B-2 Visa (Holiday visa)

In general, holiday makers traveling to the United States require valid B-2 visas. That is unless they are eligible to travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program, or they are a national of a country which has an agreement with the United States allowing their citizens to travel to the United States without B-2 visas.

If you are not eligible to travel visa free, or are not a national of a country where B-2 visa requirements are waived, you will be required to apply for a visa before traveling.

All B-2 visa applicants, even children and babies listed in parents' passports are required to:

• Complete the visa application form DS-156;



• Pay a visa application fee;



• Present a passport or other travel document valid for at least six months beyond the holder's period of stay in the United States with at least one blank page - the six-month requirement does not apply to United Kingdom passports. If the passport is damaged, we recommend that you obtain a new passport before applying for the visa to avoid any delay in the processing of your application;


• Provide one photograph which meets State Department regulations;

and present evidence of

• sufficient funds to cover all expenses while in the United States; and


• evidence to show that the applicant has a residence abroad to which he/she intends to return at the end of the stay in the United States. This is generally established by evidence of family, professional, property, employment or other ties and commitments to some country other than the United States sufficient to cause the applicant to return there at the conclusion of his/her stay.

Issuance fees

Nationals of certain countries are required to pay an issuance fee in order for an approved visa to be issued. No fee is charged for the issuance of an B visa to a British citizen passport holder.

Additional processing requirements and information for the following:

What do I do next?

Applicants aged 14 to 79 are required to schedule an appointment for an interview.

Applicants under the age of 14 and those 80 and over may be eligible to apply for a visa by mail.

Important Notice: Visa applications are subject to a greater degree of scrutiny than in the past which means that in some instances visa applications are taking longer to process to conclusion than has been customary. You will be advised at the time of the interview if your application requires additional processing.

Reminder: We always recommend that individuals apply for visas well in advance of their proposed date of travel. No assurances regarding the issuance of visas can be given in advance. Therefore, final travel plans or the purchase of non refundable ticket should not be made until a visa has been issued and you are in receipt of the passport.

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