Visiting the USA: ESTA, Visitor Visas and 2026 Entry Rules

B-1 and B-2 are usually issued together as a single "B-1/B-2" visa. "Restricted" reflects the 2026 travel ban and visa bond rules, which apply only to some nationalities.

If your country is in the Visa Waiver Program (most of Europe, plus countries such as Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Israel, and Qatar), you can apply for an ESTA online. It costs $40 (since September 30, 2025), and an approval is usually valid for 2 years or until your passport expires.

You cannot use ESTA if you:

• want to stay more than 90 days
• have been refused a US visa or entry before, or overstayed a past visit
• have traveled to certain countries, such as Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Syria, Cuba, or Yemen, since the dates set by law (with limited exceptions)
• hold certain dual nationalities covered by those rules

In those cases, apply for a B-1/B-2 visa instead. Use only the official CBP website; third-party sites charge extra.

Travelers from most countries need a B-2 or B-1 visa. To get one:

1. Complete the online Form DS-160.
2. Pay the visa application fee and book an interview at a US embassy or consulate in your country of nationality or residence.
3. Attend the interview. The officer must be convinced that you will return home, so bring evidence of your job, family, property, and finances.
4. If approved, pay any issuance fees, including the new Visa Integrity Fee where it is being collected.

Wait times for interviews vary widely by city and can run many months. Visa refusals under section 214(b) (not enough ties to home) are common; you can reapply when your situation changes.

Allowed: tourism, visiting family and friends, medical treatment, business meetings, conferences, negotiating contracts, short recreational classes.

Not allowed: working for a US company or being paid from a US source, studying for credit, living in the US, or giving birth in the US as the main purpose of the trip (consulates refuse B visas for that purpose).

If you want to stay longer, you can ask USCIS to extend your stay before your I-94 date ends (not on ESTA). Changing to another status after entering as a visitor, such as student or spouse, is risky: if you act against your stated purpose soon after arriving, officers may decide you misrepresented your intent. Read change of status before you try.

Business visitors. A B-1 or ESTA covers meetings, conferences, contract talks, and site visits for a company based abroad. Your salary must still come from outside the US. If your company wants you to do hands-on work in the US, you need a work visa instead; see working in the USA. Canadian and Mexican professionals should also look at TN status.

Visiting family. Parents and relatives of US residents usually use a B-2 visa or ESTA. Bring a letter from your relative, proof of your job or pension at home, and evidence of your return plans. A relative's invitation does not guarantee a visa; the decision depends on your own ties to your country. If your US family member wants you to live in the US permanently, they need to sponsor you instead; see family immigration.

Medical treatment. Bring a letter from the US doctor or hospital, the expected cost, and proof you can pay.

• Travel ban. Since January 1, 2026, Proclamation 10998 suspends B visas for nationals of 38 of its 39 listed countries. Visas issued before that date were not revoked.
• Visa bonds. A bond program became permanent on August 3, 2026. Visitors from about 50 countries may have to post a bond of $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000, which is returned if they leave on time.
• Visa Integrity Fee. A $250 fee is being added at visa issuance, though collection was uneven as of May 2026.
• More in-person interviews. Since 2025 most visa applicants must interview in person, and apply in their country of nationality or residence.

See the USA Status Now page for updates.

• Check your nationality against the travel ban list before you book.
• Carry proof of your return ticket, accommodation, and funds.
• Answer border officers honestly and briefly. CBP decides how long you can stay; check your I-94 record online after you arrive.
• Never overstay. Staying more than 180 days past your authorized date can bar you from returning for 3 years, and more than 1 year can bar you for 10 years.
• Planning a longer stay or a move? Start at how US immigration works, or compare visiting Canada and Mexico.