What is a USA Non-Immigrant Visa?
The USA is known for its strict but fair entry rules. Thus, if you are a foreigner willing to visit the land of freedom, you will need to obtain a USA Non-Immigrant Visa, unless your country participates in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).
A USA Non-Immigrant Visa is a collective word for all visas issued to the foreigners, who intend to come to the United States for a certain period of time for tourism, business, education, work and medical treatment. It is issued by a U.S. Embassy or Consulate in a country of residence of the applicant. All non-immigrant visa applicants must submit the evidence of the strong ties to their own country (work, family, property etc.).
Citizens of VWP Designated Countries are eligible to travel to the U.S. without a visa, but must obtain the authorization through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) prior to a travel.
Visa Waiver Program (VWP) Designated Countries:
Andorra
Hungary
Norway
Australia
Iceland
Portugal
Austria
Ireland
San Marino
Belgium
Italy
Singapore
Brunei
Japan
Slovakia
Chile
Latvia
Slovenia
Czech Republic
Liechtenstein
South Korea
Denmark
Lithuania
Spain
Estonia
Luxembourg
Sweden
Finland
Malta
Switzerland
France
Monaco
Taiwan
Germany
Netherlands
United Kingdom
Greece
New Zealand
You need to keep in mind there are single-entry (allows to travel to the U.S. only once) and multi-entry (allows to travel to the U.S. several times) visas, issued for a certain period of time and not valid when it is expired.
Note that the visa expiration date and the length of time a traveller is allowed to stay in the USA are two different terms.
A visa is just a document, showing that you meet all the requirements necessary for crossing the US border. But it does not guarantee unimpeded entry into the United States. In this case, the final word belongs to the immigration officer.
At the U.S. passport control an immigration officer will indicate how long the visa holder is permitted to stay in the country.
If your visa does not entitle you to stay in the United States for a long time, frequent and extensive trips to the country can cause suspicions about the intentions of a non-resident to return back to his/her homeland. Such trips may also adversely affect the next attempt to obtain a visa.
To refugees and asylum seekers – the U.S. Embassy and Consulates are not authorized to process the claims, thus, are unable to respond to questions on this matter.
