Home » Visas » USA

Guide to US Visas – Types, How to Apply, Process, Cost

What is a US Visa?

A United States(US) Visa is an authorization document given by the United States Department of State to a citizen of a foreign country (other than the US) to enter the US.  It is a ‘passport page size document/foil ’ glued to a full page inside the passport of the person seeking entry to the United States.

The US Visa is issued at a US Consulate or a US Embassy. The US visa foil glued in the passport has details of the individual seeking entry to the US, such as full name, date of birth, photo, visa control number, type of visa given, the validity of visa, and any annotations as needed.

The US visa also has a machine-readable strip of letters at the bottom to help US Port of Entry officers and other immigration officers read the visa information. A US Visa looks like below. Each of the fields indicates certain aspects. Check out US Visa Sample – Description of Fields, Info

Sample USA Non-Immigrant Visa - Visitor - Tourism - Work - Student - F1 -H1B - B1- B2
Sample USA Non-Immigrant Visa – Visitor – Tourism – Work – Student – F1 -H1B – B1- B2

Do I need a US Visa to enter the United States of America?

It all depends on the purpose of travel and your country of citizenship/ passport. If you fall into the below categories, you do not need a visa for short-term travel to the US for general visits.

  • Visa Waiver Program(VWP) allows citizens/ nationals of countries from 38 countries to travel for a short term of up to 90 days for purposes such as tourism, business meetings, medical treatment, etc. Each traveler from VWP countries needs to have authorization through ESTA ( Electronic System for Travel Authorization) to travel to the US.
  • Citizens of Bermuda can travel to the US without a visa for up to 180 days.
  • Canadian citizens do not need a visa to travel to the US. Canadians who spend winters in the US can stay up to 6 months from the time of entry. The length of stay is decided by a CBP officer at the port of entry.

If the above categories of citizens plan to stay in the US for the long term or for other purposes, they need to get their respective US Visas.

What are the various types of US Visas?

US Visas are broadly classified into two categories.

  • Non-immigrant Visas: These categories of visas are primarily used for temporary travel to the US like business, work, tourism, etc.
  • Immigrant Visas : These US visas are for travel to US to live permanently in US with family, high skilled workers, religious workers, etc.

Each of the above visa categories is further divided into various visa types based on the purpose of the individual’s visit and indicated by a letter or combination of letter and a number like B-1, H-1B, F-1, IR1, E1, etc. There are over 30+ visa categories. Check the full list of US Visa Categories on the State.gov official website.

How do I apply for a US Visa? What is the Process?

Below are the high-level steps to apply for a US Visa at a US Consulate.

  1. Determine the US Visa type you need to apply
  2. Gather Required Documents for US Visa Application
  3. Complete and submit online US Visa application (DS-160 or DS-260 form)
  4. Register on the Visa Appointment Booking Website, Pay the US Visa fee
  5. Schedule Biometrics, Visa Interview appointments
  6. Prepare your documents for the US visa interview
  7. Attend Biometrics, Visa Interview
  8. Check US Visa status online
  9. Collect the Passport with a US Visa.

The above steps fit into the below flow chart that outlines the typical flow to get a US Visa. Read article Step by Step Guide to apply for US Visa that talks about all the above steps in detail.

US Visa Stamping Step by Step Process
US Visa Stamping Step by Step Process

Documents Required for US Visa Interview at US Consulate

The required documents for US visa vary depending on the type of visa you plan to apply. Irrespective of the type of US visa you plan to apply, you will need some standard documents as listed below

  • Original Passport
  • Visa Appointment Booking Confirmation
  • Online Visa Application Confirmation Page (DS-160 or DS-260)
  • Education Certificates
  • Proof of funds to support your trip.
  • Additional Documents relevant to the Visa Type you are applying.

Depending on the type of visa, you will need more documents supporting it. For instance, when you apply for a work visa like H1B, you need to carry documents filed by your US employer like I-797 Approval Notice, LCA, etc.  Or, when you apply for an F1 Student visa, you will need to carry an I-20 form, SEVIS Fee payment confirmation, GRE & TOEFL Score cards, etc.

Overall, you need to plan to secure all of these documents ahead of time before you plan to schedule visa interview at US consulate or embassy.

What is the Cost of US Visa Application ?

The cost of a US visa application varies by the type of US Visa you are planning to apply. There are usually two kinds of fees: one is the actual US visa application fee that is paid during the time of the visa interview appointment, and the second is the fee that is paid before applying for a visa interview with SEVIS, USCIS, or other US agencies.

For example, if you plan to apply for an F1 visa to study in the US, you need to pay a Visa Application Fee of $185 USD for a visa interview and also $350 USD towards the I-901 SEVIS Fee after you get the I-20 form.

Also, the fee may vary by country sometimes, that’s why you need to check on the fee details by visa type and check with embassy. Read List of US Visa Fees on US Dept. of State Website

How long does it take to Process my US Visa ?

The processing time for a US visa totally depends on the type of visa you are applying for, the workload of the US consulate, and your case details. Sometimes, it can be a week or so, and sometimes, your visa application can go through administrative processing and take months. So, it all depends on your case and country of processing.

Does getting a US Visa automatically allow me to enter America?

No, a US visa does not give automatic entry into America. US visa will only allow foreign citizens to travel to the Port of Entry at the US border or Sea Port.  At the port of entry, the Customs and Border Protection(CBP) Officer checks your visa and authorizes or denies your entry to the US. You can read Process at a US Port of Entry

In general, most of the time, you would be allowed to enter. Still, if the CBP officer finds any contradictory, false information or national security threats, they can deny your entry and send you back to your home country. It is up to the discretion of the CBP Officer.

You can read more about various types of US Visas and Guides around the same below:

   

Other Articles