A B1/B2 visa doesn’t guarantee you entry into the United States, since there is another round of assessment at the port of entry. This is done by the US immigration officers, who might throw a barrage of questions at you to get more information or to verify the things they already know about you. Usually there is no fixed format or pattern of questions asked and it mostly depends on how they judge you at first sight.
To make it easier for you to enter the US on a visitor visa, here are some common questions that are asked. This is not an official list, so be prepared for any surprises that might come your way.
In this article…
What is the purpose of your visit to the US?
Your answer should clearly state the reason (tourism or business) for the trip, since you have a B1/B2 visa.
Do you have any relatives living in the US?
If you say yes, they may ask you to provide details of the family members. State the name and place of residence of your family members living in the US. This will enable them to verify your connection in the United States.
How long are you planning to stay in America?
You are required to provide the time period for which you will be staying in the country. The reason why the American government is so strict with their eligibility criteria and visa regulations is that they don’t want tourists to stay beyond their permitted visa duration. This is why immigration officers are interested in knowing about your duration of stay in the country.
Where will you stay during your trip?
If you are going to stay at a friend’s or relative’s home, provide their name and contact details to the immigration officer. In case you have booked a hotel room, give the details of the hotel instead.
What is your travel plan? What are the places you want to visit?
Although you might not have the exact details, try to be as precise as possible. Provide places, dates of visit, means of transport, etc.
How are you funding your US trip?
Mention your source of funding, so that the officers can assess whether you have enough money to last through the trip. In this way, immigration officers can ensure you don’t have a reason to overstay in the US.
Some Additional Tips
Keep all the details you provided in the visa application in mind, since the immigration officers might ask questions related to them. Be prepared for some generic questions related to hobbies or interests. These are just asked to make you feel comfortable and gain an insight into you.
The immigration officers don’t want to torture or harass you, so don’t be nervous. Treat the entire process as just another formal interview and be honest and confident. Most importantly, keep calm at all times. If you have all the required documents and do not want to do anything illegal, then you don’t have any reason to worry.
