Key takeaways
- The B1/B2 is a non-immigrant visa for temporary business or tourism.
- Applicants must overcome the presumption of immigrant intent in the law.
- The process runs through the DS-160 and an interview at the embassy in Santo Domingo.
- A 214(b) refusal is not a ban — it means intent was not established that day.
- Ties to the Dominican Republic are the heart of the case, not the itinerary.
The B1/B2 is the most requested and most misunderstood US visa in the Dominican Republic. Applicants prepare elaborate travel plans and hotel bookings, then are refused in ninety seconds and cannot understand why. The reason is structural: the consular officer is not assessing your trip. They are assessing whether you will come back.
The presumption you have to overcome
US law presumes that every applicant for a non-immigrant visa intends to immigrate. The burden sits on the applicant to demonstrate otherwise. That single rule explains most of what happens at the window — and it explains why a beautifully planned itinerary counts for very little while a stable job, a family, a business or property in the Dominican Republic counts for a great deal.
The B1 covers temporary business activity such as meetings, negotiations, conferences and contract discussions. The B2 covers tourism, family visits and medical treatment. They are usually issued together. Neither permits employment in the United States, and describing an intention to work is the fastest route to refusal.
The process
The sequence is the same for every applicant: complete the DS-160 online application accurately, pay the fee, schedule the appointments, attend biometrics, and attend the interview at the US Embassy in Santo Domingo.
The DS-160 deserves more care than it usually gets. It is the record against which your interview answers are checked, and inconsistencies between the form and what you say — about employment, previous travel, family in the United States — do more damage than any single weak fact. Everything on it should be accurate and everything on it should match your documents.
What the interview is really about
Interviews are short. The officer is testing whether your stated purpose is credible and whether your circumstances make return likely. The evidence that carries weight is ordinary and verifiable: stable employment with an employer who confirms it, a business you own and operate, property you hold, a family whose life is here, a financial history consistent with the trip you describe.
Answers should be direct and consistent with the DS-160. Volunteering elaborate detail rarely helps; contradicting your own form always hurts.
Section 214(b): what a refusal actually means
Most refusals cite section 214(b). It means the applicant did not establish, to the officer’s satisfaction, that they qualify as a non-immigrant — usually that ties were insufficient to overcome the presumption. It is not a finding of dishonesty, it is not a permanent bar, and it does not require a waiver.
A new application is possible, but reapplying with the same file usually produces the same result. What changes outcomes is a change in circumstances — a new job, a completed degree, an established business, property acquired, a stronger financial record — or the correction of a genuine weakness in how the case was presented.
A refusal on other grounds is a different matter. Findings of inadmissibility, particularly those touching prior immigration violations or misrepresentation, can require a waiver and belong in the analysis covered by our family petition guide.
Where a Dominican desk adds value
We do not sit in the interview and we cannot influence the decision. What we can do is the part that is actually within anyone’s control: reviewing the DS-160 for accuracy and internal consistency, assembling the documentary evidence of ties in a form an officer can absorb quickly, identifying weaknesses before they are discovered at the window, and assessing honestly whether a case is ready or whether waiting six months would change the answer.
For applicants whose long-term intention is to live in the United States rather than visit, the B1/B2 is the wrong instrument entirely, and the immigrant routes described in our US visas practice are the right conversation.
Frequently asked questions
Why was my visa refused under 214(b)?
It means you did not establish, to the officer’s satisfaction, that you qualify as a non-immigrant — usually that your ties to the Dominican Republic were not sufficient to overcome the legal presumption of immigrant intent. It is not a ban and does not require a waiver.
Can I reapply after a refusal?
Yes, but reapplying with an unchanged file usually produces the same outcome. What changes results is a genuine change in circumstances or the correction of a real weakness in how the case was presented.
Can I work in the United States on a B1/B2 visa?
No. The B1 covers temporary business activity such as meetings and negotiations, and the B2 covers tourism and family visits. Neither permits employment, and expressing an intention to work leads to refusal.
Does a detailed itinerary improve my chances?
Far less than applicants expect. The officer is assessing whether you will return, so evidence of stable employment, a business, property or family in the Dominican Republic matters more than travel plans.