Study & visit

The B-1/B-2 visitor visa: what you can do and how to apply

The B-1/B-2 visa is for short business trips (B-1) and tourism, family visits or medical treatment (B-2). You apply with Form DS-160, pay a $185 fee and, in most cases, attend an interview. Working for a U.S. employer is not allowed. As of October 2026, some nationals face visa bonds or travel restrictions.

Updated October 28, 2026 How we research and update

Who the visitor visa is for

The B visa covers temporary visits that do not involve working for a U.S. employer. Most visas are issued as a combined B-1/B-2, so you can use one visa for both business and leisure trips. You must show that your trip is temporary, that you can pay for it, and that you have a residence abroad you intend to return to.

Citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries can often travel for up to 90 days with an ESTA instead, but a B visa may still make sense if you need a longer stay, have been refused an ESTA, or are ineligible for the program. Our study and visit hub covers other short-term options.

Statue of Liberty with the Lower Manhattan skyline across the harbor

What you can and cannot do

Generally allowed	Generally not allowed
Meeting business contacts, negotiating contracts, attending conferences (B-1)	Working for a U.S. company or being paid from a U.S. source for local work
Settling an estate or attending to legal matters (B-1)	Taking a job, even unpaid, that a U.S. worker would normally do
Tourism, visiting family and friends (B-2)	Enrolling in a course of study for credit
Medical treatment (B-2)	Performing professionally for pay before a paying audience
Short recreational courses (B-2)	Working as crew on a ship or aircraft
Participating in amateur events without pay (B-2)	Arriving as a journalist or for foreign media work (uses the I visa)

Some narrower activities, such as certain domestic workers traveling with employers, are allowed under specific conditions. If your trip involves any hands-on work, check with an attorney before you go.

How to apply for a B-1/B-2 visa

Complete Form DS-160 online, using only the official State Department site (see official visa sites). Answer accurately, including past travel, prior refusals and social media identifiers.
Pay the $185 visa application fee and schedule an interview at the embassy or consulate in your country of nationality or residence.
Check estimated wait times. The State Department publishes interview wait estimates for each post. In some countries the wait for a first-time visitor appointment is many months.
Gather evidence of your trip purpose, finances and ties at home: employment letter, property, family, business invitation or medical appointment letter.
Attend the interview. Since September 2, 2025, most applicants must appear in person, including children under 14 and adults over 79. A narrow interview waiver remains for some people renewing a full-validity B-1/B-2 visa within 12 months of expiry who were at least 18 when it was issued and have no prior refusals.
Post a bond if required (see below), pay any visa integrity fee your post collects, and receive your visa.

How much does a B-1/B-2 visa cost?

Item	Amount	Notes
Visa application (MRV) fee	$185	Nonrefundable, as of October 2026
Visa integrity fee	$250 base amount in statute; may be adjusted for inflation	Due at issuance once implemented; not listed on the State Department fee page as of October 2026; the law allows a later refund if you follow your visa terms
Reciprocity fee	Varies by nationality	Shown in the State Department reciprocity table
Visa bond (listed countries only)	$10,000, $15,000 or $20,000	Returned if you comply with the bond terms
Form I-539 extension (USCIS)	$420 online or $470 paper	As of October 2026; check the USCIS fee schedule before filing

Visa integrity fee

The 2025 budget law (Public Law 119-21) created a $250 visa integrity fee on most nonimmigrant visas, including B-1/B-2, to be paid when the visa is issued. Travelers using the Visa Waiver Program do not pay it. The law sets the fee at $250 or more and requires yearly inflation adjustments, and it lets DHS refund the fee later to visitors who follow the terms of their visa. As of October 2026, the State Department's visa fee page did not list this fee, and no official payment or refund procedure had been published. Ask your consulate and keep proof of payment and of your timely departure.

Visa bonds

An officer stamping a passport with a visitor stamp

The State Department ran a 12-month visa bond pilot starting August 20, 2025, and made it permanent through a final rule published August 3, 2026. Nationals of countries on its list may be required to post a bond before a B-1/B-2 visa is issued. Under the final rule, officers generally set the bond at $15,000, but may set $10,000 or $20,000 depending on your circumstances. The State Department's January 2026 list named 38 countries, many in Africa, plus several in the Caribbean, Central and South Asia, and the Pacific.

Pay a bond only when a consular officer tells you to, and only through the official U.S. government payment system the officer gives you. Never pay a third party; see how to avoid immigration scams.
Bonded travelers must enter and leave the U.S. through a commercial airport (CBP Preclearance locations count), not a land or sea border crossing. During the pilot, only three designated airports were allowed, so check the current rule before you book.
The bond is generally returned if you depart on time. Overstaying, or filing for asylum or other humanitarian protection, can lead to forfeiture.

