B-2 | Tourist Visa

The B visa covers many forms of travel, but not all. B visas cover temporary travel and not include the following:

• Study
• Long-term employment by a U.S. firm
• Paid performances, or any professional performance before a paying audience
• Arrival as a crew member on a ship or aircraft
• Work as foreign press, in radio, film, print journalism, or other information media
• Permanent residence in the United States

Yes, there is a $160 filing fee. The fee is paid online with your nonimmigrant visa application with the consulate. For B-visa extensions once you are in the  U.S., the filing process is different – it’s filed on an I-539 form and the fee is $370. That payment is made via check and is made out to Department of Homeland Security.

You can file your form online or by mail. Filing online allows you to:

• Pay your filing fee online
• Check the status of your case
• Receive notifications and case updates
• View personalized case completion date estimates
• Respond to requests for evidence
• Manage your contact information, including updating your address

You can create an account to file online. You can also mail your form to your region’s designated USCIS office.

Of course, you can choose to manage your case independently. However, working with immigration experts can help you navigate the process and provide guidance throughout.

You may be represented, at no expense to the U.S. government, by an attorney or other duly authorized representative. Your representative must submit Form G-28, Notice of Entry or Appearance as Attorney or Representative. Your representative may also submit Form G-28 at the time of your interview.

Immigration issues can be quite complicated. Combine that with the current rate of change in U.S. policies, it can be hard to keep up. Our team puts their experience to work for you and your particular situation. We work hard to stay on top of policy changes and are prepared for changes down the line. We offer patented online software, MyEsq, that streamlines the filing process and makes our knowledgeable team of lawyers just a click away.