Visiting the United States

If an individual wishes to visit the United States for a temporary visit, generally the individual must apply for a visitor visa (B-2) visa at the U.S. Embassy in their country. Citizens from certain countries may be eligible to visit the United States for a period of 90 days under the Visa Waiver Program. A list of eligible countries can be found in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website.
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/visiting_us_linklist.xml

The first thing you should do is check the website of the Embassy at which you will be applying. Look for things such as hours of operation and instructions for applying for a temporary visitor's visa. Applicants must show the following:

1)  The purpose of the trip;

2)  The trip is temporary and you plan to remain for a specific period of time;

3)  You have sufficient funds to finance the trip so that you will not be required to work in the United States ;

4)  You have a residence in your country and other binding ties which will insure your return at the end of the stay.

You may want to secure an invitation from a relative in the United States to visit the United States. There is no format for such a letter. It is simply a letter written to you asking you to visit at a certain time. The letter should contain some details such as what you will do while in the United States and where you will stay. The more specific the letter, the better. If you are attending an event, a celebration or have an itinerary it is always better than an open-ended invitation.

Your relative can complete an I-134 which can be found on the USCIS web site at www.uscis.gov. This form is an Affidavit of Support. It shows that you have a place to stay and that you will not work.

There are forms that the Embassy may require you complete. Everyone must complete a DS-156 and certain male applicants may require a DS-157. Do not make any misrepresentations on these forms.

The most important part of applying for a visa is convincing the Consular officer that you will return to your country at the end of your stay. Evidence of family ties, ownership of property, gainful employment and money in the bank are important. If relatives are already in the United States and they have failed to return to the country, this may be enough to deny you the visa.

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