The country list changes, and countries can be added on short notice. Check the State Department's "Countries Subject to Visa Bonds" page before you apply. When we checked in October 2026, that page still described the pilot-era amounts and airports, so if it differs from the final rule, follow the written instructions your consular officer gives you.

Travel restrictions in effect

Presidential Proclamation 10998, effective January 1, 2026, expanded the June 2025 travel ban. As of October 2026:

Full suspension (immigrant and nonimmigrant visas, including B visas): Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), Burkina Faso, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, plus holders of Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents.
Partial suspension (immigrant visas and B, F, M and J visas): Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Turkmenistan is restricted for immigrant visas only.

Exceptions include people who already held a valid visa on the effective date, green card holders, dual nationals traveling on a passport from a country not on the list, certain athletes for major sporting events, diplomats, and rare national interest cases. The proclamation calls for periodic reviews, so countries can be added or removed. Check the State Department's travel restriction page before you apply.

How long can you stay on a visitor visa?

The visa's expiration date only shows how long you can use it to travel. Your permitted stay is set by the CBP officer at entry and recorded on your electronic I-94. B-2 visitors are often admitted for up to six months; B-1 visitors are typically admitted for the time needed for the business, sometimes less. Download your I-94 from the CBP website after each entry and check the date.

Staying even one day past your I-94 date normally voids your visa, and long overstays can trigger 3-year or 10-year bars on returning.

Can you extend your stay or change status?

If you need more time for a legitimate reason, such as an illness or a delay in settling family business, you can file Form I-539 with USCIS before your I-94 expires. You can usually remain while a timely extension is pending, but processing can take months, and a denial can leave you out of status from the date your I-94 expired. If you hold a visa bond, a timely extension is not itself a bond violation, but USCIS may weigh the bond in its decision.

Changing to another status, such as F-1 student, is sometimes possible inside the U.S., but you cannot begin the new activity until approval, and officers may question your intent at entry. Get advice first.

Common problems

214(b) refusals for not showing strong enough ties abroad. You can reapply when your circumstances change.
Misrepresentation findings if your stated purpose does not match what you do. These can make you permanently inadmissible.
Working while visiting, including remote-looking arrangements for U.S. clients. Ask before you go.
Secondary inspection at the border, where CBP may review your phone and documents. Carry evidence of your plans and return ticket.

What to ask an attorney

Is my planned business activity allowed under B-1, or do I need a work visa?
I was refused before. What has changed that I should document?
Does a travel restriction or bond requirement apply to me, and does any exception fit?
Should I file an extension, or leave and return?

Frequently asked questions

How much does a B-1/B-2 visa cost in 2026?

The visa application fee is $185 as of October 2026. A visa integrity fee created by a 2025 law (at least $250, adjusted for inflation) may also apply when the visa is issued once it is put into effect, so ask your consulate. Some nationalities pay a reciprocity fee, and nationals of certain countries may need to post a refundable bond of $10,000 to $20,000.

How long can I stay in the U.S. on a B-2 visa?

The CBP officer decides at entry and records the date on your I-94. Tourists are often admitted for up to six months, but the officer can give less. The visa's validity, which can be up to ten years for some nationalities, is only the period during which you can use it to travel, not the length of each stay.

Can I work remotely for my foreign employer while visiting the U.S.?

The rules do not clearly address this. Short periods of incidental work for a foreign employer, such as answering email, are commonly tolerated, but doing your regular job from the U.S. for an extended visit can raise questions at the border. Doing any work for U.S. clients or companies is generally not allowed. Talk to an attorney if remote work is a big part of your trip.

Which countries are under the U.S. travel ban in 2026?

Under Proclamation 10998, effective January 1, 2026, nationals of 19 countries, plus holders of Palestinian Authority travel documents, face a full visa suspension, and nationals of 19 more face a partial suspension that covers visitor, student and exchange visas. Lists can change, so check the State Department's travel restriction page before applying.

What is the U.S. visa bond and who must pay it?

It is a refundable deposit that consular officers may require from B-1/B-2 applicants from countries on a State Department list. The program became permanent in August 2026, with amounts of $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000. You pay only if an officer instructs you, through the official government system, and you generally get it back if you leave on time.

Can I extend my tourist visa stay?

You can ask USCIS to extend your stay by filing Form I-539 before your I-94 date passes, explaining why you need more time and showing you can support yourself. Approval is not automatic and processing can take months. Visa Waiver Program travelers generally cannot extend except in emergencies through CBP.

Official sources

General information, not legal advice. Immigration rules change and every case is different; talk to a qualified immigration attorney about your situation. USVisa.com is not a government website. Spot an error? Tell us.