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B-1 Visa: Visitors for Business. Application Process Application filed with consulate or embassy Interview with the consular officer Upon approval, a visa scanned stamp placed on the passport Visa will state issuance date and expiration date
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B-1 Visa: Visitors for Business Application Process • Application filed with consulate or embassy • Interview with the consular officer • Upon approval, a visa scanned stamp placed on the passport • Visa will state issuance date and expiration date • Time Frame: From 30 days up to 10 years (usually granted for the time needed to finish the business) • May be extended for up to 1 year
Consular Document Requirements • Passport (valid at least 6 months beyond intended stay) • Nonimmigrant Visa Application/Form DS-156 • DS-157 Supplement for Male Applicants ages 16-45 • One Recent Photo • Proof of ties to home country (employment, bank accounts, school registration, real estate information) • Letter from employer outlining nature of business trip (B1). • Letter of invitation from friend or relative in the U.S. (B2) • Copy of roundtrip airline ticket • Proof of familial relationship for dependents
Permissible Activities for B-1 Visa • Contract Negotiation • Installing, Servicing, or Repairing Commercial/Industrial Equipment Purchased from outside the U.S. or training U.S. workers to do so • Litigation • Participate in scientific, educational, or other business conference or seminar • Certain religious and charitable activities • Independent research or professional artistic activity
B-2 Visa: Visitors for Pleasure • Application Process: Same as for B-1 Visa Acceptable B-2 Visits • Tourist • Visiting Friends/Relatives • Medical Treatment • Conference or convention of social or fraternal organization • Short Course of Study Incidental to Tourist or Social Activities • Amateur Entertainers or Athletes competing without payment Time Frame Granted for 6 mos. can be extended up to 1 year
B-2 Visa: Visitors for Pleasure Alien must show the consulate: • He is not abandoning his residence abroad -what did the alien bring with him? Does he have all of his “wordly possessions?” • He has sufficient funds for the visit • Proof that he is returning -EX: bank statements, close family members still in the other country, mortgage/deed
The Visa Waiver Program • Allows nationals from certain participating countries to enter the U.S. for 90 days without applying for a B-1 or B-2 visa at the Consulate. Countries (27 Total) • Australia • Denmark • Finland • France • Germany • Iceland • Italy • Japan • United Kingdom
The Visa Waiver Program • The visa waiver program was introduced in 1986 to facilitate tourism and short term business visits to the United States. • The VWP allowed the Department of State to focus consular resources on addressing higher risks to the U.S. • All countries participating in the program are developed countries. • The Human Development Index (HDI) is used to determine if a country is developed. • The HDI looks at a country’s life expectancy, literacy, education, standard of living, and economic status.
The Visa Waiver Program REQUIREMENTS FOR THE VWP: • Each individual must have a passport (Children cannot share their parents’ passport). Scale: • Passports issued or renewed before October 26, 2005 must be machine readable. • Passports issued or renewed after October 26, 2005 must be machine readable and contain a digitized photograph, or must be biometric passports. • Passports issued or renewed after October 26, 2006 must be biometric.
The Visa Waiver Program 2. Individual must have a passport that is valid 6 months beyond his expected date of departure from the U.S. 3. Individual must be traveling on a participating commercial carrier and have a valid return ticket. If the return ticket is for Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or an island in the Caribbean, the traveler must be a legal resident of that country or territory (prevent illegal return to U.S.) • Must have complied with the conditions of all previous admissions to the U.S
The Visa Waiver Program • Individual must never have been arrested or convicted for an offense or crime involving moral turpitude no matter how long ago. 5. Individual must not be ineligible for a visa; • Individual must not have been previously denied entry to the U.S Visa Waiver Program Restrictions • A person entering the United States under the VWP cannot request an extension of the original allowed period of stay in the U.S. • A person who entered the U.S. under the VWP may not request a change of immigration status while in the U.S