U.S. visitor visa guide
What is a B1/B2 visa? How do B1 and B2 differ?
Explains U.S. B-1, B-2, and combined B1/B2 visitor visas, typical activities, and why visa validity is not the same as length of stay.
Short answer
B-1 covers short business visits; B-2 covers tourism, family visits, or medical care. Many applicants receive a combined B1/B2. A visa is not an admission promise; CBP decides admission and length of stay.
How B1, B2, and B1/B2 differ
U.S. visitor visas are nonimmigrant visas. Official guidance separates B-1 and B-2 by purpose; in practice many travelers hold a combined B1/B2 annotation.
| Type | Typical use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| B-1 | Meetings, negotiations, site visits, certain short training | Not for local paid employment in the U.S. |
| B-2 | Tourism, visiting family/friends, short medical treatment | Not for long-term residence or work as a visitor |
| B1/B2 | Combined business and tourism purposes | The combination most applicants request |
Typical allowed and not-allowed activities
Visitor visas are for temporary stays. Documents and interview answers should match your real itinerary.
- Often allowed: short tourism, family visits, meetings or business visits within B-1 scope.
- Usually not allowed: working for a U.S. employer, using a visitor status for a full degree program, treating a visitor visa as an immigration path.
- Edge cases (volunteering, short study, medical companions) need the matching official category—do not assume.
Visa validity is not length of stay
The validity dates on a visa show when you may present it to request entry. They do not set how long you may remain after each admission.
- Visa validity: set by reciprocity and the consular post; may allow multiple entries.
- Length of stay: decided by CBP at the port of entry and recorded in admission records.
- A multi-year visa does not mean continuous multi-year residence.
A visa is not an admission promise
Even with a valid B1/B2, CBP decides whether you are admitted and for how long. Htex helps with document preparation and process guidance; it does not decide visa or admission outcomes.
FAQ
Must I apply for B1 and B2 separately?
Most applicants request a combined B1/B2. Issuance follows consular practice and official visitor-visa rules.
Can I work in the U.S. on B1/B2?
No. Visitor visas do not authorize employment for a U.S. employer. Work needs the appropriate status.
If my visa is valid for ten years, can I stay ten years at once?
No. Ten years usually means how long the visa may be used to seek entry; each stay length is set by CBP.
Can Htex promise a visa outcome?
No. Only government authorities decide. Htex provides preparation help and self-checks; it does not promise approval or entry.
Official sources
Links to public government pages for verification. Htex is not a government agency; this page is explanatory only.