For What Purposes Can Parents Travel To USA?

If you are planning a visit to your children in the United States, you will need to acquire a visitor visa, i.e., B1/B2 or just B2. B1 and B2 are both non-immigrant visitor visas, issued to those who want to enter the US for pleasure, medical treatment and business purposes.

Difference Between B1 and B2 Visa

B1 is for business purpose and B2 is a tourist visa. If your objective is to enter US for work related activities, such as attending a business convention or meeting business associates along with the purpose to visit your children and spend some time with them. You will be issued a B1/B2 visa combined together. Both these visas are issued only, when you can convince the authorities regarding the purpose of your visit.

The Right Purpose for a B2 Visa

So, assuming that you want to visit USA, only to see your children, these are the scenarios in which you will be granted a B2 visitor visa.

1. Vacation: You are looking to explore the country and invest time in sight seeing, along with your children.
2. Medical Treatment: There is a specific course of treatment that you avail from any world-renowned doctor you want to consult.
3. Social Events: Your nephew is getting married or your son is having a baby. To participate in social events like these hosted by family members, you will need a visitor’s visa.
4. Enrollment in a Short Recreational Course of Study: You can participate in any classes or short studies such as yoga or cooking class when you are visiting your kid. Please take note that this will not be applicable if you are studying to obtain a degree.

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Visa Interview Questions

US officials will make sure that you have the right purpose to obtain this visa, and that you will not misuse it. They will ask questions regarding your trip, as well as details regarding financing the trip. If you run out of money, they might assume that you would look for employment opportunities in the US. They should be convinced that you will at least have conversational skills in English, if not proficient. Remember to make note of the addresses and phone numbers of relatives you want to visit. Prepare for questions like, “What do you plan to do at home when your son/daughter is away at work?” The key here is to convince them that you are only a temporary visitor to USA and have social and economic ties back in India and have all the plans to come back after the stipulated time period.

Scenarios in Which You Won’t Get a Visitor’s Visa

There are a number of reasons due to which your visa applofcwon’t get a visitor visa or you will need to apply for a different visa category.

1. Permanent Residence: If you are going to live permanently with your children, you cannot avail a B1 visa. That comes under a different category.
2. Employment: You have gained an employment opportunity in US, or want to look for a job there after you join your children.
3. Paid Performance: You are an artist and will be paid to perform in front of US crowds.
4. Criminal Record or Previous Visa Violations: You won’t be granted a visa if you have lie about these things in the interview or have violations in the past.

In 2016, the US issued 6,965,466 B1, B2 AND B1/B2 combo visas, according to an article on CNN. US State Department has tightened the rules for visas owing to recent developments, according to an article on The New York Times. It is also to be noted that a visa doesn’t make your entry to US soil guaranteed. The US Customs and Border Protection authorities can stop or delay your arrival if you do not meet all prerequisites.