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The B-2 visa allows applicants to stay in the USA for private or tourist purposes. The B-2 visa is particularly suitable for persons who, due to their citizenship, are not eligible for the Visa Waiver Program (visa-free entry). This visa category is often issued as a combined B-1 / B-2 visa. One of the main advantages over visa-free entry is the longer duration of stay of up to 180 days.
Visa category: visitor visa
Target group: tourists, travelers who cannot use ESTA
Validity: generally 10 years
Length of stay: max. 180 days per entry, renewable only once for another max. 180 days
Characteristics: working, studying, immigrating etc. not allowed
The B-2 visa is a US nonimmigrant visa for private individuals who wish to travel to the USA as visitors, vacationers or tourists for a limited period of time. The official name of the B-2 tourist visa is B-2 Temporary Visitor for Pleasure.
Tourist / private purposes primarily include
B-2 visas are required in particular for
The B-2 visa does not include permission to take up employment, i.e. with a B visa you are not allowed to work in the USA. School or university visits and internships are also excluded.
In order to obtain a B-2 visa, several conditions must be met:
With a B-2 visa, foreign nationals may officially stay in the United States for up to 180 days for multiple entries or consecutive days. The maximum length of stay in the USA does not apply per year but per entry.
Theoretically, you can therefore spend up to six months on vacation in the USA. However, the exact length of stay is determined individually by the US border officers each time you enter the country and can be viewed online in the electronic I-94 or can be seen on the entry stamp in your passport.
The maximum status, e.g. permitted length of stay, of 180 days can be extended in the USA by submitting a status extension application to the US immigration authority USCIS for a further maximum of 180 days (i.e. to a maximum of 365 days).
US travelers must leave the United States no later than the date of departure noted on the entry stamp or electronic I-94 in order to avoid the risk of an overstay.
Each time you travel to the United States, you will receive a new status at the border crossing. As long as the B-2 visa is valid, foreign nationals with the visa may request entry at the border.
As a rule, B-2 visas are issued for 10 years. However, the tourist visa can also be limited to a shorter period. This depends in particular on the nationality of the visa applicant.
The expiration date can be found on the visa in the passport. The B-2 visa is valid until this date expires. After this date, the B-2 visa can be reapplied for through consular procedure if required.
By the way: Visas for the USA are valid from the day they are issued by the US consulate or the US embassy. This means that the validity begins on the date of issue, although it is not possible to issue the visa for a date in the future.
The period between the issue date and the expiration date is the validity period of the B-2 visa. The period of validity determines the period during which the travel document can be used.
The visa fee for the B-2 visa is 175.75 € (185 $) per applicant. This general application fee of the US consulates or US embassies must be paid by all applicants and is neither refundable nor transferable to other persons.
The processing fee can be paid by online bank transfer, online payment by debit card or cash payment at a bank.
As a rule, this fee can be used to make an appointment within one year of the payment date.
Furthermore, additional costs may be incurred for certain B-2 applicants:
You can find more information about the different visa fees, other possible costs and the current payment methods on our fees page.
Please note that applying for a B-2 visa requires a thorough understanding of the process and careful planning of the necessary steps. From choosing the right visa type according to the purpose of the trip, the correct completion of the application forms and the preparation for the visa interview, there are many important aspects to consider.
In the following section, the individual steps for the B-2 visa application are explained and a guide to a successful visa application is provided.
B-2 applicants between 14 and 79 years of age must generally go through the consular procedure. This means that for the B-2 visa, the online form DS-160 is generally filled out and the visa is applied for as part of a personal interview in a responsible US representation (US consulate or US embassy) in the home country.
Before submitting your B-2 visa application, all necessary requirements must be met and the necessary documents must be available.
In our experience, the application for a B-2 visa, from the preparation to the review by the US authorities to the receipt of the visa, takes in most cases 6 to 8 weeks.
However, the B-2 application time depends very much on the waiting time until the interview appointment, the personal interview at the US consulate / US embassy. The availability of visa interview appointments for the B category depends, among other things, on the season and thus the number of applications to be processed at the respective US consulates / US embassies. You should therefore start the B-2 application process as early as possible, especially during peak travel periods.
After a thorough examination of your B-2 visa application and, in the best case, approval, your passport will be retained for visa issuance. Approximately one week after the visa interview, your passport and B-2 visa will be sent to you by post.
Certain B-2 applicants qualify for the Interview Waiver Program and are therefore exempt from the interview appointment requirement. Please allow approximately 2 weeks for the processing time of the postal visa application.
