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How to apply for or renew a U.S. tourist visa
If you visit the U.S. for tourism or business, you may need a visitor visa, also known as a tourist visa. Learn how to get and renew this type of nonimmigrant visa.
To enter the U.S., you must bring a passport issued by your country of citizenship along with your visa. Officials at your port of entry into the U.S. will also issue you a Form I-94, which electronically records your arrival and departure dates. Learn more about Form I-94 and how to apply .
Find out if you need a visa to visit the U.S.
Check to see if your country participates in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP) . If it does, you can get a waiver and will not need a visa. If you do not see your country listed, you will need a visitor visa.
Visitor (tourist) visa
The visitor visa, also known as a tourist visa, is a type of nonimmigrant visa for people who wish to temporarily enter the U.S. There are two categories:
- B-1 for business travel
- B-2 for tourism and medical treatment
Learn about B-1 and B-2 visas , including:
- Reasons you would need each type of visitor visa
- How to apply
- What documents you will need
- Application fees
- How to prepare for your interview at your U.S. embassy or consulate
How to renew a visitor visa
You must renew your visitor visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. Only diplomatic visa holders and their dependents can renew their visas within the U.S.
The process to renew a visitor visa is the same as getting one for the first time. Follow the process to apply for a visitor visa from the Department of State.
Find the contact information for your nearest U.S. embassy or consulate and contact them for visa renewal information.
LAST UPDATED: December 6, 2023
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When to File Your Adjustment of Status Application for Family-Sponsored or Employment-Based Preference Visas: May 2024
Are you seeking to adjust your status and become a U.S. permanent resident under a family-sponsored or employment-based preference immigrant visa? If you have not yet had a relative or employer file an immigrant visa petition on your behalf, please learn more about the Adjustment of Status Filing Process . If you already have a petition filed or approved on your behalf, you may have to wait for an available visa in your category (if applicable) before you can file your Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status . This page will help you determine when to file your adjustment of status application.
When to File
Use the Visa Bulletin charts below to determine when to file your adjustment of status application.
To use the charts:
- Find your visa type in the first column (on the left) of the appropriate chart (Family-sponsored or Employment-based).
- Stay in that row and move directly to the right to find the corresponding date under the country of your birth (as listed in the boldface columns across the top).
- If the date on the chart is current (“C”), or your priority date is earlier than the date on the chart, you may file your adjustment of status application, if otherwise eligible to do so.
- “U” means unauthorized; for example, numbers are not authorized for issuance.
Your priority date is generally the date when your relative or employer properly filed the immigrant visa petition on your behalf with USCIS. If a labor certification is required to be filed with your immigrant visa petition, the priority date is the date the labor certification application was accepted for processing by the Department of Labor.
About the Visa Bulletin
DOS publishes current immigrant visa availability information in a monthly Visa Bulletin . The Visa Bulletin indicates when statutorily limited visas are available for issuance to prospective immigrants based on their individual priority date.
On Nov. 20, 2014, the Secretary of Homeland Security directed USCIS to work with DOS to:
- Ensure that all immigrant visas authorized by Congress are issued to eligible individuals when there is sufficient demand for such visas, and
- Improve the Visa Bulletin system for determining when immigrant visas are available to applicants during the fiscal year.
Additionally, in July 2015, the Administration issued its report on Modernizing and Streamlining Our Legal Immigration System for the 21st Century (PDF) . This report included detailed recommendations to revise and update the monthly Visa Bulletin to better estimate immigrant visa availability and provide needed predictability to nonimmigrant workers seeking permanent residency.
USCIS, in coordination with DOS, revised the procedures for determining visa availability for applicants waiting to file for adjustment of status. The revised process will better align with procedures DOS uses for noncitizens who seek to become U.S. permanent residents by applying for immigrant visas at U.S. consulates and embassies abroad.
This revised process will enhance DOS’s ability to more accurately predict overall immigrant visa demand in determining the cut-off dates for the Visa Bulletin. This will help ensure that the maximum number of immigrant visas are issued annually as intended by Congress, and minimize month-to-month fluctuations in Visa Bulletin final action dates. Additional goals are outlined in the White House report, Modernizing and Streamlining Our Legal Immigration System for the 21st Century (PDF) .
New Visa Bulletin Charts
The Visa Bulletin will now have two different charts because of the revised procedures. DOS will post two charts per visa preference category in the DOS Visa Bulletin. The charts are:
- Application Final Action Dates (dates when visas may finally be issued); and
- Dates for Filing Applications (earliest dates when applicants may be able to apply).
When USCIS determines there are immigrant visas available for the filing of additional adjustment of status applications, the Dates for Filing Applications chart may be used to determine when to file an adjustment of status application with USCIS. Otherwise, the Application Final Action Dates chart must be used to determine when to file an adjustment of status application with USCIS.
In coordination with the DOS, USCIS will monitor visa numbers each month and post the relevant chart on this page under When to File.
Determining Visa Availability
USCIS considers several factors to determine if there is a greater supply of visas than the demand for those visas. To determine visa availability, USCIS will compare the number of visas available for the remainder of the fiscal year with:
- Documentarily qualified visa applications reported by DOS;
- Pending adjustment of status applications reported by USCIS; and
- Historical drop off rate of applicants for adjustment of status (for example, denials, withdrawals and abandonments)
IMAGES
VIDEO
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The estimated wait time to receive a nonimmigrant visa interview appointment at a U.S. embassy or consulate and is based on workload and staffing and can vary from week to week. The information provided is an estimate and does not guarantee the availability of an appointment. Wait Time for Interview Waiver. Wait times for applicants eligible ...
Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for a temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. Visitor visas are nonimmigrant visas for persons who want to enter the United States temporarily for business (visa category B-1), for tourism (visa category B-2), or for a combination of both ...
The US visa processing time depends on the type of visa that you are applying for. It takes from 3 to 5 weeks for a US visa application to get processed. After the processing, the applicant can get a positive reply on their application, and the consulate will deliver the document. The delivery of the visa can take up to two other workdays.
The process to renew a visitor visa is the same as getting one for the first time. Follow the process to apply for a visitor visa from the Department of State. Find the contact information for your nearest U.S. embassy or consulate and contact them for visa renewal information. LAST UPDATED: December 6, 2023.
Advance travel planning and early visa application is important. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates try to keep the visa issuance wait times as short as possible. Some visa types may have longer wait times for the application appointment and processing. Select the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you plan to apply for current wait time information ...
We will accept Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, from family-sponsored and employment-based adjustment of status preference applicants according to the monthly Visa Bulletin that DOS publishes as a guide for issuing visas at U.S. Consulates and Embassies.. The monthly DOS Visa Bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant visas according to the:
obtain a visitor visa in time to travel to the U.S. SOLUTIONS The Biden Administration must make it an economic priority to reduce interview wait times for first-time visitor visas. We urge the Biden Administration and State Department to take the following steps: • Set clear timelines and goals to restore efficient visa processing.
The U.S. Embassy and Consulates try to keep the visa issuance wait times as short as possible. Some visa types may have longer wait times for the application appointment and processing. Select the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you plan to apply for current wait time information: Find information on the current appointment wait time, by visa ...
Apply for a U.S. Visa. At this website, you can learn about obtaining a visa, as well as applying for your visa. How to apply for your nonimmigrant visa for travel to the United States. What documents, photos and information you need to apply for your visa. How to access visa application forms and instructions.
One is domestic renewal of visas. This is being run as a pilot starting next month and into the beginning of the calendar year, 2024. What this means is that people who are living and working in the United States on a long-term work visa do not have to leave the United States to apply for their next visa or to renew their visa.
Administrative Processing Belfast. If a visa application is approved during a visa interview, the average processing time is 5-7 working days. At least a further 2-3 workdays should be allowed for delivery. If you are eligible for the 'Interview Waiver Program' and submit your application by courier without attending an interview.
Visa Wait Times. Advance travel planning and early visa application is important. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates try to keep the visa issuance wait times as short as possible. Some visa types may have longer wait times for the application appointment and processing. Select the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you plan to apply for current wait ...
A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler's passport. Certain international travelers may be eligible to travel to the United States without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program, which is administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) .
Welcome to the US Visa & USCIS Immigration Timelines Section. You can view helpful statistics, processing times & estimated approval dates for your immigration case. This includes Visa Bulletin Predictions, Processing Times at USCIS Service Centers, the NVC, Consulates and other locations. Keep your data up to date to keep the VJ Timelines ...
Applicants may now direct any visa-related inquiries to [email protected]. Important Notice: B1/B2 interview waiver appointments consolidating in New Delhi. Please note that B1/B2 interview waiver appointments have been consolidated in New Delhi beginning March 2024. Applicants are still able to submit application forms free of ...
The Visa section of this website is about U.S. visas for foreign citizens and nationals to travel to the United States. Visit Travel.State.gov for additional information. Note: U.S. citizens do not need a U.S. visa for travel to the United States. When planning travel abroad a U.S. citizen may need a visa issued by the embassy or consulate of ...
Note: U.S. citizens do not need a U.S. visa for travel to the United States, but when planning travel abroad a U.S. citizen may need a visa issued by the embassy or consulate of the country they wish to visit. Do You Already Know What Type of Visa You Need? For nonimmigrant visas, you can go directly to the online application for the DS-160; or ...
Administrative Processing Information. There are only two possible outcomes for complete and executed U.S. visa applications (absent a visa sanction against a country under Section 243 (d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act). The consular officer will either issue or refuse the visa.
Advance travel planning and early visa application is important. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates try to keep the visa issuance wait times as short as possible. Some visa types may have longer wait times for the application appointment and processing. Select the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you plan to apply for current wait time information:
Current case creation time frame: As of 9-Apr-24, we are working on cases that were received from USCIS on 1-Apr-24. Once USCIS sends your I-797 approval notice, they will send your approved petition to the National Visa Center (NVC) for processing. At NVC, we will create your visa case and enter the data from your petition into the system.
The Visa Bulletin will now have two different charts because of the revised procedures. DOS will post two charts per visa preference category in the DOS Visa Bulletin. The charts are: Application Final Action Dates (dates when visas may finally be issued); and; Dates for Filing Applications (earliest dates when applicants may be able to apply).
September 29, 2024. Visas issued prior to that date will be valid only until September 29, 2024, and all individuals seeking admission in the non-minister special immigrant category must be admitted (repeat admitted) into the United States no later than midnight September 29, 2024.