Can Staying 3 Months in US Cause Visa Denial?

A B1/B2 visa allows temporary visits to the US for tourism, business, or medical purposes. While the visa itself may be valid for years, each entry is controlled by the Customs and Border Protection officer at the port of entry. They decide how long you can stay, usually up to six months, but it must match the purpose of your visit.

If you stayed in the US for three months, even though it was within the six-month limit, the visa officer reviewing your new application may have considered the duration too long for a “temporary” visit. Long stays can raise concerns that you were not just visiting but possibly living in the US without the right status. This creates doubt about your true intentions, which is a common reason for refusal under section 214(b).

Visa denial in such cases does not mean you broke the rules, but rather that the officer was not convinced you have strong enough ties outside the US or that your travel pattern matched the visa category.

To improve your chances in future applications, you should:

• Clearly explain the purpose of your previous long stay.

• Show strong ties to your home country, such as job, studies, family, or property.

• Provide evidence that you can support yourself during short visits without overstaying.