Please note: In some cases, a further security check (Administrative Processing), which can take several months. This can considerably delay the visa application.
To apply for a B-2 visa for the USA, applicants must follow the steps below:
The first step in applying for a B-2 visa for the USA is to fill out the electronic visa application form DS-160 on the website of the U.S. Department of State.
The online application form must contain detailed information about the applicant and the planned stay in the USA. You should have the following documents ready when completing the online DS-160 form:
A few days after submitting your DS-160 form, you can check the status of your visa application online.
Did you know? The professional processing and return of your DS-160 is part of our service.
Create a visa profile on the website of the Visa Information Service through which B-2 visa applications are processed.
Here you can also pay the visa processing fee and make an appointment for the visa interview.
When you commission our US Visa Service, we create the required online profile, advance the consular visa application fee and arrange the appointment for the personal interview with the US consular officers.
Show up on day of the interview personally at the US consulate or US embassy. Your documents will be checked there and you will be interviewed by the consular officers.
The following documents must be prepared and brought along for the appointment at the US consulate or US embassy:
Be prepared to answer questions about your visa application, your planned stay in the US and other relevant topics.
Generally, B-2 visa applicants are informed at the end of the interview at the US consulate or US embassy whether or not their visa application will be approved.
Our visa consultants will prepare you perfectly for this important appointment and provide you with the necessary documents to ensure that your visa interview runs as smoothly as possible.
If your B-2 visa application is approved, you will receive your passport with the B-2 visa returned by post or can arrange a pick-up appointment.
Under certain conditions, applicants can also apply for the B-2 visa by mail through the so-called Interview Waiver Program, i.e. without having to attend an interview at the US consulate / US embassy.
Of course, there are certain criteria for waiving the personal visa appointment and submitting your documents by post. The interview waiver requires, among other things, that a B-2 visa has already been issued and that certain other conditions are met.
Please note that using the mail-in procedure does not mean that the B-2 visa will automatically be approved. In addition, B-2 visa applicants may be invited for an interview if the US authorities deem it necessary, despite having applied by mail.
Further information on the postal visa applicationThe foreign missions of the United States of America, i.e. the US consulates or US embassies, are responsible for issuing visas.
The decision on whether or not to issue a visa for the USA is usually made by the US consular officials on the day of the visa interview. B-2 visa applicants will therefore normally find out at the interview appointment whether the visa will be issued or not.
The most common reasons for a visa refusal:
You can check the status of your US visa application online. There are usually 3 options:
Your B-2 visa was granted verbally by the US officers and is now being processed.
After the B-2 visa has been printed / issued in the passport, the passport with the corresponding US visa will be sent by mail.
In some cases, US consular officers determine not to approve the B-2 visa immediately and issue a visa denial under Section 221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The consequence of this is the so-called Administrative Processing. The US visa application therefore requires a further security check and is subject to additional processing steps. Additional documents or information may be required from you.
If the US officers conclude that you do not qualify for the B-2 category, your B-2 visa will be denied. The denial does not have to be justified, but applicants who are rejected a visa are usually given further instructions on the day of the interview appointment or sent a denial letter after a certain processing time.
The reasons for visa refusal vary greatly depending on the visa category and applicant (e.g. assumption of an intention to immigrate, suspicion of illegal employment, incorrect application documentation).
First of all, it is generally possible to submit a new B-2 application at any time after a visa refusal. Theoretically, there is no waiting period for applicants until the next submission.
Based on our experience, it is only advisable to reapply for the same category if the conditions or circumstances have changed since the first visa application and you are able to provide evidence of these changes or new circumstances.
It makes little sense to apply for a new visa if you still do not meet the requirements of the respective visa category (e.g. proof of intention to return to your home country, financial means, etc.). In practice, a new B-2 visa can therefore usually only be (successfully) applied for after several months or even years.
After a visa refusal, applicants must start the visa application process all over again. Incidentally, no appeal can be lodged against a visa refusal.
The consequences of the B-2 visa refusal for the applicant depend on the reason for refusal.
Although the US authorities are not obliged to explain the reasons for a refusal, you can politely ask for the reason for vis denial at the interview appointment at the US consulate or embassy. This information will help you if you wish to reapply for the B-2 visa.
For the second attempt of your B-2 visa application, it is advisable to prepare it carefully and coherently. This includes choosing the right category, filling out the DS-160 online form completely and correctly and collecting relevant evidence.
