Business Visits to Fermilab
Business Visits to Fermilab
B-1 Visas
Visa Waiver Program and ESTA
Fermilab Procedure
Attending a Fermilab Workshop, Conference or “School”
Sample Home Institution Letter
Visa Applications
Foreign nationals may visit Fermilab temporarily to engage in meetings, brief research benefitting their home institution or collaboration, signing agreements, attending conferences, workshops, “schools” or other events, and other activities, by entering the U.S. as a “Business Visitor”. This is done either by entering with a B-1 visa (obtained from a U.S. Consulate) or using the Visa Waiver Program.
Business visitor status does not permit you to be employed by a U.S. organization (i.e. receive a salary).
There are two types of B visas: B-1 is for business visitors and B-2 is for tourists. If you want to visit Fermilab in a professional capacity, you MUST have a B-1 visa.
Usually, you will be allowed to remain in the U.S. either (1) for up to 6 months, or (2) (if coming for a conference/workshop/school) for the duration of the event. It might be possible to get a longer admission (to a maximum of 6 months) if both your home institution’s letter and Fermilab’s letter clearly justify this.
Extensions of B-1 status during your visit to the U.S. are obtained by filing an application (the filing fee for which is $300). Alternatively, you can leave the U.S. and then re-enter with your B-1 visa again (but only if the B visa has not expired).
When a person visits Fermilab under the Visa Waiver Program, s/he is seeking admission to the U.S. as a Business Visitor, but without a visa stamp. It is not a separate “category” of admission – it is just a different procedure for entry as a Business Visitor.
You can enter the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program if you are a citizen of one of the following countries: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
Visa Waiver travelers no longer may simply get on a plane and arrive in the U.S. without any preparation. They must log into the “Electronic System for Travel Authorization” (ESTA) as far in advance of their travel as possible but it is recommended no less than 72 hours before departure. An ESTA authorization for travel to the U.S. will generally be valid for 2 years or until the applicant’s passport expires, whichever comes first. During this time, a new ESTA authorization is required if the traveler (1) changes his or her name; (2) changes his or her gender; (3) changes country of citizenship; or (4) should change any other answer to ESTA questions.
If you enter the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program, you may enter for a maximum of only 90 days; you cannot extend your stay in the U.S. past 90 days; and you cannot change to any other status, such as H-1B (for employment) or J-1 (for employment or as a Visiting Scientist).
- If coming for a meeting, research or similar activities, contact your experiment spokesperson or department head. They will begin an internal process that results in the issuance of an Invitation Letter to you from Fermilab. If coming for a workshop/conference/ school or other Fermilab event, the event organizers will issue an Invitation Letter to you. In either case, the Invitation Letter confirms the purpose and duration of the event or activity.
- Obtain a Letter from your home institution. The Visa Office strongly recommends that you do not apply for a B-1 visa without this;
- If applying for a B-1 Visa: Apply for a B-1 visa at the U.S. Consulate in your country of current residence, a country where you are visiting for business or other purposes, or your country of nationality. Please note that the visa application process can extend up to 3 or more months, depending on circumstances and the backlog of work at the particular Consulate. (If entering under the Visa Waiver Program, skip this step.)
Questions? Comments? Contact the Users’ Office!