US Tourist Visa (B2 Visa) Requirements and Procedures

Process Overview

1. Fill up online visa application (DS 160) online. For details click here
2. Pay the visa application fee.
3. Setup an appointment for the interview 
4. Appear in person for an appointment at the Offsite Facilitation Center (OFC)
5. Visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate( except applicants under the age of 14 or over the age of 79)
6. Returning the passport with or without visa 

USA Tourist Visa (B2 Visa) Requirements and Procedures

List of required documents for Tourist visa application

From the applicant side 

• Passport with minimum six month validity from the date of entry to US.
• Photographs -if interview is exempted for you 
• DS 160 confirmation form.-Two know how to fill online visa application form (DS 160) click here
• Interview appointment letter
• Leave approval letter/NOC from the employer -If employed (detailing position, salary, employment duration; the period of vacation; and the purpose of trip.)
• Salary slips for the past  months –if employed
• Evidence of financial resources like
• Property papers (shop or business ownership documents) etc.
• Original Bank statements/Passbook.
• Fixed Deposit/ Share/mutual funds statement.
• Income Tax returns statements(for few years)
• Tour voucher and tour operator letter –if travelling in a package tour
• Address proof document –if your current address is different from passport address.
• Original Birth Certificate- If the applicant is below 14 yrs of age
• If a minor travelling alone -A no objection certificate signed by both parents
• If a minor accompanied by one parent -A no objection certificate by the other parent.
• If  students travelling - a permission letter from school/college, including phone numbers and address, confirming the leave for specified period of travel
• NOC from the spouse –if the spouse not accompanying 

If you are travelling to visit a friend or relative US, arrange following documents from the host

• Completed and notarized Affidavit of Support form I-134.
• A letter from Bank/banks (on their business letter head), stating the sponsor account summary.
• Copy of your Bank Statement, showing a good balance in order to justify your financial position.
• Certificate Letter  from your employer (on company's business letter head), stating that you are a permanent employee of the company, and also stating your salary.
• Pay slips copies.
• Copy of  income tax returns or  W2 forms of the past few years.
• photocopies of the relative’s proof of status  e.g. Green Card, naturalization certificate,
• Copies of your - Visa (H1/L1), H1 Approval Form (I-797) and I-94. (If visa has expired but has a renewed petition, a photocopy of the renewed petition.)
• If USA citizen: Copy of certificate of citizenship.
• If you are sponsoring your in-laws, photocopies of all pages including blank pages of your spouse's passport and your marriage certificate is also required.
• If sponsoring your parents, original birth certificate of the sponsor child (son or daughter) is required.
• If you are inviting your in-laws, then spouse's birth certificate is required not yours.
• An application/letter  from you to the US consulate in India (address it to the particular consulate e.g. Delhi), requesting for issuing a visitor visa to the concerned person, stating that you will be taking care of every requirement for these people, including tickets, boarding and other expenses in USA.
• A formal invitation letter addressed to the person(s) you are inviting to US. Also stating that you will be taking care of all their needs while in US, including tickets, boarding and other expenses in here.

For parents visiting a child resident in the U.S.:

• If child is an Indian citizen.
• Childs’s original birth certificate.
• Photocopy of all pages of child’s passport.
• Where the U.S. visa of child has expired, photocopy of the renewed petition required.
•  Where child is a legal permanent resident in USA, photocopy of the green card (front and back) is required.
•  Photocopies of the relative’s proof of status e.g. Green Card, naturalization certificate, valid visa etc.

Important;

• Above listed documents are not a final, Consulate/ Embassy may ask additional documents
• Since the basic criteria for tourist visa is to demonstrate the purpose of the visit is tourist related and has strong ties back in home country. Applicant should be able to convince the consular officer that applicant has some bindings back in India/home country and that he/she will come back after his/her visit.