{"id":38467,"date":"2022-04-28T23:38:37","date_gmt":"2022-04-28T22:38:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.desfenetressurlemonde.com\/?p=38467"},"modified":"2022-04-28T23:38:37","modified_gmt":"2022-04-28T22:38:37","slug":"visa-b2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.desfenetressurlemonde.com\/en\/visa-b2\/","title":{"rendered":"The B2 Visa"},"content":{"rendered":"
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We are often asked how we manage to be on the road for so long in the USA.<\/em><\/p>\n

And yes, because normally the United States<\/strong> only allow travel from 3 months<\/strong> maximum, to stay longer you therefore need a B2 Visa.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

What is that ? What steps should be taken? How to get your B2? We tell you everything here!<\/em><\/p>\n

Feedback on this Visa for long-term travelers in search of a Road Trip.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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<\/span>The B2 Visa for the USA<\/span><\/div><\/div>
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<\/span>Little reminder<\/span><\/div><\/div>
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When you plan a trip to the US<\/strong>, there is not much to plan to do I'ESTA<\/a><\/strong> (the electronic authorization mandatory<\/strong> to be done just before departure). A real formality settled the day before, even at the airport for the heads in the air...<\/p>\n

But with an ESTA in your pocket (to be done before each trip), you can only stay in the United States for "only" 3 months<\/strong>. If it is more than enough for a vacation in New York or Los Angeles, it is less so for anyone planning a long road trip to the land of Uncle Sam. The territory is so large that it would take a lifetime to explore every corner, we know something!<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t

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He is possible to extend the ESTA<\/strong>, but here it gets more complicated. The process is not obvious.<\/strong> You have to do that on site, be able to receive your answer at a fixed address in the USA (not necessarily easy when you travel, especially when you don't know the date of receipt), in short a real headache, with an uncertain outcome.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t

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The other "technique" is to travel to Mexico or Canada for a while<\/strong> and of return via a land border to the USA<\/strong> (but after 2-3 days it never works\u2026). The customs officer will find that suspicious. But if you can prove that you have the necessary money to travel, that you have a return ticket, travel insurance<\/a><\/strong> in the event of a problem (not mandatory but very reassuring), and a route<\/strong> 3 months maximum planned, so maybe, and we say maybe, that he will allow you to re-enter the territory... It is at the discretion of the customs officer!<\/strong> In any case, it does not work every time and therefore it can jeopardize your trip. Better not count on it!<\/strong><\/p>\n

But what is the real good solution then?<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t

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<\/span>The B2 Visa<\/span><\/div><\/div>
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Very little known (in view of the many questions we receive on this subject), it allows you to stay in the United States 6 months a year for 10 years.<\/strong> That's in theory! But in practice it's a bit different, and in a good way (for once\u2026).<\/p>\n

Thanks to this visa sesame, there is no longer any need to do the ESTA before departure. This is a real visa affixed to the passport. It does not allow you to work, be careful, it is \u201cONLY\u201d a tourist visa!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t

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In the facts, you can actually spend more than 6 months a year, because 6 months are given each time you enter the territory<\/strong>, except if you are returning from one of the two neighboring countries (thus via Canada or Mexico). It is once again at the discretion of the customs officer (see above), and, we repeat, only after having spent some time in one of these two countries (at least 1 good month and again\u2026).<\/p>\n

To be sure ofget to new 6 months, so you have to go further than mexico by road<\/strong> (for example when we went to Central America during our first failed attempt to do the Pan American, arrived at the American customs, we had again 6 months without the slightest question), or take a flight for an excursion in another country<\/strong> (Cuba, Central or South America, etc.) or even make a round trip of a few weeks in France.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So yes, this last solution is not ideal either, but for our part, we have sometimes had to spend a few weeks \/ months in France (unfortunately once or twice, not by choice), for example to a birth or other important event or to see our families again for the holidays.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t

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> In short, the thing to remember is that you will therefore have a 6-month tourist visa for each entry (excluding the \u201cpost turn\u201d in Canada or Mexico).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

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<\/span>But how to apply?<\/span><\/div><\/div>
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Now, of course, that's the big question. To get a B2 Visa, you have to do it in advance.<\/strong> It's not like ESTA which is a simple authorization. Who says visa, says passage to the American Embassy in Paris.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For that, you have to start with\u00a0complete the DS-160 form online<\/strong><\/a>, by already completing a whole bunch of lines (passport number, etc\u2026).<\/p>\n

You will then have to pay directly the amount of the visa is 160$<\/strong> (in 2022), non refundable in case of cancellation or refusal.<\/strong><\/p>\n

At last, several meeting dates are available<\/strong> at the end of the process. They are given on average one month after the online request has been made. Note that it is necessary one appointment per person aged 14 to 79<\/strong>, even for the same family\u2026<\/p>\n

On site you can group appointments<\/strong>, even if you are not married, so that requests for the same travel plan are processed together.<\/p>\n

At the end of the process you will be given a code<\/strong> not to be lost, you will be asked for it at the embassy.<\/p>\n

Once this step has been completed, all that remains is to book a train ticket for Paris for D-Day (or a metro ticket for Parisians\u2026).<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

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<\/span>Practical information<\/span><\/div><\/div>
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