26. ↑ "CBP Announces the Electronic Visa Update System". USCBP. Retrieved 2016-05-24.
  27. ↑ "Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS) Frequently Asked Questions". USCBP. Retrieved 2016-05-24.
  28. ↑ CBP Launches the Electronic Visa Update System for Early Enrollments
  29. ↑
  30. ↑ Including Border Crossing Cards
  31. ↑
  32. ↑ 2014 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics
  33. ↑ Entry/Exit Overstay Report Fiscal Year 2015
  34. ↑
  35. ↑ Countries and regions that require a visa to travel to Mexico, Instituto Nacional de Migración, September 27, 2013.
  36. ↑ Timatic - Visa information for Mexico
  37. ↑ "INA: ACT 214 - ADMISSION OF NONIMMIGRANTS". USCIS.
  38. ↑ "A 214(b) Denial: What it Means, What You Can Do." http://www.usvisalawyers.co.uk/article20.htm , website of Gudeon & McFadden law firm, accessed 22 September 2012.
  39. ↑ https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/visit/visitor.html
  40. ↑ "Working (Legally) on a Visitor's Visa or Visa Waiver Entry". Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  41. ↑ Adjusted Refusal Rate 2014
  42. ↑
  43. ↑ Adjusted Refusal Rate 2015
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