Visa Waiver vs. B Visitor Visa Waiver
A visa waiver is a program – approximately 40 countries participate in this program worldwide – where individuals do not need to go to the US embassy to apply for and request the tourist visa. They simply travel to the US using their own passport with a round trip ticket. The only downside is that the entry is for 90 days. It cannot be extended and it cannot be converted into another type of visa.
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The B visa has two subcategories, the B1 and the B2. In order to get the B Visitor Visa or tourist visa, people must physically go to the US embassy in their home country, and make an actual application for a tourist visa. They need to prove that they have temporary intent to travel to the US, not a permanent intent, and that they have permanent ties back home. Sometimes it’s a challenge because if people are young or elderly and they don’t have strong family ties or they’re not working, the embassy officials will judge them harshly and feel that they don’t have strong enough permanent ties back home. The visa waiver program is a blessing for all individuals of all ages in those 40 countries.
This informational blog post was brought to you by Susan Scheer, an experienced Morristown, New Jersey Non-Immigrant Visa Attorney.