Visitor visa (B-1 business / B-2 tourism)

Requirements

• A temporary trip for business or pleasure, and a plan to leave the U.S. afterward
• Online DS-160 application and the $185 visa application fee
• An interview at a U.S. embassy, unless a renewal waiver applies
• No paid work for a U.S. employer during the visit
• No enrolling in a course of study on B status (8 CFR 214.2(b)(7))

How long you can stay

Each admission can be up to 1 year; a B-2 visitor is normally admitted for at least 6 months. You can ask USCIS for more time in steps of up to 6 months with Form I-539. Your I-94 record, not the visa, shows your exact end date.

Timeline

Mostly the interview wait in Seoul (under half a month as of Sep 17, 2026) plus visa printing and any extra review. Extending inside the U.S. with I-539 took up to 8.5 months for 80% of cases. Check current wait and processing times before you plan.

Government fees

Korean citizens pay no visa issuance (reciprocity) fee. Pub. L. 119-21 also requires a visa integrity fee of at least $250 when a visa is issued. It wasn't listed as collected on Sep 25, 2026. Since Aug 3, 2026, officers may ask B-1/B-2 applicants from countries the State Department designates for a visa bond. The bond can be up to $20,000. South Korea was not on the visa bond country list when we checked.

Typical attorney fees

Public price pages show about $500–$1,700 for help with an I-539 extension or change of status. One firm lists $1,600–$1,850 for B-1/B-2 extension work. Government fees are extra.

Spouse & children

Spouses and children usually get their own B-2 visas. They can't work in the U.S.

Work

No U.S. employment is allowed. B-1 is for business visits such as meetings, not for working for a U.S. company.

Path to a green card

B status doesn't lead to a green card by itself. Options people in similar situations often explore include family-based or employment-based petitions — confirm with a licensed attorney.

Note for Korean applicants

South Korea is in the Visa Waiver Program, so trips of 90 days or less can use ESTA instead. For Korean citizens, a B-1/B-2 visa has no issuance fee and can be valid for up to 120 months with multiple entries. Seoul's wait for a B1/B2 interview was under half a month (State Dept, updated Sep 17, 2026). The embassy says the rule that a passport be valid 6 months beyond your stay doesn't apply to Korean passports.

Key documents

• Passport
• DS-160 confirmation page
• Visa fee payment receipt
• Documents showing the trip's purpose and your plans to return
• Your I-94 record after arrival

Common pitfalls

• Treating the 10-year visa as your allowed stay — the I-94 date is what counts
• Doing paid work for a U.S. company while visiting
• Starting classes before a change to F-1 is approved
• Filing I-539 late — USCIS suggests at least 45 days before your stay ends
• Staying past the I-94 date without a timely extension request

Rules in flux

Official sources

• 8 CFR 214.2 — Special requirements for admission, extension, and maintenance of status (current text; includes the postponed F/J rule) — eCFR
• 22 CFR 22.1 — Schedule of fees for consular services — eCFR
• 22 CFR 41.102 — Personal appearance of applicant (visa interview and waivers) — eCFR
• Fee Schedule (Form G-1055), edition 09/09/26 — USCIS
• I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status — USCIS
• U.S. Visa: Reciprocity and Civil Documents by Country — South Korea — U.S. Department of State
• Global Visa Wait Times (updated 17-SEP-2026) — U.S. Department of State
• Important Visa Information — U.S. Embassy & Consulate in the Republic of Korea — U.S. Embassy Seoul
• Visas: Visa Bond Program (final rule, effective Aug 3, 2026) — Federal Register
• Public Law 119-21 (HR-1), sec. 100007 Visa integrity fee — U.S. Government Publishing Office
• Check Case Processing Times — USCIS
• Countries Subject to Visa Bonds (updated May 13, 2026) — U.S. Department of State

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