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How Long You Can Stay
Your visa says when you may ask to be let in. This page is about the other number: how long you may stay once you are. The two are set by different agencies and are routinely confused — see visa validity vs how long you can stay for why.
The Foreign Affairs Manual publishes DHS's maximum initial admission periods by category at 9 FAM 403.9-4(E) (CT:VISA-1991; 05-24-2024), read on 21 September 2026.
This page explains what the rules are and where they come from. It is not legal advice.
The figures below are maximums and fee amounts as the FAM published them. What you actually receive is decided at the port of entry.
Read this before the table: the F, J and I rows are out of date
The FAM revision above is dated May 2024. It lists F-1, F-2, J-1, J-2 and I as admitted for "duration of status."
That changed. A DHS final rule replaced duration of status with a fixed period of admission of up to four years, effective 15 September 2026 — six days ago. Our analysis is at duration of status is ending, and the rule itself is 91 FR 44976.
We are publishing the FAM table because it is authoritative for the other categories and useful as a whole. We are flagging these rows because republishing them silently would put this site in conflict with what it says elsewhere.
Maximum initial period of admission
| Category | Maximum initial admission | Extension of stay |
|---|---|---|
| B-1 | 1 year | Up to 6 months. Form I-539, $300 |
| B-2 | 1 year | Increments of up to 6 months. Form I-539, $300 |
| Visa Waiver | 90 days | Not entitled to extension |
| Guam visa | 15 days | Not entitled to extension |
| C-1 | 29 days | Not entitled to extension |
| C-3 | 29 days | Not entitled to extension |
| D (crew) | 29 days | Not entitled to extension |
| E-1 / E-2 | 2 years | Form I-129 + E supplement, $320 |
| F-1 / F-2 | listed as duration of status — see the note above | I-20 extension via the designated school official |
| H-1B | Petition validity, not to exceed 3 years, plus up to 10 days either side | Extendable to a total stay of 6 years. I-129, $320 |
| H-2A / H-2B | Petition validity, plus a short window either side | Employer may seek re-certification; justification required each time |
| H-3 | Petition validity, not to exceed 2 years | Not entitled to extension |
| H-4 | Duration of principal's status | If the principal maintains status. I-539, $300 |
| I (media) | listed as duration of employment — see the note above | One-year increments in the same position |
| J-1 / J-2 | listed as the DS-2019 period plus 30 days — see the note above | Via the programme's responsible officer |
| K-1 | 90 days | Not entitled to extension — marry or depart within 90 days |
| K-2 | 90 days | If the parent does not marry within 90 days, depart within 30 days |
| L-1 | As authorised in the petition, not to exceed 3 years | Two years at a time, to 7 years (L-1A) or 5 years (L-1B) |
| M-1 | Course period on the I-20M plus 30 days, or 1 year, whichever is less | For practical training: one month per four months of study, six months total |
| TN | 3 years | Up to one year. I-539, $300 |
| TD | 1 year | I-539, $300 |
| A-3 / G-5 | 3 years | Increments of two years. G-5 no fee |
| A-1, A-2, G-1 to G-4, NATO-1 to NATO-4 | Duration of status | Via accreditation, not I-539 |
Four things in that table worth pulling out
B-1/B-2 maximum initial admission is one year, not six months. Six months is what most visitors are given; one year is the ceiling the regulations permit. Do not plan on a year because the table allows it — the admission is the officer's decision, and the figure on your I-94 is the one that governs unlawful presence.
Visa Waiver travellers get 90 days and cannot extend. That is a hard stop, unlike B-2 where an extension can be sought.
K-1 is the strictest line in the table. Ninety days, no extension: marry or depart. And K-2 carries its own consequence — if the parent does not marry inside the 90 days, the child must depart within 30.
C-1, C-3 and D are 29 days. Transit and crew categories are far shorter than people expect, and none of them can be extended.
The fees carry the same date as the table
The FAM shows Form I-539 at $300 and Form I-129 at $320 as of its May 2024 revision. Filing fees change by regulation and are not the MRV fee you paid for the visa — see what a U.S. visa costs in total. Check the current fee with USCIS before filing.
Frequently asked questions
How long can I stay on a B-2 visa?
The maximum initial admission is one year, though six months is what most visitors receive. The period on your I-94 is what counts, not the visa.
Can I extend a visa waiver stay?
No. The table lists 90 days with no entitlement to extension.
How long can an H-1B holder stay?
The initial admission runs to the petition validity, not exceeding three years, plus up to ten days either side — extendable to a total of six years.
What happens if a K-1 fiancé(e) does not marry in 90 days?
There is no extension. The K-1 holder must depart. A K-2 child must depart within 30 days if the parent has not married inside the 90.
Is F-1 still "duration of status"?
Not since 15 September 2026. A fixed period of admission of up to four years replaced it — see duration of status is ending. The FAM table predates that change.
How long is a transit visa good for?
C-1 admission is 29 days, with no extension. C-3 and D are the same.
Official sources
- 9 FAM 403.9 — NIV issuances, read 21 September 2026; the table is at 403.9-4(E), revision CT:VISA-1991 of 05-24-2024
- 91 FR 44976 — the rule that superseded duration of status for F, J and I