If you are a foreign national and want to visit the United States, you may wonder what is the easiest visa to get. This depends on the person and situation, but for many, obtaining a B visa is the easiest and best to get. A B visa is a nonimmigrant visa for someone who wants to visit the US on business or for tourism. It also can obtained if you want to come to the US to for medical treatments.
One exception to getting a visa to come to the US is if you are a citizen of a country that is part of the Visa Waiver Program. Most countries in the EU and a few others are in this program, and if you live in one of them, you can visit the US for 90 days in most cases and cannot usually extend beyond that. You also cannot change your visa status under the waiver program, so if you get married or are offered a job, you cannot stay; you must go home and reapply.
How To Get A B1 Or B2 Visa
A B1 visa is for business and a B2 visa is for tourism or a medical visit. Applying for either visa is relatively easy but they are both harder to get than many realize. Many visitor visa applications are denied, so it is important that you understand what makes you eligible for one. You need to demonstrate the following in your application and consular interview:
- Why you want to visit the US, be it for business, pleasure, or a medical reason.
- You intend to stay in the US for a brief period and can demonstrate it by your itinerary and lodging plans.
- You have a job, property, and/or residence in your home country that you will return to.
The documents that are needed for this visa are:
- Form I-134
- Passport that is valid for at least six months
- A passport-style photo
- Documents that prove the reason for your trip and where you will stay
- Documents that show you will go back to your native country, such as proof of a job, home, and real estate.
- Proof that you can pay for your expenses in the US and will not be a burden to the taxpayer.
- If you are coming for a job, you need a letter from your employer describing the position and what you will do while in the US.
- If you come for medical reasons, you need something from your doctor stating why you need to come to the US for your treatments and where they will occur.
All of these are important and you must provide documentation of them to get a visa. Also, you have to show you are not a criminal or have a communicable disease. Another reason for non-admission is if you have a previous record of entering and staying illegally.
If you do get a visa, you will probably be given between 30 days and one year to stay, but many people are approved for six months. People with a B1 visa usually get to stay the longest.
Summary
Getting a B visa is the easiest for coming to the US, but you need to have plenty of paperwork to back your visit and prove that you will go home after your stay.