Millions of global residents journey to the US each year for tourism, an enterprise that generates approximately $one hundred billion for the U.S. economy each year. Therefore, America has a vested interest in ensuring that the united states stay accessible to vacationers. Under the visa waiver program (VWP), the United States allows residents of 30 nations visa-unfastened travel to America for enterprise or tourism for remains of up to ninety days. In return, the one 30 nations permit U.S. Residents and nationals to journey to their international locations for the same length without a visa for enterprise or tourism functions. Additionally, Canadian residents usually do no longer want a visa to enter the US as travelers. Those who don’t qualify underneath VWP can observe a B-1 visa (tourist for commercial enterprise), a B-2 visa (tourist for pleasure), or a combination B-1/B-2 traveler visa.
This article will focus on the two maximum regularly requested questions about journeying to the United States on a B-2 visa as we head into summer travel. First, to qualify for a B-2 visa, the applicant must now not be ineligible due to preceding immigration or crook violations. Additionally, they ought to prove to the consular officer that they have sufficient ties to their domestic united states of America to expose that any visit to America might be short and transient. At every entry into the US on a B-2 visa, an overseas national can be legal to live for as much as 180 days within the United States.
Length and Frequency of Travel
The maximum common question immigration lawyers obtain approximately traveling to the USA on a B-2 visa is: “How regularly can I come to the USA?” Each time a person involves the u. S. A. As a visitor, the officer must be able to determine that the character is visiting. Thus, the motive, duration, and frequency of trips to America are consistent with proof that the character completely lives overseas.
There is no brilliant line rule for how a visitor typically can use their B-2 visa to enter the u. S. A… Instead, Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) will examine the traveler’s journey records to decide if they are coming to the USA for brief, transient remains or using the tourist visa to stay or paintings inside the United States. Visitors who frequently spend extended durations of time within the United States may have issues convincing the CBP officer that they no longer have a purpose to stay or work inside the United States.
For instance, someone who enters the u. S. Once 12 months and stays for multiple weeks or months at a time isn’t always probable to be stopped and questioned about their cause on the border. However, if someone had been to enter the United States for some months, go away for a few days or even weeks, and re-enter for a few months, they’re more likely to be stopped on the border and puzzled approximately the cause of their visits to the USA. If the CBP officer does now not believe that the man or woman is coming in for brief and temporary remains, the officer can impose restriction on how plenty time the tourist is allowed to live inside the United States and, in a few rare instances, can prevent the traveler from getting into America completely.
So, relying on the frequency and duration of their trips, two trips in 12 months may be too many, or 5 trips in a yr can be pleasant. Ultimately, the CBP officer is assessing every traveler’s honesty and reliability while interviewing the foreign countrywide. The officer will also be considering any proof they have delivered with them of the reason for their journey, length of the experience, and the immigration service’s statistics of the character’s journey records. If the officer is concerned about previous journey history or the overseas national’s cause, the officer can reduce the period of authorized life from six months to a handful of days. In the most severe of instances, the officer can refuse foreign visitor access into the USA.
Permissible Activities on a B-2 Visa
While the frequency and duration of visits are the most commonplace questions, we additionally receive many questions on what sports are permissible on a B-2 visa. Given the transient nature of the visa reason, it can only be used for sure activities within the United States, such as tourism, traveling own family and buddies, clinical remedy, brief recreational publications of taking a look at or different comparable activities. Courses won’t be for credit score closer to a diploma, however as an alternative as an example, a one-day cooking elegance while on holiday.
Certain activities aren’t authorized on vacationer visas, along with taking a look at and paintings. What constitutes “paintings” may be an intricate query. There is a commonplace false impression that if a hobby is unpaid, it isn’t always paintings. Unfortunately, this isn’t proper. For instance, working at no cost at a family pal’s commercial enterprise while on a traveler visa would be considered work. Babysitting a family member’s youngsters for room and board can also be considered employment.
B-2 site visitors must be forthright approximately the motives why they may be searching for a B-2 visa at the U.S. Consulate overseas. After being granted the B-2 visa, it’s far important the foreign countrywide be privy to regulations on the B-2 visa and to make sure that each one sport within the U.S. Are constant with the B-2 status if there’s ever any doubt whether or not a sure interest is allowed on a B-2 visa or if a couple of or prolonged trips to the United States might trigger troubles on the border, the B-2 traveler should agenda a session with legal immigration professional.
