US Tourist Visa

In general, United States visas are divided into two categories, which include:

• US immigrant visa: Immigrant visas are for foreign nationals who intend to live and work permanently in the United States. The green card, which is permanent resident status, allows people to live permanently in the United States as immigrants.
• US non-immigrant visa: This type of visa is issued to people whose permanent residence is outside the United States and who intend to travel temporarily to the US, such as tourists, business people, students or skilled workers.

The US tourist visa, or US visitor visa, is one of the US non-immigrant visas, which people apply for for purposes such as tourism, business or visiting relatives, and with which people can stay in the US for a long period of up to a maximum of 180 days.

Types of US tourist visas

• B-1 visa: For business travellers staying in the United States for up to 180 days.
• B-2 visa: For tourists who wish to stay in the US for up to 180 days.
• Or a combination of the B-1 and B-2 visas

US tourist visa type B1

is for people who enter the US for temporary business purposes, such as:

• Commercial and economic activities
• Consulting with business associates
• Negotiating contracts or signing memoranda of understanding
• Attending scientific, business, educational and professional seminars
• Attending trade fairs
• Attending conferences related to business and scientific purposes

US tourist visa type B2

is for people who travel temporarily for purposes such as:

• Visiting relatives, family and friends residing in the US
• Undergoing medical examinations and using medical facilities in the US
• Recreation, sightseeing and visiting US tourist attractions
• Taking part in humanitarian programmes, etc.

US single-entry and multiple-entry tourist visas

Each type of US tourist visa (B1 - B2) is also divided into two types: the single-entry tourist visa and the multiple-entry tourist visa. US multiple-entry tourist visas have long validity, in some cases up to ten years; however, people with a US single-entry visa can only stay in the US once and for a maximum of six months.

Requirements and conditions for obtaining a US tourist visa

• Having ties to your home country.
• Having sufficient financial means
• Being able to travel to Iran's neighbouring countries to complete embassy and visa procedures

Documents required for obtaining a US tourist visa

• Passport
• DS160 form confirmation
• Translation of birth certificate
• One photograph
• Old passports and records of previous travel
• Travel itinerary
• Title deeds of house or land
• Bank statement and account balance
• Certificate of employment
• Certificate of university enrolment.
• Form Ds-5535

The process of the US tourist visa

• Completing the online application form for the US tourist visa
• Booking a US embassy appointment for the interview
• Planning for the interview
• Preparing for the interview and paying the required interview fee

Cost of the US tourist visa

The application fee for this visa is 160 US dollars, and this fee only covers the processing of your tourist visa application and is not refunded if you are refused. In addition, there are separate costs for accommodation, booking return tickets, health insurance and travel; in general, around 4 to 5 thousand dollars is needed for a 15-day trip to the US.

Validity period of the US tourist visa

US tourist visas have different validity periods, from six months to ten years; however, due to political issues between Iran and the US, tourist visas for Iranian applicants are single-entry and are valid for a maximum of six months.

Obtaining permanent residence in the US

In fact, the main condition for issuing a US tourist visa is that people return to their own country after the visa expires, and if the embassy officer realises that you intend to immigrate permanently to the US, they will not accept your visa application. Therefore, it is not possible to obtain permanent residence through a tourist visa, and people must leave the country once the visa period ends. So to obtain permanent residence you must choose other immigration routes from the outset.

Reasons for refusal of a US tourist visa

• Lack of sufficient financial means
• Not being honest and raising problematic side issues in the embassy interview
• The applicant or the applicant's spouse being pregnant
• The embassy officer not being convinced that you will return to your country
• Having an immigrant application at the same time as a non-immigrant visa application

As mentioned, the US tourist visa is a non-immigrant visa issued only for the purpose of a short stay in the US, and people with this type of visa cannot work or study in the US or convert it to US permanent residence. Therefore, applicants whose purpose is a short-term stay, such as medical treatment, visiting friends and acquaintances, or scientific and business visits, are eligible for this type of visa. Applicants wishing to obtain US permanent residence must therefore use other US permanent immigration routes. For this reason, to save time and money and avoid any problems, it is best to contact the specialist consultants and experienced lawyers of Iranoca Immigration Marketing Company before applying to immigrate.

If you need consultation, you can meet our consultants in person or online and learn about the process of obtaining your US tourist visa. You can also, right now, through our free assessment form, which is managed by expert consultants, check your eligibility for this type of visa.

Steps to obtain a US tourist visa

Dear applicant, if you wish to obtain a US tourist visa, please follow the steps below

Assessment form and consultation

First, by completing the free assessment form, you can send your basic circumstances and details for review by the lawyers. If your general circumstances are suitable, a consultation call will be scheduled for you. It should be noted that this entire process is free of charge and is reviewed and assessed by specialist staff

Receiving the confirmation letter

After the consultation and completion of the immigration file process, a letter of approval or non-approval will be sent to you by the licensed lawyers. This letter states whether or not you are eligible to immigrate, the type of immigration visa, and the route and conditions through which you can immigrate.

Registration in Obtaining the visa Frequently asked questions some users have had about the US tourist visa