B-2 Visa: US Tourist Visa for Travel, Family Visits and Medical Care

The B-2 is a temporary visitor visa for pleasure travel. Most embassies issue it together with the business visa as a B-1/B-2, so one visa covers both purposes. If your trip is mainly for work meetings or conferences, read about the B-1 business visa.

You may not need a B-2 at all. Citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries can visit for up to 90 days with an ESTA, and Canadian citizens generally do not need a visa to visit. Everyone else needs a visitor visa.

Allowed

• Tourism and vacations
• Visiting relatives or friends
• Medical treatment (bring a doctor's letter and proof you can pay)
• Attending social events such as weddings, reunions, or conventions of social or fraternal groups
• Taking part, without pay, in amateur music, sports, or similar events
• Short recreational classes, such as a two-day cooking class

Not allowed

• Any employment, including unpaid work that a US worker would normally be paid to do
• Study that earns academic credit (use an F-1 or M-1 visa)
• Working as a crew member on a ship or aircraft
• Paid performances or work as a journalist
• Traveling mainly to give birth so the child gets US citizenship. Since 2020, consular officers treat this as an improper B visa purpose.

If you are engaged to a US citizen and plan to marry and stay, the correct route is the K-1 fiance visa, not a B-2.

The visa's validity (printed on the visa) and your permitted stay (on your I-94 record) are different things. The visa may be valid for years, but each stay is set by the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at entry, usually up to 6 months. Check your I-94 on the CBP website after each arrival.

Repeated long visits can raise questions at the border about whether you really live abroad. There is no fixed yearly limit, but officers look at how much time you spend in the United States compared to at home.

Extending a B-2 stay

You can ask USCIS to extend your stay by filing Form I-539 before your I-94 date. Good reasons include an illness, caring for a sick relative, or a delayed flight home. You must show you can support yourself and still intend to leave. See extend your stay.

Family members

Each family member, including babies, needs their own B-2 visa or ESTA. There is no dependent B visa.

Medical treatment is a valid B-2 purpose. The officer will want to see that the treatment is real, planned, and paid for. Bring:

• A letter from your doctor at home explaining your condition and why you need treatment in the United States
• A letter from the US doctor or hospital describing the treatment, how long it will take, and the estimated cost
• Proof that you (or someone supporting you) can pay for the treatment, travel, and living costs

A relative or friend can travel with you as a companion on their own B-2 visa. If treatment runs longer than your I-94 date, file for an extension before that date.

Visa bonds

Since August 3, 2026, the State Department's B-1/B-2 visa bond program is permanent. It covers about 50 designated countries as of mid-2026, many in Africa, with new countries added on at least 15 days' notice. If you are from a listed country, the officer may require a refundable bond of $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000, paid via Form I-352 on Pay.gov. You must enter and exit through a commercial airport or CBP preclearance location. You get the money back if you follow the visa terms and leave on time or file a timely extension. You lose it if you overstay or apply for asylum. Check the current list on travel.state.gov.

Proclamation 10998, effective January 1, 2026, suspends visitor visas for nationals of 38 of its 39 listed countries: 19 under a full ban and 20 under a partial ban that specifically covers B-1, B-2, F, M, and J visas (Turkmenistan is the exception, with only immigrant visas suspended). Visas issued before January 1, 2026 remain valid, and dual nationals using a non-listed passport are not covered. You may still apply, but you may be refused under the proclamation.

The most common reason is section 214(b): the officer is not convinced you will return home. Officers look at:

• Your job, studies, or business at home
• Family who stay behind
• Your travel history, especially earlier US trips where you left on time
• Whether your trip plan and budget make sense

Other reasons include past overstays, unauthorized work, criminal history, and false answers on the DS-160. A false answer can bring a permanent bar, so always answer honestly, including about earlier refusals.

You can reapply after a 214(b) refusal, but reapplying with the same facts rarely changes the result. See visa denials and waivers. If you have a past overstay or a criminal record, speak with a licensed immigration lawyer first.

The B-2 is not a path to permanent residence. It requires intent to return home. People who later marry a US citizen or get a qualifying job offer usually follow a separate process, such as the spouse of a US citizen green card or a work visa. Entering on a B-2 while already planning to stay can be seen as misrepresentation, so get legal advice before making any change inside the country.