Tourist and Student Visas
Tourist visas B-1 / B-2 are issued to foreigners who want to enter the United States for the following purposes:
• A tourist trip, vacation in the USA, meeting with acquaintances, friends, relatives.
• Business trip to the USA for work purposes, such as meeting with partners, clients, and managers.
• If the person is the helper, nanny, or governess of a family traveling to the United States for a short period.
It is strictly forbidden to work in the United States on a tourist visa.
Required documents:
• Application form (Form DS-160).
• International passport valid for 6 months longer than the length of stay in the United States.
• Photo of yourself (2 x 2 inches or 5 x 5 cm)
• A receipt confirming the payment of the fee for the application.
• A letter confirming that you are registered for an interview.
It is important to prove that you have long-term plans or a family in your home country at the interview. This indicates that you are not going to stay in the US.
When you apply for B-1 / B-2 visas (like any other), it is strictly forbidden to provide false information or fake documents. In this case, you can be blacklisted, and you will never be able to get into the United States.
All documents confirming information about you must be brought in original. They cannot be sent to the consulate by mail, fax.
You need to take the following documents for an interview:
• Bank statement, information about your property or share in a business in your home country. That is, evidence of financial viability.
• Documents confirming the purpose of your visit to the United States, such as your itinerary.
• If the trip is official, you need a letter from your employer indicating who you work for, how much income you make (in the last three months), and the reasons for your trip to the United States.
• Information about arrests and convictions.
• Students wishing to travel to the United States for tourist purposes provide information from the dean’s office and a transcript, along with their student ID.
• Business owners can provide information on financial movements in the company’s account.
• If the reason for the trip is a meeting with relatives, you must confirm that they are US citizens or are there on a green card or a valid visa.
Reasons for refusing a tourist visa:
• Providing false information about the purpose of the trip or about yourself.
• If it is suspected that you actually intend to work in the United States or immigrate.
• If nothing keeps you in your home country.
• If you have already filed a petition for immigration to the United States.
• Errors in filling out documents.
• Not all required documents were provided.
• Financial insolvency means you do not have enough money for personal expenses while in the United States.
• If, last time, you stayed in the United States longer than your visa was valid.
How long can you stay in the United States on a tourist visa
You can stay in the United States on a tourist visa for no more than 6 months. After this, you can ask for an extension if there are good reasons for this.
F and M student visas
Types of American visas for students:
• F — academic education
• M — vocational education
To obtain them, you must fill out the I-20 Form.
It is important to prove the financial viability of the student. you have to have money to pay for the first year of study and all your personal expenses. For an M visa, you must confirm that you have money for the entire period of study.
Schoolchildren can also get an American student visa, but only for 1 year.
Validity periods of student visas
The F1 visa is valid 120 days before the start of your studies. But you can come to the USA only 1 month in advance.
If the visa has expired, but studies continue, the student has the right not to interrupt his studies. But if you left the United States during this period, you will only be able to return with a new visa.
After the end of the study period, students with an F visa can stay in the United States for another 2 months and students with an M visa for a month.
Students have the right to suspend their studies for 5 months without losing their student status.