B1 vs B2 visa — the difference, explained simply
Here's the short answer: B1 covers business visits — meetings, conferences, negotiations. B2 covers personal visits — tourism, family, medical treatment. And in practice, US consulates usually issue the combined B1/B2, which covers both. Below: exactly what each allows, what neither allows, and how the appointment works in India.
Last updated: 13 July 2026
The Difference
The category is about your trip's purpose, not about which visa is "better" or easier to get.
The part most pages won't say plainly: if your trip mixes purposes — a conference plus two weeks with your daughter's family — that is exactly what the combined B1/B2 exists for. Describe the whole truth on the DS-160 and at the interview. Applicants get refused for inconsistency far more often than for having two honest reasons to visit.
Side by Side
| B1 | B2 | B1/B2 (combined) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trip purpose | Business visits | Tourism, family, medical | Either or both |
| Who typically gets it | Rarely issued alone | Rarely issued alone | The standard issue for most visitor applicants |
| Application form | Same DS-160 for all three — you state your purpose in the form | ||
| Fee & appointment | Same visa fee, same OFC (biometrics) + consular interview flow, same appointment calendar in India | ||
| Work in the US? | No | No | No |
| Length of stay | Decided by the immigration officer at entry, based on your stated purpose — the visa's 10-year validity is not a permission to stay 10 years | ||
Appointments
Business and tourist applicants book from the same visitor-visa calendar at each consulate.
B1, B2 and B1/B2 applicants in India all book from the same appointment pool at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. When you hear "B1/B2 slots are open in Mumbai", that applies to you whether your trip is a conference or a family visit.
Our team checks the official calendar by hand and publishes every check — including the empty ones — at visahurry.com/slots/b1-b2/ with timestamps. Check it before you believe any Telegram forward about slots.
The full picture of B1/B2 wait times, dropbox eligibility and booking help is on our B1/B2 visa slots in India page. If you've had a visa before, check the dropbox (interview waiver) guide — it's usually the faster queue.
FAQ
The B1 vs B2 questions applicants ask most.
A B1/B2 is the combined version and covers both purposes: B1 (business visits) and B2 (tourism, family visits, medical treatment). US consulates usually issue the combined B1/B2 rather than a standalone B1 or B2, so most visitor visa holders can travel for either purpose. If your visa stamp says B1/B2, you do not need a separate B2 for a holiday or a separate B1 for a business meeting.
The purpose of the trip. B1 covers temporary business activities: meetings, conferences, negotiating contracts, consulting with business partners. B2 covers personal visits: tourism, vacations, visiting family or friends, and medical treatment. Neither allows employment in the US, being paid by a US company, or full-time study. The application process, DS-160 form, fee and appointment types are the same for both.
Select the option that matches your primary purpose honestly. If your trip mixes purposes — a conference plus visiting family, for example — the combined B1/B2 covers both, and you should describe the full purpose truthfully in the form and at the interview. Never misstate the purpose to seem more approvable; inconsistency between your DS-160, your answers and your documents is a common refusal reason.
No. B1, B2 and combined B1/B2 applicants book from the same visitor-visa appointment calendar at each consulate — Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. When people say B1/B2 slots are open, that availability applies to business and tourist applicants alike. You can see recent human-verified availability on VisaHurry's live B1/B2 slot log at visahurry.com/slots/b1-b2/.
No. Neither B1 nor B2 permits employment in the US or payment from a US source. A B1 lets you attend meetings, conferences and negotiations for your employer back home; it does not let you take up work in the US. Working on a visitor visa risks refusal of entry, visa cancellation and future bans. If you need to work in the US, that requires a work visa category such as H1B or L1.
Next Step
Knowing B1 from B2 takes five minutes — finding an appointment date that matches your travel is the real challenge. Message us your city, purpose and target month and we'll tell you honestly what the current B1/B2 picture looks like, before you commit to anything.
Keep Reading
B1/B2 slots in India · Dropbox appointments · Live B1/B2 slot log · Emergency appointments
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