Immigration | How often can I travel on my visa?

Hi Mrs Walker-Huntington,

I would like to know how often a person can travel on their non-immigrant United States visa for the year?

N.G.

Dear NG

There is no set number of times that the holder of a non-immigration US visa can travel to the United States for a year. The visa is usually good for multiple entries – unless it specifically says it is for one entry.

However, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), as well as the US Embassy at visa renewal will observe travel patterns and can draw inferences from how someone uses their non-immigrant visa. The US authorities can look at a wide range of factors and the travel pattern of a non-immigrant, and this is evident from the variety of questions that CBP can ask a person upon entry at the border.

A visitor may travel once or twice per year, several times per year, every month, as often as they wish. In looking at the range of factors, questions can arise – what form of employment does the visitor have in their home country? Can they afford to travel as often as they have been travelling? What about their work or business obligations? Are they spending more time in America than in their home country? What is the purpose of the frequent trips?

Some conclusions that can be drawn from the numerous travels include drug smuggling, money laundering or unauthorised working in the US. People do travel often to participate in these activities, and it raises suspicion on persons who might be travelling frequently for legitimate purposes. There are situations unique to individuals that may require several trips per year to the United States.

Even if a person can demonstrate to a CBP officer at the border or a consular officer at visa renewal that their travel is legitimate, it still remains the officer’s discretion whether to grant entry to the US or to renew a non-immigrant visa.

Dahlia A. Walker-Huntington, Esq is a Jamaican-American attorney who practises immigration law in the United States; and family, criminal and international law in Florida. She is a mediator and former special magistrate and hearing officer in Broward County, Florida. info@walkerhuntington.com