A Visa is one of the most important official documents for travel to a foreign country. This document authorizes entry by land, sea, or air when crossing borders. All countries issue visas to citizens and foreign nationals to enable international travel. It is one of the most crucial travel documents for entering the United States. Furthermore, the U.S. immigration law issues several guidelines to be met to be eligible for a visa.

Types of visas
The United States issues nonimmigrant and immigrant visas to individuals traveling from around the globe. The extent and validity of these visas are governed by the country’s immigration law that permits certain documents for travel or stays. If you plan to only visit the country for a short duration, mainly for tourism purposes, the department will issue a nonimmigrant visa valid for some time. Alternatively, the department will grant an immigrant status visa if you plan to relocate to the states for permanent work and residency. However, a person must first decide on the purpose of their visit before they can apply for the visa online. The application process will vary accordingly.

Visitor visa
A Visitor visa is issued for tourism and business purposes. A B-1 nonimmigrant visa is granted to travelers seeking temporary business opportunities or visiting the country for specific educational purposes. A B-2 nonimmigrant visa is given for purely recreational purposes. In many cases, most foreign tourists receive a combined B-1/B-2 nonimmigrant visa to facilitate whatever the purpose of travel. It makes the visitor visa application process easy to follow and facilitates most of the steps to be followed online.

Applying for a visa online
The country has embassies and consulates worldwide that facilitate the documentation process. Most people apply for a visitor visa falling in the B-1/B-2 travel category, which requires the following steps.

• Log in to the official link provided by the U.S. Department of Travel for the DS-160 electronic form facilitation. Here, one must submit all personal and professional details and upload the latest photo with the application.
• Once the form is ready for submission, you’ll be redirected to a payment gateway to pay visa application fees. A non-petition-based, nonimmigrant visa application fee for the B-1/B-2 travel status is fixed at $160/application. It is a non-refundable fee and is not subject to the status of acceptance or denial of a tourist visa application.
• You must schedule an interview with the U.S. embassy or consulate officials to determine your visa application status. Officials will also conduct a thorough personal interview to determine whether you can be allowed entry into the country for said purpose of travel. The appointment for this interview will vary depending on the available positions, as thousands of applicants must be processed regularly.

Documents required for a visa application
Your country-issued valid passport is the primary document for applying for a visa. However, the consulate official also requires several supporting documents to support an application. These documents are given for verification to evaluate an applicant’s cultural, social, and professional aspects and determine if the concerned applicant can enter the United States. An applicant must be ready with the documents below for processing the application.

Income documents
Proof of income supported by salary receipts or business receipts is necessary for the consulate to confirm that you have the necessary financial support.

Travel documents
For a tourist visa, you must also submit a comprehensive travel itinerary and let the consulate know about arrangements from places to visit and locations of your stay.

Business documents
If you are visiting the U.S. for business purposes, supporting documents should include a letter of recommendation, documents for intended business, and official authorization.

Legal documents
If you have been part of or are currently involved in civil/criminal proceedings for probable conviction on applicable grounds, these documents must also be presented to the consulate or embassy.

Invitation letter for official visa application requirements
For more extended stays or business purposes, you must also possess an invitation letter written and signed by a U.S. citizen or resident willing to accept your responsibility for the duration of your stay. This document helps consulate officials approve long-term visas knowing some people can support the applicant personally and professionally.

It is pertinent to note that the representative embassy will perform a thorough background check to verify personal and professional details. If they find any discrepancies in the provided information compared to the verification status, such discrepancies will be deemed grounds for visa rejection.

Work visa
There are many different types of work visas you can apply for to get temporary or permanent employment in the United States. The company located in the country must apply for a valid visa to enable valid entry for foreign nationals. For this purpose, the US-based company will send a valid job offer to the applicant to further the process of a work visa. Once the offer is accepted, the company will apply for a petition requesting a valid work permit. Only then can you proceed with the application and submit other relevant documents.