Visa Facilitation for Business Travelers

Vibrant business relationships with all nations contribute to a more secure and prosperous world.  To better understand the different visa classes for business travelers, please find below a brief description of the most frequently used visas for business work and training travel.

B1/B2 Business and Pleasure Visa:

• Permits the traveler to consult with a business associate or negotiate a contract.
• May buy goods or materials, or repair equipment.
• Allows participation in conventions, conferences, or seminars.
• May seek investment opportunities.
• Short-term job training that takes place in a classroom or lecture hall setting, but not on-the-job training.
• Travelers cannot be compensated from a U.S. source.

H-3 Trainee Visa:

• A petition-based visa that allows the traveler to participate in on-the-job training.
• The traveler’s pay can be based in U.S.
• The traveler may not train in a position that would replace normal operations or take the job of a U.S. worker.

H-1B Work Visa:

• A petition-based visa that allows work for a period of up to six years in a specialty occupation.
• Specialty occupations are professions that require a college degree or equivalent to enter.

L Work Visa:

• Intra-company transfers.
• L visa classification designed for multinational businesses with offices in many countries and a corps of specialized employees.
• A petition-based visa. The applicant must have been employed overseas by the transferring organization for at least one year within the past three years and will be performing duties in the United States for the same employer or a subsidiary or affiliate.
• Their intended position in the U.S. is managerial, executive, or involves specialized knowledge

Regardless of visa class, according to U.S. immigration law, all applicants must qualify as an individual and overcome the presumption of immigrant intent. (H-1B and L visa applicants are exempt from overcoming the presumption of immigrant intent.) In addition, other specialty visa classes exist for agricultural workers, nurses, athletes, entertainers, major investors, and artists.

For visa information and appointment scheduling, call 4000-1976 in Costa Rica or (646) 259-0557 from the U.S, or visit  http://www.ustraveldocs.com/cr.