A holiday bliss that is leading people to become a permanent resident of USA. A common question on everyone mind is “How long is a holiday visa for USA?” People want to know whether they have a chance or not. You may have seen many websites but its hard to say whether they are genuine or not. People share their experience with one another and help them in becoming citizens of America..If you plan to visit America for a holiday, there are a number of visas available to help you do that. These visas allow you to enter the country, but that’s where the similarity ends. Some visas allow you to work while others don’t. Some visas last 6 months while others last 12 months.

How Long Is A Holiday Visa For America

Visa regulations are usually strict and rigid, but the guidelines on how long a visa is granted for vary wildly depending on which country you plan to visit. Many visas are restricted to only a few weeks, while others don’t have a limit at all. Knowing in advance whether or not your visa has any limits will enable you to better plan a trip.Visa requirements for holiday and tourism to the USA could be overwhelming. There are over 15 types of American visas. In this article, we will tell you about getting a tourist visa. We will explain how to get a tourist visa and what documents are required. To explore all 15 types of American visas available, please visit Embassy and Consulate Information .

Table of Contents

TRAVEL TO THE US FOR VISITS & TOURISM

Visiting friends and family in the US? Looking to travel for tourism or medical purposes? The US B2 visa is ideal for short term travellers visiting the US for non-business purposes.

Business or Tourism Visitor Visa to the USThe US offers different types of short visit visas for – business travelers, tourists, and future spouses.Those planning a short visit to the US – for business or tourism – might be required to get a US visitor or transit visa.The US visa to be applied for will be as per the purpose of visiting the US.
B-1	For business travelers, to –· Attend a conference,· Consult with business associates,· Negotiate a contract, or· Settle an estate.
B-2	For tourists on vacation and people coming to the US for participating in amateur contests or social events, or for taking medical treatment.
Transit C	For foreign nationals travelling through the US to another destination, stopping for a short time in the US while on their onward journey.
Transit C-1, D, and C-1/D	For crewmembers of international airlines or crewmembers of sea vessels traveling to the US.

If an individual is engaged to a US citizen and planning to marry and live in the US, their fiancé(e) might be able to petition for a US K-1 visa on their behalf. The K-1 visa allows the visa holder to travel to the US to marry their fiancé(e) within 90 days of arriving. After marriage, they might apply for an adjustment of status to get US Green Card.

Y-Axis has helped thousands of people successfully apply for visas across the World. Our in-depth knowledge of the US visa process makes us the best option for you to file your US B2 visa application.

The B-2 visa is a non-immigrant US visa. The visa gives permission to individuals to enter the US for a short period either for tourism, recreation or for family visits.

B-visa holders can engage in the following activities when they are in the US:

Come to the country on a holiday
Visit the various cities in the country
Visit their friends or family
Take part in social events conducted by organizations
Visit the country for medical treatment
Participate in sports or music events
Participate in short term courses

US B2 VISA DETAILS

The US B2 visa is the best way for short term visitors to visit the US. It is typically issued for a period of 6 months. In some cases, it is issued as a multiple entry visa for a period of up to 10 years. Key details of the B2 visa are:

You must be able to persuade US consular officials at a US Embassy/Consulate that they are not visiting the country with an intention to become an immigrant of that country
You must show reasons and evidence that you would definitely return to your home country
You must book appointments for giving your biometrics (finger scan) and visa interview
Children below 14 years and adults above 80 years are not required to visit the Consulate/Embassy for an interview and can submit the documents at the visa application centre
People who already had a US Visit Visa and now applying for renewal can get the visa renewed by booking the visa appointment at visa application centre and submitting the documents in person

Typically the visa is processed within 2-3 days and your passport can either be collected from the VAC centre or couriered to you.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR USA B2 VISITOR VISA

The documentation required for the B2 visa includes:

Your passport
Proof of funds
Letters supporting your reason of visiting the US
Adequate insurance coverage
Details of who you are staying with and where
Air tickets
Evidence that you will return to your home country
Financial documents
Insurance and other supporting documents

THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THE B-2 VISA

Submit the Form DS-160
Pay the visa fees
Schedule the tourist visa interview at the US embassy or consulate
Complete the B-2 visa document file
Attend the visa interview

If you have applied for the US tourist visa, you will be required to attend a visa interview where you will be asked questions about the purpose of your trip and your travel plans.

Preparing for the visa interview

Schedule an appointment for your visa interview in the country where you reside: While your interview may be scheduled at any U.S. Embassy or Consulate, it may be more difficult to obtain a visa outside the country where you live permanently.) Search for your country of residence at USEmbassy.gov to find the nearest embassy or consulate — and its contact details.
Check on the wait time: Understand that wait times differ according to the venue, visa category and even season, which is why applying early is crucial.
Pay the visa application fee which is non-refundable
Gather the required documents: These include:

Passport valid 6 months after your scheduled departure from the US
Type DS-160 confirmation page for non-immigrant visa application
Receipt of Transaction Fee
One printed photo that satisfies visitor visa requirements

Prepare for the interview by rehearsing answers for frequently asked questions

Visa interviews are generally required of travelers between the ages of 14-79, Typically, interviews are not required of applicants 13 years of age and younger or 80 years of age and older—through consular officers can choose to interview any visa applicant, regardless of age.

