B-2 Visa for Parents from China: Letter, Interview, EVUS, Stay

Life in the USOct 18, 2026 · 9 min read

Bringing your parents over to visit, help with a new baby or see your graduation is one of the most common reasons Chinese families in the US deal with the visa system. The process is not complicated, but a few rules surprise people: the interview is now required for almost everyone, the 10-year visa does not mean a 10-year stay, and the EVUS step is easy to forget until the airline refuses a boarding pass. This guide covers the whole trip, from DS-160 to the customs desk. Our free Parents' US Visit Helper has the checklists, an invitation letter generator and an I-94 countdown in English and Chinese.

Step 1: DS-160 and the visa fee

• One DS-160 per person. Each parent applies separately with their own passport. The form is filled in English at ceac.state.gov, with a photo uploaded. Print the confirmation page with the barcode.
• Answers must be truthful and consistent. The officer has the DS-160 in front of them during the interview, so who they visit, where they stay, how long and who pays should match what they say.
• Passport valid at least 6 months beyond the planned stay.
• Fee: $185 per applicant for a B-1/B-2 visa, non-refundable (as of October 2026).

You may also read about a $250 "visa integrity fee." It was enacted by Public Law 119-21 in July 2025, to be charged at visa issuance. As of October 18, 2026 it is not listed on the State Department's visa fee page, and we could not confirm on an official page that collection has started. Check the fee page before paying.

Step 2: Book and attend the interview in China

The State Department now says to schedule in the country of nationality or residence, so parents living in China apply there. Nonimmigrant visas are handled at five posts:

• U.S. Embassy Beijing
• Consulate General Shanghai
• Consulate General Guangzhou
• Consulate General Shenyang
• Consulate General Wuhan

Mission China says it can process only a fraction of its former visa volume and that wait times will increase, so book early and check the current wait for each city on the State Department's Global Visa Wait Times tool, which updates monthly.

Can older parents skip the interview?

Since October 1, 2025, nearly everyone must interview in person, including applicants over 79. The only B visa exception left is a renewal where all of these are true: the old B visa expired less than 12 months ago, it was issued for full validity (for Chinese citizens, the 10-year visa), they were at least 18 when it was issued, they apply in their country of nationality or residence, they have never been refused (unless overcome or waived), and there is no apparent ineligibility. Even then, the officer can still ask for an interview.

What to bring

Required: passport, DS-160 confirmation page, fee receipt and appointment confirmation, and a printed photo if the upload failed. The State Department's examples of supporting evidence are proof of trip purpose, intent to depart and ability to pay. For parents in China, common examples are:

• Retirement certificate or pension statement, property certificate (房产证), household register (户口本)
• Bank statements or deposit certificates, or evidence that you will cover some or all costs
• A rough itinerary: who they visit, where they stay, how long
• Old passports with previous US visas, if any

The State Department is clear that applicants qualify on their own ties to home, not on assurances from family in the US. Parents should be able to explain the trip themselves, briefly and truthfully, and why they will go back: pension, home, family in China, medical care there.

The invitation letter: optional, but common

An invitation letter is not required for a B-2 visa and is not one of the factors the officer uses to decide. Many families still bring one as supporting material. If you write one, keep it short and factual:

• About you: full name, US address, phone, email, your status in the US (citizen, green card holder, H-1B and so on) and, optionally, your job.
• About them: names exactly as in their passports, Chinese names, dates of birth, passport numbers and their relationship to you.
• The trip: approximate arrival and departure dates, purpose (family visit, a new grandchild, a graduation or wedding), where they will stay and who pays.
• Sign it by hand and date it within the few weeks before the interview.

Optional attachments include a copy of your passport, green card or visa and I-797, an employment letter, and a recent bank statement if you are paying. The letter must match the DS-160, because officers compare them.

Step 3: EVUS before every trip

People's Republic of China passport holders with a 10-year B1/B2, B1 or B2 visa must have a valid EVUS enrollment to travel. Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan passports are not covered.

Use only the official site, EVUS.gov.

Step 4: How long they can stay

The 10 years on the visa is how long they can use it to travel. How long they can stay on each trip is decided by CBP at entry, usually up to 6 months for B-2 visitors. The real deadline is the "Admit Until Date" on their I-94 record, which you can look up free on the CBP I-94 website after they land. CBP can admit for less than 6 months, so check it rather than assume.

