The American Tourist Visa for your Holiday or Visiting a Family
Applying for an American Tourist visa is necessary if you are visiting on vacation trip or to see a family residing in United States.
Generally, you should be able to apply for the required American tourist visa online/ at the nearest American embassy in the country of your residence for a stay in United States of up to three months.
General Visa Requirements and Validity Period of American Tourist Visa
Before applying for a tourist visa for United States, it is recommended you check whether you can apply for the American tourist visa.
A brief list of the most important requirements and conditions when obtaining the tourist visa for United States:
- You do not plan to carry out unpaid job that may otherwise be carried out by a paid staff in United States.
- You do not intend to participate in a work relationship in United States.
- You do not mean to supply services to American organisations (this is allowed with a American work visa or business visa).
- You do not intend to provide or market product or services to consumers in United States.
- You and your family members are not in debt to the United States Government.
- You do not pose a threat to the health or safety of the people of United States.
- You have the ability to show that you have adequate funds to pay for your visit and return from United States.
Do I need an American tourist visa?
It relies on your citizenship and the type of travel document you are using to travel to United States.Please click here to find out if you require an American visa.
Who exactly can make an application for an American tourist visa?
Anyone wanting to go on vacation to United States can request an American tourist visa.
There are many kinds of visa for United States which you can use as a visitor to United States. If you are uncertain which sort of American tourist visa you require to apply, please speak to the nearest American visa office to obtain more information as objective of this page is to provide you basic overview when requesting American tourist visa.
What type of American visa do I need?
This depends upon three aspects:
- The citizenship according to your passport – If the citizenship according to the passport is from a nation that is on visa free travel to United States or eligible to apply for a visa on arrival in United States, then you may not require to get an American tourist visa prior to departure from your home country. Please click here to confirm if you need an American visa.
- The duration of your stay in United States – If you wish to remain in United States for a shorter duration less than 90 days, then you can obtain the American tourist visa. If you want to remain much longer, then contact the closest American visa office to find the appropriate visa for your trip.
- The activities you wish to execute in United States – If your sole purpose of taking a trip is for tourism, then you can make an application for all types of American tourist visas mentioned on this web page.
General Visa Application Requirements to Obtain American Visitor Visa
- Traveler visa Form for United States – Completed American visa Form.
- Original and signed passport – The passport has to be valid for at least 6 months prior to going into United States and 3 months after departing United States. It needs to contain at least two extra visa pages and can not be older than ten years.
- Passport type photo – Photo needs to be no older than 6 months and need to be 35 x 40mm in size.
- Previous passport – Provide a previous passport if you had any.
- Previous visas – Copies of previous American visas details if you had any.
- Flight tickets to United States – Reservation of return or round trip flight tickets. In some circumstances the American visa office may request for prepaid air travel tickets to United States.
- Travel insurance policy – Proof of travel insurance with a minimum cover set by the American consular office provided with the Certification of Insurance policy and the table of benefits. The travel insurance have to cover the expense of repatriation for medical reasons and the Certificate of Currency need to be issued by an insurance provider. If you are thinking of using your credit card travel insurance for your travel to United States, please call American embassy for more information and travel insurance coverage requirements for the American visa.
- Original financial institution statements – Original financial institution statements for the last 3 months revealing enough funds to cover stay in United States. If statements are printed online then it has to be Authenticated (marked) by the bank representatives.
- Hotel Reservations in United States – Copy of confirmed hotel bookings including name of the applicant, name and address of the hotel, time-span of stay. In a lot of situations, only bookings which are partly or completely pre-paid can be accepted.
- Employment letter – This letter has to be: original and signed letter from employer written on company letter head paper, verifying your ongoing employment, the status of employment, monthly salary and annual leave. Also, please offer your three newest pay slips. If you are self-employed: offer certified copies of business registration, tax return.
- For students. Please give the following:
- Evidence of current student status: Certificate of Enrollment.
- Original and signed letter from university written on university letter head paper, confirming on-going enrolment, confirming the payment of tuition fees or any type of scholarships, and confirming term break.
- Insurance policy from Organisation/University – Offer a letter from the University stating the purpose, duration of travel and confirmation that you will be covered by the insurance coverage for the whole trip in addition to the Certificate of Currency and summary of benefits.
As a whole, visa applications for American visa need to be submitted for a maximum of 6 months, and no behind 15 days, prior to the journey.