US C1 VISA:

You might be traveling to a destination but have to necessarily stop for a layover within the United States. This means that you will have to transit through the US. For this you will need the C1 visa or the Transit Visa for USA.

A US Transit Visa gives you permission to enter the US and stay for a layover. When your planned flight or ship leaves for your next destination, you will have to leave the US.

The US government issues C1 visas for immediate and continuous transit through the country. This means that if travel to your final destination requires a layover in the US and you will be allowed to stop in the US but will have no other privileges.

The Transit visa allows you to stay in the US only for the approved time because this is not a visa for tourism or business.

Typically, the visa is processed within 5 days. Processing times for any US visa depends on the workload of the US Embassy from where you are applying. If there are more applications, it will take a longer time. Since the C1 visa has a shorter duration, its processing time will be faster compared to other visas.

Documents Required For US C1 Transit Visa

Completed DS-160 application form.
Your passport with at least one blank page to be able to affix visa.
One photograph fulfilling the requirements set by the US authorities.
Proof of having paid transit visa fees.
Social media details.
Proof that you are allowed to enter the country of your final destination.
Ticket or itinerary to your final destination.
Letter stating the purpose of your visit to your final destination.
Proof of having funds to cover your expenses during your transit.
Proof that you will return to your home or another country after your stay in the US.
Proof of medical health insurance.

THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THE C1 VISA

Submit the Form DS-160
Pay the visa fees
Schedule the transit visa interview at the US embassy or consulate
Submit the required documents
Attend the visa interview

What Are the Restrictions of the C1 Visa?

Since the C1 visa does not allow you to stay in the US, there are several restrictions which you will have to follow with the C1 visa, you cannot:

Stay in the US for more than the designated time.
Travel or study in the US.
Find employment in the US.
Extend the C1 visa.
Adjust or change the status of the C1 visa.
Apply for a Green Card with a C1 visa.
Bring dependents with only one transit visa.
Dependents cannot travel, work, or study in the US on the C1 visa

How Long Can I Stay in the US with a C1 Visa?

Since transiting is for aa short duration, the validity of the C1 visa is short. The visa is valid for a period of a maximum of 29 days or until the date of departure from the US on your ticket, whichever is earlier.

U.S D VISA DETAILS

D visa or Crewmember visa is one of the non-immigrant visas issued by the U.S government. This visa is specifically for those people who work on commercial sea vessels or international airlines that go through the U.S. For these sea vessels and airlines to run normal operations, their crew must be allowed to pass through the U.S and make short stops.

With the D visa, the crew members can go through to the U.S and stay in the country for a maximum of 29 days.

The D visa allows the crews to go through the U.S and stay for a maximum of 29 days. Holders of the D visa can leave the dock or airport for this duration but must also leave the country within 29 days. The D visa can only be used for the purpose of passing through the U.S.

The visa processing time can vary between 3 to 5 days or even up to 2 weeks. Processing times for any U.S visa depends on the workload of the U.S Embassy from where you are applying. If there are more applications, it will take a longer time.

Requirements to get the D visa

To get the D visa, the person must be working on a vessel or airline travelling to the U.S and only passing through. The following job positions qualify for a D visa:

Flight attendant or pilot on a commercial airplane
Captain, deckhand, or engineer on a sea vessel
Lifeguard, waiter, cook, or other supporting staff on cruise ships
Trainee on board of a training vessel

Individuals who perform the following duties cannot apply for a D visa:

Dry dock duties such as repairs while the boat is docked on a U.S port
Occupants of a fishing vessel which has an operating base or home port in the U.S
Substitute coasting officer
Workers on a private yacht which will be docked in the U.S for more than 29 days
Crewmembers on a vessel going to the Outer Continental Shelf

Documents required for U.S D visa

Completed DS-160 application form.
Your passport with at least one blank page to be able to affix visa.
One photograph fulfilling the requirements set by the U.S authorities.
Proof of having paid transit visa fees.
Interview confirmation page and its copy
Letter describing the purpose of your trip from your company or employer
Proof of ties to your home country such as family documents, job contract, lease, or property deed, which prove you do not intend to stay in the U.S for more than 29 days
Letter from your employer with these details:
- Name of the vessel
- Period of time you will be in the U.S.
- Date and port of entry
- Date and port of exit
- Your job position with description of duties
- Your salary while in the U.S.
Copies of employer work records from your employer
The Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC)
Travel authorization from your company
Certificates and diplomas verifying your qualifications;
Criminal records or letter from authorities stating that you do not have prior convictions

THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THE D VISA

Submit the Form DS-160
Pay the visa fees
Submit the required documents
Attend the visa interview

HOW Y-AXIS CAN HELP YOU?

Y-Axis offers end to end assistance to help you with your B2 visa. Talk to us to learn how our consultants can help you at each step of your visa process.