The USA visa application process can take several weeks or even months depending on how quickly you can get an appointment at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. It is recommended that you start the application process as early as possible. You can apply for a USA visa even if you don’t plan on traveling to the United States in the near future. You are not required to provide specific travel dates when you apply for a USA Visa. United States visas are normally valid from 1 to up 10 years.
The United States does not provide a formal B-1 or B-2 visa renewal process at its embassies or consulates. Instead, any visa renewal or visa extension is treated as an application for a new visa, with the same application procedures and requirements applied as to the initial visa. Submitting an application for a new B-1 or B-2 visa qualifies as a renewal.
Select United States Embassies and Consulates do, however, have Reuse and Reissuance Visa Procedures, which expedite the application process for a visitor visa when the bearer has held one previously. The guidelines for these procedures are available in the Visa Renewal Application Guide.
There are no restrictions on renewal for a United States visitor visa: As there is no specific visa renewal process, any visitor who holds or has held a visitor visa to the United States may submit an application for a new visa.
Applications for subsequent visas may, however, be expedited or involve fewer requirements, especially for visitors who have established a positive prior record by holding a U.S. visa for several years and travelling to and from the United States multiple times without overstaying their visa term. The visa interview may be waived, and special expedited procedures may be made accessible at select embassies or consulates under the Reuse and Reissuance Visa Procedures.
A visa is valid until its expiration date unless it has been canceled. Valid U.S. visitor visas located in an expired passport may be combined with your new, valid passport and still be used for admission to the United States. For specific instructions on traveling with a valid visa in an expired passport, consult the Visa Renewal Application Guide.