The short answer
To get a tourist (B-2) visa you must show a clear purpose for a short trip, enough money for it, and strong ties that make you return home. If your country is in the Visa Waiver Program you may travel with an ESTA instead.
What to know
- A valid passport and a complete DS-160 form, fee receipt and interview.
- A clear plan: where you will go, for how long, and who pays.
- Ties to home: a job, studies, family, property.
- No plan to work, study or live in the U.S. on this visa.
- Citizens of Visa Waiver countries may use ESTA for short trips, but not everyone is eligible.
For the exact rules, forms and fees, see the State Department visa website.
Visa Status is an unofficial site. This is general information in plain words, not legal advice. Rules, fees and forms change, so check the official website and your own papers. Written October 2026.