Published on: Feb 16, 2015, Last Edited: Nov 09, 2019 | Tags: USA Visa, USA Visa Application, USA Visa Requirements

If you're interested in a visa for New York, or an ESTA visa waiver, then this short article will provide you with information needed for your relevant application.

New York, the city that never sleeps. New York is one of the most admired tourist attractions across the globe. The city serves over 54 million foreigners and American tourist each year. Thus, one can easily imagine the craze and likability across the globe. This huge city is spread over a land over 28000 acres of Parkland and 14 linear miles of Public beaches. There are many attractions in New York, which captivates the emotions of tourists. Moreover, these attractions are so varied, that the city has something for every age and interest. Most importantly, The City is magically melodious with its vast music culture and history. New York City is famous for its food culture, which is much more diverse. Even the rarest of rare cuisine is easily available in the City. A visa for New York or a visa waiver, will need to be obtained prior to travelling to New York.

Visa Waiver Program (ESTA)

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) was intended to make it easier for passport holders of certain countries to enter New York without applying for a visa. Currently, there are 39 countries that are members of the Visa Waiver Program. Individuals wishing to visit New York for under 90 days, for either tourism purposes, business purposes, transit purposes or receiving medical treatment may be eligible. The ESTA visa waiver is issued for up to two years' validity, or the date of passport expiry, whichever comes first.

There are some additional requirements that need to be met to be eligible for Visa Waiver Program, these are listed below:

APPROVED BUSINESS PURPOSES

• Consult with Business Associates
• Attend a scientific, educational, professional, or business convention or conference
• Attend short-term training (you may not be paid from any source in New York except for expenses incidental to your stay)
• Negotiate a contract

APPROVED TOURISM PURPOSES

• Tourism
• Vacation (holiday)
• Visit with friends or relatives
• Medical treatment
• Participation in social events hosted by fraternal, social, or service organizations
• Participation by amateurs in music, sports, or similar events or contests, if not being paid for participating Enrollment in a short recreational course of study, not for credit toward a degree (for example, a two-day cooking class while on vacation)

TRAVEL PURPOSES WHICH ARE NOT PERMITTED ON THE VISA WAIVER PROGRAM

• Study, for credit
• Employment
• Work as foreign press, radio, film, journalists, or other information media
• Permanent residence in the United States

Additional Requirements

1. A Visitor must have authorization under ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) ESTA is established Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) automated web-based system to determine eligibility to travel without a visa for New York for either tourism or business purposes.
2. You can only enter the States, If you travel on an approved round-trip Air or Sea itinerary.
3. You have no prior border refusals, therefore you may not be eligible to receive an ESTA if you have had a previous US visa request rejected.
4. You must have a electronic passport.

Tourist Visas, Business Visas, and Visitor Visas

If you are not eligible for an ESTA Visa Waiver, or wish to stay in New York for more than 90 days, you will need a B1 Business Visa, B2 Tourist Visa or B1-B2 Visitor Visa. There are different categories of visitor Visa, which are classified in accordance to the purpose of the visit.

• Category B1 - Business purposes, conducting meetings, settling an estate.
• Category B2 - Tourism, holiday, leisure and other visiting purposes.

Application process

To apply for a Visa, there are set number of steps which need to be followed. Sometimes, the course of these instructions may vary depending on the country from where you are applying.

1. Fill up the online visa application - First of all, you have to complete the online Visa Application Form DS-160. After filling the application successfully, you land on the confirmation page; you need to take a printout of this confirmation page. The printout is mandatory to bring in an interview.
2. Schedule an interview - You need to fix an appointment for your Visa interview at the US embassy or consulate in your native country. After that you have to wait for your call by the Visa officer. There is no fixed time of when you will get a call from the Visa Office. Call time depends on many factors such as your location, season and Visa category. Therefore, you must apply for the Visa in advance.
3. Maintain the mandatory documents - a) Valid Passport, b) Form DS 160 confirmation Page, c) Application fee payment receipt, d) Photo
4. Embassy Interview / Appointment - After examining you in the interview, your Visa Officer will decide whether you qualified or not. After your Visa Interview, you may need to provide more documents, if asked. So be prepared for it. After the approval of your Visa, you have to pay for your Visa issuance fee as applicable. Soon, you will receive a career of your passport and visa