Tourist Visa

The B1 Business Visitor visa is available to visitors seeking short-term entry into the U.S. to engage in legitimate business activities of a commercial or professional nature that do not involve receiving salary or payment of any kind from a U.S. source.

The B2 visa is available for tourist activities, such as sightseeing, visiting friends and relatives, obtaining medical treatment, attending conferences and meetings.

This is how Consulate defines the qualification for the visitor visa grant.

Applicants for visitor visas must show that they qualify under provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The presumption in the law is that every visitor visa applicant is an intending immigrant.

Therefore, applicants for visitor visas must overcome this presumption by demonstrating that:

A) The purpose of their trip is to enter the U.S. for business, pleasure, or medical treatment
B) That they plan to remain for a specific, limited period
C) That they have a residence outside the U.S. as well as other binding ties which will insure their return abroad at the end of the visit.

What is the Process?

There are 4 USA consulate in India and based on your address of residency/state in India, you need to contact a specific consulate that is applicable for you. Prepare all the documents as per the list given above.

Sponsor in USA needs to send:

• Completed and notarized Affidavit of Support form I-134. You can download it from US-INS web site.
• A letter from Bank/banks (on their business letter head), stating your account summary.
• (Talk to your bank and ask for your Account verification letter. Which is usually on the Banks office stationary should have Date of Account open and Current balance)
• Copy of your Bank Statement, showing a good balance in order to justify your financial position.
• A) Certificate Letter from your employer (on company’s business letter head), stating that you are a permanent employee of the company, and also stating your salary.
  B) 1 or 2 recent pay stub copies.
  C) If you are a Visa holder Copies of your – Visa (H1/L1), H1 approval form (I-797), and I-94. (If visa has expired but has a renewed petition, photocopy of the renewed petition. )
• A) If Green card Holder: Copy of green card.
  B) If USA citizen: Copy of certificate of citizenship.
• Which ever is applicable.
• A neat photocopy of your complete Passport, including even the blank pages.
• Copy of recent income tax returns.
• An application/letter from you to the US consulate in India (address it to the particular consulate e.g. Delhi), requesting for issuing a visitor visa to the concerned person, stating that you will be taking care of every needful for these people, including tickets, boarding and other expenses in USA.
• A formal invitation letter addressed to the person (person’s) you are inviting to US. Also stating that you will be taking care of all their needs while in US, including tickets, boarding and other expenses in USA

Applicant needs:

• Completed Non-immigration Visa application form DS-156, which is also available free of charge at the consulates only. (Separate for each visitor)
• Completed form DS-157, for all male nonimmigrant visa applicants between the ages of 16 and 45. Which is available free of charge at the consulates only. (Separate for each visitor)
• Each applicant, including children of any age, must possess an individual passport valid for travel to the United States with a validity date at least six months beyond the intended period of stay.
• Two photographs 2 and 2 inches square (50 mm square) for each applicant, showing full face, without head covering, against a light background. To be used in the application Form.
  US consulates are very particular about the Photographs specification.
• Must follow these guidelines for photographs