Howdy stinkysteve-ga,
A reminder of the "Important Disclaimer: Answers and comments provided on
Google Answers are general information, and are not intended to substitute
for informed professional medical, psychiatric, psychological, tax, legal,
investment, accounting, or other professional advice."
The website of Zhang & Associates, among others, details the general rules
that apply to a "B-2" visa, also known as a "non-immigrant visa," or visitor
visa.
http://www.hooyou.com/nonimmigration/b2.html
"The duration of authorized stay for a B-2 holder are decided by the
immigration officer at the time of the B-2 holder's entry into the U.S.
However, B-2 holders are routinely granted an initial period of entry of six
months.
...
A B-2 holder may apply to extend his/her status for six more months if he/she
wishes to stay longer for the visit. While extensions of stay may be obtained,
any extensions granted may not exceed six months at a time."
You are pretty much restricted to "such activities as vacationing, visiting
relatives, visiting prospective academic institutions, and seeking health
care," as noted on the site referenced above.
If you want to extend your B-2 visa visit, you would want to submit an I-539
"Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status" at least 45 days before
the expiration of your current visit.
If you want to specifically inquire about your B-2 visa or an extension of
the same, you should contact U.S. Department of State Visa Services. This
would especially be true if you want to make sure that you were initially
granted the usual six month stay.
http://travel.state.gov/about/info/how/how_308.html
"For information related to inquiries about visa cases and the application
process, call 202-663-1225."
If you need any clarification, please feel free to ask.
Search strategy:
Google search on: "B-2" extension "six months"
://www.google.com/search?q=%22B-2%22+extension+%22six+months%22
Google search on: "I-539"
://www.google.com/search?q=%22I-539%22
Looking Forward, denco-ga - Google Answers Researcher |
Clarification of Answer by
denco-ga
on
08 Nov 2006 16:26 PST
Howdy stinkysteve-ga,
The six month period is not only the general information, but the specific
regiulations as well.
This is established by "TITLE 8 OF CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (8 CFR)/8 CFR
PART 214 -- NONIMMIGRANT CLASSES/Sec. 214.2(b) Visitors."
http://149.101.23.2/lpBin/lpext.dll/inserts/slb/slb-1/slb-10903/slb-17369/slb-17659?f=templates&fn=document-frame.htm
"(1) General. Any B-1 visitor for business or B-2 visitor for pleasure may be
admitted for not more than one year and may be granted extensions of temporary
stay in increments of not more than six months each, except that alien members
of a religious denomination coming temporarily and solely to do missionary work
in behalf of a religious denomination may be granted extensions of not more
than one year each, provided that such work does not involve the selling of
articles or the solicitation or acceptance of donations. Those B-1 and B-2
visitors admitted pursuant to the waiver provided at Sec. 212.1(e) of this
chapter may be admitted to and stay on Guam for a period not to exceed fifteen
days and are not eligible for extensions of stay. (Paragraph (b)(1) revised
1/1/94; 58 FR 69210)
(2) Minimum six month admissions. Any B-2 visitor who is found otherwise
admissible and is issued a Form I-94, will be admitted for a minimum period
of six months, regardless of whether less time is requested, provided, that any
required passport is valid as specified in section 212(a)(26) of the Act.
Exceptions to the minimum six month admission may be made only in individual
cases upon the specific approval of the district director for good cause."
Although the current regulations do not require a visitor from Canada to get
an I-94 (Arrival-Departure Record) note there have been no changes to the above
regulations. In other words, a B-2 visa is a B-2 visa, and there is no such
thing as a "Canadian B-2" visa. There is just a waiver of the I-94 record.
Looking Forward, denco-ga - Google Answers Researcher
|