Extending with Form I-539

• USCIS must receive the I-539 before the I-94 date. USCIS recommends filing at least 45 days before.
• Fee: $420 online or $470 on paper (USCIS Form G-1055, edition 10/16/26).
• An extension is up to 6 months at a time and decided case by case. Explain the temporary reason (for example medical treatment or a family event), show enough money, and show they will return home.

What happens if they overstay

A timely, non-frivolous I-539 pauses the unlawful-presence count for the 3-year bar while pending, but the statute caps that pause at 120 days. Ask an attorney before relying on a long-pending case.

Health insurance

Parents on a B-2 visa can't use Medicare, which requires living in the US as a citizen or a green card holder with 5 years of residence. ACA Marketplace plans require living in the US, which conflicts with the B-2 requirement to keep a home abroad. Hospitals must still screen and stabilize emergencies under EMTALA, but that care is not free. Buy visitor medical insurance that starts the day they land. Compare plans on whether they are comprehensive (pay a share of actual bills) or fixed-benefit (pay set amounts, cheaper but can leave you with most of a large bill), the policy maximum, how pre-existing conditions are handled, deductibles and age bands.

Packing: food, medicine and cash

• Declare all food. Meat and foods made with meat (sausage, jerky, pork floss, meat-filled mooncakes or zongzi) are not allowed from most countries. Fresh fruit, vegetables and herbal or dried plant products must be declared and inspected. Tea, honey and packaged condiments are generally fine but still declared.
• Not declaring costs more than losing the food: CBP says a first offense with non-commercial quantities can bring a civil penalty of up to $1,000.
• Medicine: FDA allows foreign visitors to bring up to a 90-day supply of their own medication.
• Cash over $10,000 in total per family traveling together (RMB counts) must be reported on FinCEN Form 105. Carrying it is legal; not reporting it is the problem.

How the Parents' US Visit Helper helps

Parents' US Visit Helper puts each step in one place: a visa document checklist you can tick off, an invitation letter generator that prints an English letter with a Chinese translation, an I-94 stay tracker that shows the I-539 file-by date, a neutral insurance comparison checklist and the customs rules. Everything stays in your browser. Visa photos have strict rules, so Passport Photo Checker can check the US visa photo first. If your parents need a doctor during the visit and you live in the NC Triangle, Bay Area, New York City or Seattle, Huaren Local Directory lists Mandarin- and Cantonese-speaking doctors. See also our passport photo requirements guide.

FAQ

Do my parents need an invitation letter for a B-2 visa?

No. The State Department does not require one, and officers decide mainly on the applicant's own situation and ties to China. A short, truthful letter is common optional supporting material. Bring it, but don't rely on it.

Can my parents skip the visa interview because of their age?

Not anymore. Since October 1, 2025, nearly everyone must interview in person, including applicants over 79. The remaining B visa exception is certain renewals within 12 months of the old visa's expiry, and the officer can still require an interview.

Can I enroll my parents in EVUS for them?

Yes. CBP allows a relative or friend to submit the EVUS enrollment on the traveler's behalf, though the traveler is responsible for its accuracy. Questions can be shown in Chinese, but answers must be in English. Use only the official site, EVUS.gov.

How long can my parents stay in the US on a 10-year B-2 visa?

The visa's 10 years is how long they can use it to travel, not how long they can stay. Each stay is set by CBP at entry, usually up to 6 months, and the exact last day is the Admit Until Date on the I-94 record.

Can my parents use Medicare or buy an Obamacare plan?

No for Medicare: a B-2 visitor does not meet the residency, citizenship or 5-year green card requirements. ACA Marketplace plans require living in the US, which conflicts with the B-2 requirement to keep a home abroad. Buy a visitor health insurance plan instead.

Sources

• travel.state.gov: Visitor Visa (B-1/B-2)
• travel.state.gov: Fees for Visa Services
• travel.state.gov: DS-160 online application
• travel.state.gov: Interview Waiver Update (Sept 18, 2025)
• travel.state.gov: Global Visa Wait Times
• U.S. Embassy & Consulates in China: Nonimmigrant Visas
• EVUS.gov and CBP: EVUS FAQ
• CBP: Form I-94 and the Admit Until Date
• USCIS: Extend Your Stay, Form I-539 and Form G-1055 Fee Schedule
• USCIS: Unlawful Presence and Inadmissibility
• CBP: Bringing Agricultural Products into the U.S.
• FDA: Personal Importation
• CBP: Money and Other Monetary Instruments

Last updated 2026-10-18. This guide is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Visa rules and fees change; check the official pages before applying or traveling.