Business Visitors

The B-1 visa is designed for temporary business activities that promote international trade, commerce or investment. Business visitors cannot engage in productive work, i.e. enter the local employment market, or be paid a salary by a U.S. company. A B-1 business visitor may, however, engage in some limited types of activities that are temporary in nature but are not covered by any other visa category. Engaging in unlawful work in the U.S. can result in serious consequences for both the employer and the individual employee (including fines, deportation of the employee and inability of the employee to re-enter the U.S.).

The following activities are permitted under the B-1 or visa waiver category:

• Attend a meeting of the board of directors or perform other functions resulting from membership on the board of directors of the U.S. corporation
• Undertake training, not productive employment, for a limited duration. To do so, the employee must continue to receive a salary from the foreign employer and receive no salary or other remuneration from a United States source other than an expense allowance or other reimbursement for expenses (including room and board).
• Observe the conduct of business or other professional or vocational activity.
• Participate in scientific, educational, professional or business conventions, conferences, or seminars
• Install or maintain equipment produced abroad, or train workers on the equipment, if installation, maintenance and training is part of the sales contract between the B-1 visitors foreign employer and a U.S. company.

B-1 visas are generally issued for a year or more by a U.S. Consulate and are sometimes issued for up to ten years. B-1 visitors have for many years been issued permission to stay for six months upon entry into the U.S. Going forward admissions may be limited to one month. The period of admission will be indicated on the I-94 card. 

A B-1 visitor may apply to the INS to extend his/her stay beyond the time permitted at the initial entry.  The visitor must, however, continue to demonstrate nonimmigrant intent.  A B-1 visa holder may also file to change to another status. However, if an application for change is made within 30 days of entry, USCIS will presume that the initial B entry was fraudulent.  It is very important to avoid a finding of fraud as it may result in being permanently barred from the U.S.

Academic Visitors

A B-1 visitor for "usual academic activity" can be paid honoraria and associated expenses for a period of no more than nine days at any single institution of higher learning or affiliated non-profit entity, and may not accept honoraria from more than five institutions within a six-month period.