When Should B1/B2 Visitors Apply to Extend Their Stay Due to the Pandemic?
This article answers a reader's question about how far ahead B1/B2 visitors should request an extension due to the pandemic. It explains that the length of an extension generally depends on the individual's own plans and that USCIS does not automatically grant six months; when circumstances beyond one's control make the return date unpredictable, it suggests applying for the maximum six months and explaining in the cover letter that the outbreak in China is still evolving and that it is impossible to predict when flights will resume or when travel back will be safe.
Today a reader asked: "Under these unforeseen circumstances beyond my control, until when should I apply for an extension? Another six months? Or should I not give a specific date and just say 'wait until the major airlines start to fly China or the status in Wuhan becomes normal'? Thank you!"
The duration of the extension typically depends on your own arrangements. Some readers previously misunderstood and asked whether USCIS would "automatically grant 6 months" — it does not. During this special period, due to external force majeure and the inability to accurately predict when you can return home, it is advisable to apply for the maximum duration, i.e., 6 months, and to explain clearly in the application letter, for example: "I’d like to extend my legal stay for six months, until xx xx, 2020, because the Coronavirus outbreak in China is still rapidly evolving and at this time there’s no way to predict when the flights between U.S. and China will resume and when it will be safe for me to travel back to China."
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