US Tourist Visa Philippines

Overview

Securing a US tourist visa is not a simple task. There are a lot of strict conditions and requirements that need to be complied with before the highly coveted B-1/B-2 visa may be issued.

Not even a fully accomplished visa application, and a complete set of required documents can guaranty the automatic approval of the very elusive US visitor visa.

In more than a few occasions, applicants who are confident of being granted a us tourist visa get shocked by its denial due to unexpected turn of events.

Applicant must overcome presumption of intending immigrant

One of the most common reasons for the denial of an application for a us visitor visa is the failure of the applicant to prove that he has no intention of abandoning his country of origin.

Under Section 214(b) of the US Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), there is a legal presumption that all applicants for US visasintend to acquire an immigrantstatus upon entry in the US.

With above presumption, the applicant has the burden of proving otherwise by presenting evidences showing his strong ties to his country of origin.

What constitute strong ties?

As proof that the applicant does not intend to stay in the US on a permanent basis, he should present evidences such as gainful employment; strong family ties; a profitable business which is hard to let go; or ownership of vast properties difficult to dispose of, among others.

Further, the applicant must show that due to the above strong ties, he has no inclinations of staying permanently in the US, no matter how tempting theliving conditions therein may be.

Aside from the temporary nature of the visit, the applicant must likewise show that he possesses the financial capability to support his brief stay in the country.

In sum, the two most important proofs that must be furnished the US official conducting the interview are the following: a) that there is a bona fide intention to return to the country of origin; and b) that applicant is financially capable to pay for his stay.

The Secret To A Favorable Grant

The secret to an almost guaranteed approval of a US tourist visa is to BE BRIEF!

As long as the applicant proves that his intended stay in the US is temporary, then the chances of approval of the visa application are high.

Furthermore, applicants must establish the truthfulness of the following circumstances, in order to prove his intention of returning to his country of origin:

• _· That he maintains a residence outside the US which he has no intention of abandoning
• _· That he is in possession of a valid passport
• _· That he has means to financially support himself while in the country
• _· That he has social and economic ties in his country of origin
• _· That he will depart at the end of his authorized stay

Two types of US visitor visa

There are two types of US visitor visas: a) the B-1, which is used mainly for business purposes; and b) the B-2, which is availed of usually for pleasure as well as medical or health reasons.

In most cases however, since most business travelers also indulge in tourist activities during their visit, US customs officials generally issue a combined B-1/B-2 visa.

A US visitor visa is customarily granted a validity period of a minimum of three (3) months or a maximum period of ten (10) years. Every visit is however, limited to a maximum stay of six (6) months.

Note should be taken that the expiration date for the visitor visa is different from the authorized length of stay in the US. Said length of stay is a matter left to the discretion of the US immigration inspector at the portofentry.

B-1 visa

B-1 visas are applied for by foreign applicants who intend to meet with their international business associates; negotiate contracts; settle estates; appear in court trials; or attend professional conferences or conventions.

The foreign visitor, although on a business trip in the US, is nevertheless not allowed to accept any form of income or payment from any US source, except for payments received for incidental expenses.

B-2 visa

B-2 visas, on the other hand, are availed of by the applicant for pleasure or tourist travel. Activities for this kind of visa include sight-seeing; visiting friends and relatives; health reasons or medical treatment;or participation in social conventions or seminars. It may be issued in either a “single” or “multiple” entry format.

Under US immigration laws, foreigners intending to enter the country for medical, health or emergency situations using a B-2 visa are still required to submit proof of their strong ties with their home country.

The following are considered as “medical” or “emergency” situations:

• Visiting an ailing family member
• Attending a funeral
• Donating an organ, bone marrow, etc. for transplant to a family member
• Seeking medical treatment in the United States

(Supporting documents relating to the foregoing instances are generally not required to be submitted by the applicant but may be requested by the consular officer on the basis of his discretion.)

Procedure for application of a US tourist visa

1. Upon payment of the machine-readable application fee and the completion of all the basic documents required, the interview must be scheduled within one (1) year from the date of actual payment.

1. An interview appointment may be scheduled either through the:a) Embassy Call Center; or through the b) VisaPoint system. (VisaPoint ™ is a web-based information and appointment system available to applicants for U.S. non-immigrant visas. This system is available in both English and Tagalog and allows applicants to schedule an appointment 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and see all available dates and times on the computer screen.)
   1. Interview proper

If the visa application is approved, the average visa processing time usually takes approximately one (1) week, depending on the volume of the visa issuances. Thus, the applicant will more likely receive the passport with the US Visa attached therein one (1) week after the approval.

The issuance of a visa is not a sure-fire guarantee that the applicant will be allowed entry in the US sincesaid holders are still subject to the scrutiny of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials who are likewise empowered to deny entry even to valid tourist visa holders.