United States — B1/B2 Tourist Visa 180-Day Limit

Summary

Limit

Up to 180 days per admission

Per

Each entry / visit

Annual cap

None (no rolling limit)

Reset

Each new entry starts fresh

Set by

Your I-94 admission record

Holders of a US B1/B2 tourist visa can generally be admitted for up to 180 days (about six months) per visit. There is no annual cap and no rolling window — the limit applies to each single admission, and the exact leave-by date is set by a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer when you enter and recorded on your Form I-94. Always check the "admit until" date, because it can be shorter than 180 days.

Who it applies to

This rule matters most if you are:

• A tourist or business visitor entering the US on a B1, B2, or combined B1/B2 visa.
• A frequent visitor — someone with family, property, or business ties in the US who makes repeated or long stays as a non-immigrant.
• A remote worker or long-term traveler planning an extended stay and needing to know their real leave-by date.

It applies regardless of nationality to anyone admitted in B1/B2 status. Travelers entering visa-free under the Visa Waiver Program (ESTA) are governed by different, shorter rules and are not covered here.

The rule — and why it exists

A B1/B2 visa lets you travel to a US port of entry; it does not by itself decide how long you may stay. Two things work together:

• The 180-day ceiling. CBP may admit a B1/B2 visitor for up to roughly six months per entry. This is a maximum, not an entitlement.
• The I-94 admit-until date. The officer at the border records the actual authorized period on your electronic I-94. That date — not the visa — is your legal deadline to depart.

Why it exists: the B1/B2 is a non-immigrant, temporary visa for visits, not residence. Capping each stay and putting the decision in an officer's hands on arrival lets the US admit genuine visitors while stopping people from using a tourist visa to live in the country indefinitely.

How your stay is set

Because the limit is per admission rather than per year, there is no rolling count of days across a 12-month window. The period is fixed at each entry:

1. 1Enter the US on your valid B1/B2 visa and clear CBP inspection.
2. 2Retrieve your electronic I-94 record at the CBP I-94 website after entry.
3. 3Read the 'Admit Until Date' — that is your legal leave-by date, up to 180 days.
4. 4Depart on or before that date, or file to extend before it passes.
5. 5On a later trip, the allowance resets on the new admission — at the officer's discretion.

Examples

Example 1 — a standard six-month visit

You arrive on 1 March for a long holiday. The CBP officer stamps an I-94 admit-until date of 28 August (about 180 days). That date, not your multi-year visa, is your deadline — you must leave on or before 28 August or file to extend.

Example 2 — a shorter authorized stay

You enter for a two-week business trip, but the officer only grants you until 30 June — say 45 days. Even though the 180-day ceiling exists, your actual limit is whatever the I-94 shows. Staying past 30 June is an overstay, regardless of the six-month maximum.

Example 3 — leaving and re-entering

You spend five months in the US, leave for a month, then return. A fresh period can be granted on re-entry. But because your stays are long and close together, the officer questions whether you are really just visiting and admits you for a shorter period this time.

Exceptions & edge cases

• Officer discretion. The 180 days is a maximum. An officer can grant less at any time, and can refuse entry if they believe you are effectively living in the US on a visitor visa.
• Extensions. You can request more time in B1/B2 status by filing Form I-539 with USCIS before your I-94 date expires. Extensions are discretionary and typically granted in increments of up to six months.
• Overstay consequences. Remaining past your I-94 date voids the visa. Overstays beyond 180 days or one year can trigger three-year or ten-year re-entry bars.
• Visa Waiver / ESTA travelers. Visa-free entry follows a separate, shorter (generally 90-day) framework and cannot be extended the same way — this page does not cover it.

Common misconceptions

• "My visa is valid for 10 years, so I can stay that long." False — the visa only controls when you may travel to the border. Each stay is capped and set by your I-94.
• "I always get 180 days." False — 180 days is the maximum, not a guarantee. Always confirm the admit-until date on your I-94.
• "There's an annual day limit like Schengen." False — the B1/B2 rule has no rolling 12-month cap; the limit is per admission.
• "A quick border hop always resets the clock cleanly." Not reliably — re-entry is at the officer's discretion, and repeated long stays invite scrutiny.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• U.S. Department of State — Visitor Visa (B1/B2)
• U.S. CBP — I-94 Official Website