B1 B2 Visa
A B-1 (“Visitor for Business”) or B-2 (“Visitor for Pleasure”) visa is a nonimmigrant visa. Applications for a B-1 B-2 visa are made at a U.S. Embassy. Possession of a B1 B2 visa does not guarantee admission into the United States; rather it is a required for boarding air and sea carriers and permits the bearer to make application for admission at pre-flight inspection or at the U.S. port of entry.
B-1 “Visitor for Business”
Admitted to conduct business which will principally benefit his or her overseas employer and, with limited exceptions, must be paid by the employer abroad. B-1 visa holders cannot obtain U.S. employment authorization, with the exception of domestic servants accompanying returning United States citizens who are temporarily assigned to the U.S. or who permanently reside abroad or are the domestic servants of those holding certain other nonimmigrant classifications.
B-2 “Visitors for Pleasure”
Must establish to the satisfaction of the U.S. Consulate that he or she possesses a residence in his or her home country that is not being abandoned and proof that there are sufficient funds available for self support in the United States. Spouses accompanying a B-1 business foreign national may initially be issued B-2 visas.
Arrival and Departure Information
Upon arrival in the U.S., a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer stamps the travel document of each arriving non-immigrant traveler with the admission date, the class of admission, and the period of admission granted the traveler.
Foreign visitors to the U.S. arriving via air or sea no longer need to complete (CBP) Form I-94 or I-94W. CBP now gathers travelers’ arrival/departure information automatically from their electronic travel records. Because advance information is only transmitted for air and sea travelers, CBP will still issue a paper form I-94 at land border ports of entry.
Those who need to prove their legal-visitor status—to employers, schools/universities or government agencies—can access their CBP arrival/departure record information online.
If you are currently in the U.S. on a B-1 B-2 visa and would like to request an extension of stay; or, if you are in the U.S. in another non-immigrant status and would like to apply for a Change of Status with USCIS, the immigration attorneys at Allen & Pinnix, P.A., can assist you. Schedule a confidential consultation here or contact our office at 919.755.0505.
