Can I apply for a US visa without any specific plans?
I am an academic, originally from a country that requires a visa to enter to the US.
I don't have such a visa at the moment, which has been a hindrance in some cases where I was invited to visit some universities, and because of reasons I couldn't get a visa at the time.
So I would like to apply for a visa nowadays, so that when the next opportunity comes a-knockin', I will be able to say yes. But I worry that usually when applying for a visa you need some invitation or something like that.
Can I apply for a U.S. visa (whichever is suitable for academic visits) without an invitation? Or do I need to ask one of my colleagues to produce some invitation for this purpose?
Best Answer
When you apply for a US visa you must provide the date and location of your first visit to the US. If you don't know the exact details yet you are supposed to at least provide an approximate month of arrival. Likewise you would be asked to tell about your plans at the interview in the US consulate.
If I were you I'd either wait for a legitimate opportunity or plan an actual tourist trip to the US and then apply for a B1/B2 visa. Depending on your country of citizenship you will usually receive a 5 or 10 year multi entry visa, so it should last you by the time of your next academic visit.
However be aware that B1/B2 visas forbid you from receiving payment of any kind from US entities during your stay, so if the stays in question are paid for by the accepting university you would need to apply for a completely different visa with different rules.
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For many, a "B" visitor visa is the easiest and most appropriate one to get. (See 8 U.S. Code \xa7? 1101.) The B visa a nonimmigrant visa for persons desiring to enter the United States temporarily for business (B-1) or for pleasure or medical treatment (B-2).How much bank balance is mandatory for applying a US tourist visa?
The amount of bank balance you should have for applying to the US tourist visa depends on the duration. If it is a 15-day trip, you must have $ 5,000-10,000 in your bank. Is travel insurance compulsory for the US travel visa? No, travel insurance is not compulsory for the US travel visa.How can I increase my chances of getting a US tourist visa?
U.S. Tourist Visa: How to Make your Chances of Approval HigherCan I apply for US visa without invitation letter?
A letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support is not needed to apply for a visitor visa. If you choose to bring a letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support to your interview, please remember it is not one of the factors used in determining whether to issue or deny the visa.Can you get USA visa without travel history ? YES
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