B1 Visa (Visitor for Business Purposes)

Texas B-1 Visa for Business Visitors Attorneys

B-1 Visa for Business Visitors

The B-1 visitor visa is a type of nonimmigrant visa for persons desiring to enter the United States temporarily for business purposes.

1. ELIGIBILITY:

A foreign national who has a permanent residence in another country and who does not intend to abandon his/her home country, may enter the United States for a brief specified period in order to conduct limited business activities. The International Business Visitor may not receive salary or payment of any kind in the United States.

2. CRITERIA:

Petitioner must prove to the satisfaction of the United States Consul official that he or she has:

• You plan to remain for a specific limited period of time;
• You have the funds to cover the expenses of the trip and your stay in the United States;
• You have a residence outside the United States in which you have no intention of abandoning, as well as other binding ties which will ensure your return abroad at the end of the visit;
• The purpose of your trip is to enter the United States for business of a legitimate nature. Some examples of acceptable business purposes for entry into the U.S. in B-1 status are:

- International entrepreneurs investigating investment opportunities in the U.S; - Individuals traveling for a scientific, educational, professional, or business convention, or a conference on specific dates; - Individuals settling an estate; - An employee of a foreign corporation entering the U.S. to provide consultation services; - International businessperson entering the U.S. to conduct business market research; - Employee of foreign national employer entering the U.S. to solicit services, negotiate, or finalize contracts; - International business personnel entering the U.S to receive business training of a short duration, attend seminars, or conferences; - Individuals participating in a voluntary service program which benefits a US local community, who establish that they are a member of, and have a commitment to, a particular recognized religious or nonprofit charitable organization; - Individuals who will install, service or repair commercial or industrial equipment or machinery sold by a company in the alien's foreign country to a buyer in the U.S; - Individuals who will engage in independent research; - Individuals coming for an elective clerkship which affords practical experience and instruction in the various disciplines of medicine under the supervision and direction of faculty physicians at a U.S. medical school's hospital; - Individuals temporarily resident in the U.S. who will be working from home as computer programmers for foreign based companies; - Individuals performing missionary work on behalf of a religious denomination, to engage in an evangelical tour and do not plan to take an appointment with any one church you may be eligible, or to preach in the U.S. for temporary period; - Individuals participating in a voluntary service program which benefits a U.S. local community; - An amateur, or group of amateurs performing in a social and/or charitable context, or as a competitor in a talent show or contest; - A professional entertainer may be eligible, unless an O visa or P visa is appropriate; - An amateur athlete or group of athletes competing in an athletic event for which they will receive no payment, other than incidental expenses; - Professional athletes, such as golfers and auto racers, who receive no salary or payment other than prize money for his/her participation in a tournament or sporting event.

3. DURATION:

Generally, under current federal immigration law, B1 visas are valid for five to ten years. However, the B1 visa holder is only allowed to remain in the US while his or her I-94 card is valid. B1 visa holders should return to their home country or apply for a visa extension before their I94 card expires. Failure to extend the B1 visa or return home can result in the current visa being revoked and future visa applications being denied.

There are particular requirements for obtaining a B1 visa under federal immigration law. Any B1 visitor for business may be admitted for no more than one year and may be granted extensions of temporary stay in increments of no more than six months each, with the exception of alien members of a religious denomination coming temporarily and solely to do missionary work in behalf of a religious denomination may be granted extensions of no more than one year each, provided that such work does not involve the selling of articles or the solicitation or acceptance of donations.

Visa processing can be difficult and confusing. If you would like the assistance of an experienced immigration attorney, please contact the firm by e-mail or call our offices. Bertolino LLP maintains offices in Austin, Houston and San Antonio. To reach an immigration law attorney in the Austin office, call 512.476.5757. For the San Antonio office, call 210.223.5553. For the Houston office, call 713.225.7474.