B-1/B-2 Visitor Visa

The B-1/B-2 is the U.S. visitor visa. The B-1 is for temporary business — meetings, conferences, or contract negotiations, but not paid employment — and the B-2 is for tourism, visiting family, or medical treatment; the two are usually issued together as a B-1/B-2. It is a nonimmigrant visa, so the holder must intend only a temporary stay and cannot work or enroll in a course of study. How long a visitor may actually stay is set by the border officer on the Form I-94, not by the visa's own expiration date.

Status as of July 2026. A State Department visa bond pilot, running since August 2025, can require B-1/B-2 applicants from certain designated countries — selected for high overstay rates, weak vetting, or citizenship-by-investment programs — to post a refundable bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 as a condition of the visa. The list has grown to dozens of countries, and bonded visas carry tighter limits (single entry, a short validity window, a 30-day stay, and entry through only a few airports). The pilot is scheduled to run into early August 2026, with underlying authority that allows it to be extended. A Visa Integrity Fee of at least $250 also applies to visitor visas at issuance as that requirement is implemented, and nationals of some countries face separate entry bans. Overstaying forfeits any bond.

What B-1 and B-2 cover

The two purposes sit side by side in one visa. The B-1 covers temporary business activity that stops short of working for a U.S. employer or being paid from a U.S. source — attending meetings and conferences, negotiating contracts, or settling an estate. The B-2 covers pleasure in a broad sense: tourism, visiting friends and family, medical treatment, and short recreational (not degree) courses. Both rest on nonimmigrant intent. Under section 214(b) of the immigration law, a consular officer presumes that a visitor applicant actually intends to immigrate, and the applicant must overcome that presumption by showing strong ties abroad and a genuine temporary purpose; failing to do so is the most common reason a visitor visa is refused. This visa is one of the nonimmigrant visa categories.

How long you can stay, and extensions

Two dates matter, and they are not the same. The visa's validity — which can run for years, even a decade — is only the window during which the holder may travel to a U.S. port of entry; it does not set how long they may stay. On arrival, a CBP officer records an admission period on the Form I-94, commonly up to six months for a B-2 visitor. That I-94 date is the real deadline to depart. Before it passes, a visitor may apply to USCIS on Form I-539 to extend the stay — often for up to six more months — or to change to another nonimmigrant status. Filing the request on time and otherwise complying with the visa's terms lets the visitor remain in a period of authorized stay while the application is pending.

Overstaying and its consequences

Remaining past the I-94 date — even by a single day — means falling out of status and generally beginning to accrue unlawful presence. Once unlawful presence passes 180 days, departing the country triggers a 3-year bar on returning; passing one year triggers a 10-year bar. Separately, under section 222(g) of the immigration law, an overstay automatically voids the visa, and a future visa application generally must be made at a consulate in the person's home country rather than a third country. An overstay becomes part of the immigration record and weighs on every later application, and for a bonded visa it forfeits the bond. Working without authorization is a distinct violation with its own consequences.

Visitor visa vs. the Visa Waiver Program

Not every visitor needs a B visa. Under the Visa Waiver Program, nationals of more than 40 partner countries can visit for up to 90 days without a visa by obtaining an ESTA travel authorization online for $40. The trade-offs are real: a Visa Waiver stay is capped at 90 days, generally cannot be extended or changed to another status, and travelers waive some rights, including the ability to contest removal (other than by claiming asylum). A B visa, by contrast, allows a longer initial admission and the possibility of an extension, but requires a consular application, a fee, and usually an interview.

How long can you stay on a B-1/B-2 visa?

The stay is set by the Form I-94, not the visa. A B-2 visitor is commonly admitted for up to six months, while the visa itself may be valid for years. The date on the I-94 is the last day the person may remain, unless they file a timely request to extend or change status before that date.

Can a visitor visa be extended?

The period of stay can be. A visitor files Form I-539 with USCIS before the I-94 expires to request more time — often up to six additional months — or to change to another nonimmigrant status. The visa stamp itself is not "extended"; what is extended is the authorized period of stay recorded on the I-94. A late filing generally cannot cure an overstay.

What happens if you overstay a B-2 visa?

An overstay puts the person out of status and generally starts the unlawful-presence clock. More than 180 days of unlawful presence leads to a 3-year bar on return after departure, and more than a year leads to a 10-year bar. The overstay also voids the visa under section 222(g), usually requiring any new visa to be sought in the home country, and it becomes a lasting part of the immigration record.

Can you work on a B-1 or B-2 visa?

No. Neither the B-1 nor the B-2 permits employment or being paid from a U.S. source. The B-1 allows certain business activities on behalf of a foreign employer, such as meetings and negotiations, but not filling a U.S. job or drawing a salary from a U.S. source, apart from narrow exceptions specifically permitted by law. Working without authorization is a status violation that can lead to removal and future inadmissibility.

What is the difference between a B visa and the Visa Waiver Program?

A B visa is a consular visa that allows a visit of up to about six months with a possible extension, issued after an application and usually an interview. The Visa Waiver Program lets nationals of participating countries visit for up to 90 days without a visa, using an ESTA authorization, but those stays generally cannot be extended or changed and come with fewer procedural rights.

What is the visa bond pilot program?

It is a temporary State Department program, in effect since August 2025, under which B-1/B-2 applicants from designated countries may be required to post a refundable bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 before a visa is issued. The bond is returned if the visitor complies and departs on time or files a timely extension or change of status, and forfeited on an overstay. Bonded visas also carry stricter conditions, such as a single entry, a short validity window, and entry through a limited set of airports.