Do I Need a Visa to Visit the United States?

Some countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program. If you come from a country which is part of the Visa Waiver Program, you can come to the United States for less than 90 days for business or pleasure without a visa. If you come from a country which is not a participant, or if you want to stay for more than 90 days, then you need to apply for a temporary visa to enter the United States. The list of participating countries can be found on the USCIS website at http://uscis.gov. A B-1 visa is for business purposes and a B-2 visa is for recreational purposes.

If you are only going to visit the U.S., you should not need an immigration lawyer to help you. The process for getting a temporary visa is fairly simple and fast and as long as your intent is to stay in the United States only temporarily, there should be no need for legal assistance. If you travel to the United States on a temporary visa and soon after arriving in the U.S. you attempt to adjust your status to that of a permanent resident, you may be removed from the U.S. and you risk losing admissibility status in the future.