Many applicants assume that they are guaranteed entry to the USA with an approved US visa. However, a B-2 visa in your passport does not automatically guarantee entry to the United States. Legally speaking, a visa for the USA is not a residence permit, so even with an approved US visa in your passport, there is no guarantee of entry to the United States. A valid US visa allows you to apply for entry into the United States at the border crossing (e.g. airport).
The decision on entry is generally the responsibility of the border officers who check the B-2 visa when foreign nationals arrive in the Unites States. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers have the final say and decide whether and for how long you may enter the country, i.e. for how long you will be granted residence status. This also means that you may be denied entry under certain circumstances.
If you have received an entry permit, it is recommended to check online in the I-94 or on the entry stamp in your passport to see how long you are legally allowed to stay in the US.
By the way: With Global Entry, certain biometrically registered and security-checked travelers can complete entry formalities independently and automatically at almost all major US airports. In this way, foreign nationals can avoid long waiting times and enter the USA more quickly.
The period of validity of a visa cannot be extended, regardless of the visa category. In technical terms, this is considered as a new application. However, it is possible to apply for a new B-2 visa in good time before or after the expiry of a B-2 visa. The B-2 visa can be reapplied for as often as required.
It is important to know that the remaining period of validity of your old B-2 visa is not automatically transferred to the new visa. In addition, please note that a previous visa issuance does not guarantee a new visa approval. All application documents (application forms, supporting documents, etc.) must be resubmitted to the US consulate / US embassy.
It is therefore advisable to prepare the B-2 application well and ensure that all required documents are complete. This minimizes potential delays or rejections during the renewal process or reapplication.
When reapplying for your B-2 visa, you should also note that processing times can vary greatly depending on the responsible US consulate or US embassy. You should therefore allow sufficient time in advance.
In contrast to the initial application, you may be eligible for a simplified procedure. You could possibly qualify for an extension by mail and thus avoid the interview appointment. You can find all information on this in the Interview Waiver Program.
Spouses, partners and child(ren) of B-2 holders may travel to the USA and require a separate B-2 visa. If you wish to accompany a B-2 visa holder, you can apply for a B-2 visa.
There is no derived tourist visa for family members.
Please note that the B-2 visa only allows you to accompany your spouse, partner or parent. Taking up employment or attending school or university is not permitted.
For international travelers wishing to travel to the United States, both the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) as well as the B visa are important entry options. Both allow you to stay in the USA for identical purposes, but also have significant differences.
The choice between the two options depends on the individual travel destinations, the planned length of stay and other specific requirements. Before traveling to the USA, it is advisable to inform yourself thoroughly about the respective requirements and restrictions in order to ensure a smooth and legally correct trip.
Simmilarities:
Differences:
Certain nationalities shorten the period of validity of the B-2 visa. For example, the B-2 visa is usually issued for ten years for German applicants.
If you have Somali or Sudanese citizenship in addition to German citizenship, it is advisable to apply for the B-2 visa using your German passport.
For government representatives and their relatives who hold a second Iranian, North Korean, Syrian, Venezuelan or Yemeni citizenship in addition to German citizenship, the B-2 visa must be applied for with the German passport.
With a B-2 visa, you may stay in the USA for up to 180 days at a time or several times in succession. As long as your B-2 visa is valid, you can enter the country as often as you like for a maximum of 180 days.
Frequent departures and re-entries, e.g. via Canada, Mexico or neighboring islands, with the intention of re-obtaining residence status are not recommended.
B-2 visa holders traveling temporarily to Canada, Mexico, or the neighboring islands may return to the United States from there if the total stay in the United States and the time spent in the contiguous territory and / or the neighboring islands does not exceed 180 days or the permitted duration of stay.
In other words, a trip to Canada, Mexico or the neighboring islands does not reset the length of stay in the US granted on first entry.
There is no special US visa category for retired persons. Those who are retired and wish to stay in the United States temporarily can usually apply for a visitor visa.
Senior citizens can stay in the USA for up to six months on a B-2 visa or B-1 / B-2 visa and must then return to their home country.
If you are a retiree and only want to stay in the United States for up to three months and are a citizen of a country that participates in the Visa Waiver Program, you can alternatively apply for visa-free entry with ESTA. Compared to the B-2 visa, the application process is less time-consuming and less expensive.
A permanent right of residence in the United States is only possible with an immigrant visa (Green Card).
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