Tourist & Business Visa
Visa Type | Description |
B1 | Temporary visitor for business |
B2 | Temporary visitor for pleasure |
B1/B2 | Temporary visitor for business and pleasure |
Depending on the nationality and the length of the intended stay in the US, the intending traveler may need a B1, B2 or B1/B2 visa.
1) Nationals of a non-Visa Waiver Program (VWP) country, or nationals of all Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries who wish to stay more than 90 days for business purposes, need a business visa (B1). The B1 does not allow accepting employment in the US, but one can negotiate contracts, consult with a business associate, assist/participate in a professional conference/seminar, undertake independent research, visit expositions, buy materials, meet customers and take orders.
2) Nationals of a non-Visa Waiver Program (non-VWP) country, or those (for all VWP country nationals) who wish to stay more than 90 days for tourism purposes, need a tourist visa (B2).
To qualify for these visas, applicants need to overcome the presumption in section 214 (b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) that all visa applicants are intending immigrants. To overcome this presumption, one must provide evidence of strong, binding ties to country of residence. Such ties may include business, employment, family, property or other connections, tangible or intangible, which satisfy a consular officer that the applicant will leave the United States voluntarily after a temporary visit, and that they have no intention of applying for immigrant status.
To summarize, a visitor for business/training or pleasure must establish that s/he:
How to Apply
To apply for a U.S. visa, each applicant needs to schedule an appointment for an interview in advance, by emailing at NIV Appointment Request. Please specify the following when requesting an appointment:
Your full name
Your passport type & nationality
Your intended date of travel
The reason for your travel
Your telephone number
Note
If you are TRAVELING for an BUSINESS, PLEASE SPECIFY IT ON YOUR REQUEST, adding the compelling reasons for requesting a priority over regular cases. The same applies to FAMILY or OTHER emergencies, such as death of a family member or appearance in a court in the U.S. We will do all we can to expedite the process of genuine time sensitive cases.
You will then receive a notification asking you for additional information, if any, or giving you the date and time of your interview.
For a list of things that applicants must bring to the Embassy on the date of the interview, please refer to the box on the right.
Note: For finger print purposes we advise applicants not to use henna on their hands or fingers (especially on the fingertips).
For routine questions concerning visa operating hours and application procedures, please e-mail us at DJI-CONS-NIV@state.gov .
The Embassy is closed for Djiboutian and American holidays.