How to Prove Strong Ties for a B-1/B-2 Travel Visa

In order to obtain a B-1/B-2 travel visa, you must be able to show that you have “strong ties” to your country of origin. This is simply because U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) wants to be as certain as possible that you will indeed return home once your tourist visa expires.

But what exactly constitutes strong ties? According to U.S. immigration law, a consular officer may reject a B-category visa applicant if they fail to prove that they have strong ties to their home country and have concrete plans to return home before their travel visa expires. But the types of acceptable proof will vary from applicant to applicant, depending on their background.

In this guide, we’ll go over a list of common examples of strong ties, and the types of evidence you can use in your travel visa application and during your tourist visa interview to substantiate your connection to home.

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Business/Professional Ties

If you have a job, or if you own a business, you may be able to use this as proof of strong ties. To substantiate your professional roots in your home country, you can use the following evidence:

• Statement from employer specifying your job duties, length of employment, and salary.
• Letter written by employer giving you permission to take paid time off.
• Pay stubs, or other documentation proving your income.
• Statements showing revenue, if you run a business.
• Documentation used initially to establish your business — such as articles of incorporation.

Remember, these are just some examples, so if you can think of any other documentation that proves you are indeed employed in your home country, you may offer this as proof. You can find more information on the different documents required during the travel visa process in Boundless’ guide.

Financial Assets/Real Estate Ties

If you own property or have significant financial assets located in your country of origin, this may be used to prove a strong connection to home. Some types of evidence include:

• Property deeds.
• The contract signed when you purchased your home.
• Mortgage payment or property tax receipts.
• Homeowners insurance in your name.
• Bank statements showing large sums.
• Investment papers.

This list is not exhaustive. You may provide other forms of documentation to prove your financial links to your country of residence. Remember, you can never be too thorough.

Family/Social Ties

It may be the case that your strongest connection to your home country is your family, or wider social circle. If this is the case, you may be able to provide evidence including the following:

• Birth certificates of spouse and dependents.
• Marriage certificate.
• Photos showing a sincere connection to family and friends.
• Signed letters from family and friends indicating a close bond.

If you can provide substantiated dates with the photos, that’d be ideal. The more concrete the proof, the better.

Community Ties

You may also have strong ties to your local community, whether through school, volunteer work, religious affiliations, or political commitments. To prove this, you may provide the following evidence:

• Any documentation showing that you’re integral to the organization.
• Letters from members of the organization stating your importance to the community.
• Official documents proving your current status as a political figure in the community.
• Student ID, if currently enrolled.

Given the informality of community involvement, it may be more difficult to provide concrete proof, so you want to make sure you’re being as rigorous as possible.