USA B1/B2 Visa for Australians

If you’re travelling through or stopping by the USA on your way to Canada or Mexico, as we are, you may need to apply for the USA B1/B2 Visa as the Visa Waiver Program(VWP) counts time spent in Canada and Mexico as time against that Visa. For example if you flew to Los Angeles and spent 3 days there on the VWP, went up to Vancouver and worked there for 6 months then flew back down to San Francisco you would of overstayed your VWP by 3 months(give or take a few days).

For information on the VWP please see: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/niv/vwp.html

For information on the B1/B2 Visa please visit: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/niv/business-pleasure.html

Specifically, we’re concerned with the B2 Visa as the B1 Visa relates to business travellers. So the B2 Visa is appropriate for:

• Tourism or Family Visits
• Medical Reasons (see below for further details)
• Participation in Social Events
• Armed Forces Dependents
• Dependents of Crewmen
• Short Course of Study
• Amateur Entertainers and Athletes

Why do we need it? Well as mentioned above if you’re going to Canada on a working holiday via the USA you may need to consider the B2 Visa. Other benefits of this visa are that it is valid for up to 5 years and allows multi entrances to the USA.

The costs and process isn’t as straight forward, clear or simple as the process for many other countries. The process involves filling out a lengthy online application, which you have to pay a fee for the pleasure of submitting it, then book an interview at your nearest consular general again pay a fee, take “relevant” documents( what is relevant isn’t exactly clear but you can pay $12 for a phone call and not get any more information) you’ll also need a self addressed Platinum Post envelope, passport, bank statements etc and then appear with your relevant documents at the interview. The interview and staff at the consulate (at least the one in Perth, Australia) are very friendly and helpful. If you get through this interview successfully your application is sent off for the Visa provided you pay another fee.

The process to apply is quite a lengthy one but easy enough, it took us several hours to complete and then an hour to attend the interview. Receiving the visa and passports back only took a couple of days and the people at the consulate were very friendly and helpful.

Related Links

http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/niv/index.html