US Visitor Visas

If you are looking to travel to the United States temporarily as a visitor, you will need to obtain a nonimmigrant visa. There are three types of nonimmigrant visitor visas:

B-1 Business Visitor Visa

This visa type allows for individuals to travel to the United States to engage in the following activity:

• Consult with business associates
• Attend a scientific, educational, professional, or business convention or conference
• Settle an estate
• Negotiate a contract

B-2 Tourism Visitor Visa

This visa type allows for individuals to travel to the United States to engage in the following activity:

• Tourism
• Vacation (holiday)
• Visit with friends or relatives
• Medical treatment
• Participation in social events hosted by fraternal, social, or service organisations
• Participation by amateurs in musical, sports, or similar events or contests, if not being paid for participating
• Enrollment in a short recreational course of study, not for credit toward a degree (e.g. two day cooking class while on vacation)

The nonimmigrant visitor visas cannot be used for the following travel purposes:

• Study
• Employment
• Paid performances, or any professional performance before a paying audience
• Arrival as a crewmember on a ship or aircraft
• Work as foreign press, in radio, film, print journalism, or other information media
• Permanent residence in the United States

If you are travelling for one of the above reasons, you must obtain the relevant visa type for that purpose.

General Overview of the Application Process

1. Online visa application (Form DS-160)
2. Attend an interview: since 2 September 2025 most applicants must interview in person, including children under 14 and people over 79. Interview waivers are limited to some renewals.
3. Visa application fee: US$185
   Please note: if your visa is approved you may also be required to pay a visa issuance fee if applicable to your nationality
4. Required documentation
   1. Passport
   2. Form DS-160
   3. Application Fee
   4. Photo
   5. Additional documentation i.e. evidence of the purpose of your trip, intent to depart the US at the end of your trip, financial capability

Other Types of Nonimmigrant Visitor Visas

There are also Transit Visas available to travel into the United States as a nonimmigrant visa. However, these are less common.

Transit C Visas

This visa type is primarily for foreign nationals who are travelling through the United States to another country, and they intend to have a brief stop over in the US. This usually forms part of their travel to the next foreign destination.

Transit C-1, D and C-1/D Visas

These visa types are for crewmembers of sea vessels or international airlines that are travelling to the United States. These visas are intended for transit travel.