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I have never been to the United States before. I have a relative who's been living there for long time.

I decided to travel to the US and just got a US tourist Visa (B2) authorized which is valid for 5 years. Now, my plans have changed, so will have to visit the US not sooner than next year (7-8 months later).

I heard some rumors that "if you don't travel soon enough, the visa might lose its validity." Is this true? I wanted to hear from people who are familiar with the situation; please advise.

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    "if you don't travel soon enough, the visa might lose it's validity" that really sounds completely wrong, in the USA case. (Maybe those folks were talking about another country?) Enjoy! – Fattie Oct 3 '18 at 19:09
  • I thought so too, but these matters are confusing sometimes. Several opinions really help. Thanks. – seyr Oct 3 '18 at 21:39
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The visa will be valid for the entire duration of five years. It does not lose its validity unless explicitly cancelled. Just make sure you have the documents to convince the immigration officer about your non-immigrant intent the next time you travel.

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  • I thought "non-immigrant" intent is to be proven during Visa interview, which already happened. And next year I can just take the plane and travel. – seyr Oct 3 '18 at 21:37
  • I get it, you meant the immigration officer on the point of entry. I have no idea which documents (if different from Visa interview required documents) those officer's expect? – seyr Oct 3 '18 at 21:39
  • @seyr: The immigration officer at entry also needs to be convinced that you are not immigrating, or he will deny your entry. – user102008 Oct 3 '18 at 22:20
  • Yes unfortunately EVEN IF you get a visa, the officer at the gate CAN make the final decision. It's the same with all countries. – Fattie Oct 4 '18 at 13:02
  • @seyr it's unlikely they will ask for documents but it would be a good idea to carry an electronic copy of your bank statements. They will be more interested in what you say. They will confirm your ties back home and ask about your plans in the USA. They might ask you why you didn't travel before but that's just just to gauge your response. Plans change. Everyone knows that. If you're planning to do anything that you are allowed to on a B2 (or B1 if you have that too) you should be fine. – greatone Oct 4 '18 at 13:38

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