Apply for your U.S. B1/B2 Visa online

For the B1/B2 tourist visa you need a passport valid for at least 6 months from your arrival date, a digital photo that meets the U.S. visa photo requirements, the DS-160 confirmation page, proof of ties to your home country such as an employment contract, studies, property or family obligations, and financial statements showing you can cover the trip. You then attend an interview at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate, where a consular officer decides whether to issue the visa.

There are two statuses and they are separate. Your iVisa application status shows where your order is with us, covering the DS-160 review, your interview booking and any documents we are still waiting on, and it is in your iVisa dashboard at any time. Your U.S. visa status with the government is the case status attached to your DS-160 and your interview, which the U.S. Embassy or Consulate updates after you attend. iVisa cannot change a government decision, but we tell you what each stage means and what to do next.

Every application filed through us has a status in your iVisa dashboard, and we email you when it moves: when our experts finish reviewing your DS-160, when your visa interview appointment at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate is booked, and when your passport is ready to collect or has gone out with the designated courier service. Support is available 24/7 in 14+ languages if you would rather have a person check it for you.

No. The government case status is looked up with the DS-160 barcode number from your confirmation page plus the location where you interviewed, not with your passport number. Your passport number identifies the passport you submitted, and once the visa is issued it sits on the visa sticker alongside the U.S. visa number. Keep your DS-160 confirmation page, because that barcode is the number every status check asks for.

The stages are the same for every B1/B2 applicant. Before the interview the case shows as ready or scheduled. After the interview it usually moves to administrative processing while the consulate completes its checks, then to issued once the visa is printed, or refused with a letter citing the reason. These labels come from the government, and only the consulate can change them. iVisa keeps you posted on our side of the process and explains what each stage means for your travel dates.

The DS-160 is the online non-immigrant visa application, the form the U.S. Department of State requires from every B1/B2 applicant before the interview. You complete the DS-160 online, upload a photo that meets U.S. visa standards, and print the confirmation page with the barcode to bring to your appointment. It cannot be changed after submission, so an error usually means starting a new form.

Yes. The DS-160 form is completed online and that is the only way to file it. On the official site your session ends after a short period of inactivity, and anything you have not saved under your application ID is lost. With iVisa you answer plain-language questions at your own pace, your progress is saved, and our team checks the DS-160 for errors before it is submitted.

Your photo must be square and in color, taken within the last 6 months, against a plain white or off-white background, with a neutral expression and both eyes open. Eyeglasses are not allowed, and head coverings only where they are worn daily for religious reasons and your full face stays visible. The digital file uploaded with the DS-160 must be a JPEG of at least 600 x 600 pixels and no more than 1200 x 1200 pixels, at 240 kB or smaller. iVisa reviews your photo before submission, and where the size, format or lighting is off, we correct it for you.

A printed U.S. visa photo is 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) and square. Your head must measure between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches (25 mm to 35 mm) from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head, which works out to 50 to 69 percent of the total image height. The digital photo you upload to the DS-160 must be a square JPEG between 600 x 600 and 1200 x 1200 pixels and no larger than 240 kB.

Once your B1/B2 visa is printed in your passport, the U.S. visa number, sometimes called the visa document number, is the red eight-digit number on the lower right of the visa sticker. It is not your passport number and not the DS-160 barcode number. This is the number airlines and border officers ask for.

If you are a citizen of a country in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), you generally only need an ESTA for stays under 90 days. If your country is not on that list, or if you plan to stay longer than 90 days, you must apply for a B1/B2 Visa.

Processing involves two stages: the administrative work (DS-160 review) and the in-person interview. While our experts review your form quickly to avoid mistakes, interview wait times vary by location and can range from a few weeks to several months. As of May 2026, many consulates are experiencing high demand; we strongly recommend applying at least 4–6 months before your planned trip.

The Visa Integrity and Border Security Fee is a $250 charge implemented under the 2025 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act.' This fee is mandatory for most non-immigrant visas, including the B1/B2. You typically pay this at the time of visa issuance (after the officer approves your visa at the interview).

Since August 3, 2026, the U.S. State Department has permanently required some B1/B2 applicants to post a refundable bond before the visa is issued. It applies only to nationals of 50 designated countries, and the consular officer decides case by case whether to require one and at which level: $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000. You submit DHS Form I-352 and pay the bond before the visa is released. The full amount is returned if you meet your visa conditions and leave the United States on time, and forfeited if you overstay. The country list can be expanded at any time, so check your nationality before you apply.

The B1 visa is for business purposes (negotiating contracts, attending conferences), while the B2 visa is for tourism, pleasure, or medical treatment. Most applicants receive a combined B1/B2 visa, which allows you to engage in both types of activities during your visit.

Unlike the ESTA, the B1/B2 visa is a physical sticker placed in your passport. After a successful interview, the U.S. Embassy keeps your passport for a few business days to print the visa. Depending on the post, you then either collect it in person or have it returned through their designated courier service.

While the visa itself may be valid for up to 10 years, you are typically granted a stay of up to 6 months (180 days) per entry.

Yes. Every traveler, including infants, must have their own visa. For children under 14, the in-person interview is often waived, but a full DS-160 application and the associated fees are still required.

If you are not eligible for an ESTA, you generally need either a Transit (C) visa or a B1/B2 visa to transit through a U.S. airport.

If denied, you will receive a letter citing the reason (the most common is 'lack of ties' under Section 214(b)).

Yes. Unlike an ESTA, a B1/B2 stay can sometimes be extended by filing Form I-539 with USCIS while you are still in the United States.