B1/B2 Visa Extension Applications: 2026 Process, Fees, and Key Considerations

B1/B2 visas are for tourism, visiting relatives, and short-term business travel. For individual applicants, especially when time is tight, online filing is recommended because it is fast, reliable, and less prone to errors.

Common mistakes and oversights in paper filings include using the wrong version of Form I-539, miscalculating the fee, and forgetting to sign—none of which occur with online filing. The only drawback is that online filing does not support multiple applicants at the same time; if you are applying for extensions for both parents simultaneously, you must submit separately online, meaning you pay two application fees.

Documents Required for Paper Extension Application

• Download Form I-539 here, which includes official instructions; you may refer to our Chinese tutorial.

• For multiple applicants, the principal applicant completes Form I-539, and each co-applicant must complete Form I-539A.

• Print the latest I-94 arrival record from the USCBP official website; refer to this tutorial. If the I-94 is incorrect, contact USCBP to correct it. If you have previously applied for an extension, the new I-94 record is in the lower left corner of the I-797A approval notice—do not look for it on the USCBP website. Extensions are handled by USCIS, while entry and exit are handled by USCBP; they are different agencies. The I-94 on the USCBP website is only your entry/exit record and will not be updated because USCIS approved your extension.

• Copy of passport (photo personal information page + visa page).

• Proof of financial ability to cover expenses during the extension period. Sufficient is enough; there is no fixed number—see this article.

• A written statement explaining why an extension is being requested. You may refer to the extension letter I wrote, as well as this one.

• Evidence that the extension is for a temporary stay; it is best to provide clear travel arrangements such as return tickets. If you are not yet retired, you may also need to explain clearly why you can be away from work for such a long time. Note that B1/B2 holders are not allowed to work while in the U.S., and remote work is also not allowed!

• If you want to receive email/text notifications, you may complete Form G-1145 (no additional fee). If G-1145 is not completed, USCIS will by default send confirmation letters via USPS.

Extension Application Fees

• The application fee per application is: $470 for paper filing, $420 for online filing. If you are applying for extensions for both parents at the same time, paper filing allows you to apply together—one I-539 application plus one I-539A supplement—and you only pay one application fee. If you file online, you can only apply separately and must pay two application fees.

• Payment methods include a personal check or cashier's check issued by a U.S. financial institution (see this article for common check types and differences), or a credit card (Form G-1450 is required to authorize USCIS to charge your credit card). Cash is not accepted. Regardless of the number of applicants, all fees can be paid with a single check; separate payments are not required.

How to Complete Form I-539

See this tutorial.

Extension Application Process

• Prepare the above documents

• Mail to USCIS

• Wait for notice (since October 1, 2023, most applications no longer require biometrics)

• Wait for application decision

Please verify the mailing address on the USCIS official website. At the time I updated this article, the mailing addresses for B1/B2 visa extensions were:

After USCIS receives the materials, it will send you a confirmation notice via USPS within 10 days (note: this is the "standard processing time"; since the pandemic began, processing has been slow, and it may even take 4-8 weeks to receive), which contains your Receipt Number. You can use this number to check processing progress on this page of the USCIS official website. If you also submitted Form G-1145, you will receive confirmation via email/text.

As long as the extension application is filed on time and accepted by USCIS, the applicant may remain in the United States lawfully while awaiting the decision, even if the I-94 has already expired. This point is explained in detail in another article of ours.

Single Applicants Can File for Extension Online

If you are applying for yourself alone, you can file for an extension online—fast and effective! You usually receive a receipt within 24 hours, and low-level errors such as forgetting to sign (online submission requires no handwritten signature), miscalculating the fee (the online system calculates automatically), or using the wrong form version will not occur. If there is only one applicant, online filing is strongly recommended!

If you are applying together with multiple people, or having a lawyer file for you, online filing is not available and you can only file by mail. If time is tight (for example, your I-94 will expire within ten-plus days), then even for a family of several people, it is recommended to file separately online one by one. The drawback is that each person must pay an application fee, which is somewhat more expensive than paper filing; the advantages are speed, reliability, and peace of mind!

See here for the online filing tutorial. This is a video I recorded two years ago; some details may have changed slightly, but the overall content is similar.

Receiving Notices and Biometrics

• If you file by mail, USCIS will mail you a biometrics notice, generally scheduled at your nearest ASC (Application Service Center). If you have a scheduling conflict, you can reschedule according to the instructions in the notice. If you miss biometrics and fail to contact USCIS in time to reschedule, your application will be denied.

• If you file online, within a few days after submission, remember to log in to your USCIS account and check the case documents to see whether a biometrics notice has been received. If a week passes and you still have not received a biometrics notice, it is recommended to contact USCIS.

Check-Writing Tips

These are all instructions from the USCIS official website—not me being fussy:

• Write dates in American format, i.e., "month/day/year" or spell out—do not use "day/month/year." For example, April 1 should be "4/1/2019" or "April 1, 2019," not "1/4/2019."

• The payee (Pay to the Order of) is "U.S. Department of Homeland Security"; do not abbreviate it as DHS.

• The amount must be exact; use cents/100 format for cents. For example, the numeric amount $455.00 is written out as "Four hundred fifty five and 00/100" dollars; see "How to Write a Check."

• The memo line should state "I-539 application fee and biometric services fee." If the name on the check is not the applicant's name—for example, if you use your check to pay the extension application fee for your parents—you need to add the applicant's name here.

• If you use your check to pay the application fee for someone else (parents, children), you should note the applicant's name in the memo. USCIS states: "Include the applicant’s name on the memo line if it is not on the check itself (for example, if you are paying the fee for your child)."

• Sign using your legal name.

Finally, make sure there are sufficient funds in your checking account. According to USCIS instructions, if the check is returned, they will resubmit it once; if it is returned a second time, they will reject your extension application and charge a $30 returned check fee: "If your check or other financial instrument is returned as unpayable, USCIS will resubmit the payment one time. If it is returned as unpayable a second time, we will reject your filing and we will charge you a $30 returned check fee."

Other Points to Note

• Spouses and unmarried children under 21 may apply together for extension or change of status if they hold the same visa or a derivative visa; other family relationships—including grandparents + grandchildren, and parents + children over 21—cannot apply together! See this article for explanation.

• A single extension does not exceed 6 months; see this article for explanation.

• The passport only needs to be valid for the expected period of stay; see this article for explanation.

• No Affidavit of Support (I-134 or I-864) is required; see this article.

• Can I continue waiting if my I-94 has expired?

• Can I go to Mexico or Canada and then re-enter?

• Can I apply for a second extension before the first extension is approved?

• Consequences of Overstaying