B-1 Business Visitor Visa for Entrepreneurs

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The B-1 visa is one of the categories that may be available to you if you are an entrepreneur interested in starting up a business in the United States. This article will help you understand the key requirements of the B-1 visa and help you determine whether you qualify and whether the B-1 visa is an appropriate fit for your needs. You will be required to submit evidence with your application to prove that you meet all the requirements.

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When Would the B-1 Visa Work for an Entrepreneur?

The B-1 business visitor visa would be appropriate for you as an entrepreneur if:

• The purpose of your visit to the United States would be for a short and temporary period of time
• You intend to return to your home country after your visit
• You will engage in business activity related to your work abroad
• You will not be paid by a US entity

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The Period of Stay in the US Must Be for a Short, Temporary Time

The B-1 visitor visa is available to entrepreneurs who will spend a relatively short period of time the United States for a definite and defined business activity. The B-1 visitor visa not for long extended periods of stay. Typically, the maximum length of stay allowed by the B-1 visa is six months. The actual period of stay granted will be that timeframe that is “fair and reasonable” for you to complete your intended activity, which may actually be less than six months. You must establish that you have sufficient funds to cover your travel expenses to and from the United States and the expenses of your stay.

You must establish that you will maintain your foreign home address abroad and that you intend to return to your home address after your period of stay in the US has ended. It is also necessary to establish that you have other binding ties to your home abroad that you have no intention of abandoning.

The Purpose of Your Visit Must Be to Engage in Business

To qualify for the B-1 business visitor visa, you must establish that the purpose of your travel to the United States will be for a business purpose. This business purpose must also be a “necessary incident” to your foreign business abroad, meaning that your intended business activities in the US must be a function of and directly linked to your foreign business activities abroad.

This may include a wide variety of business activities such as:

• Going to meetings
• Conducting consultations with associates
• Being involved in negotiations
• Receiving orders for goods produced and located outside the United States
• Going to conferences
• Conducting research options in order to open a business in the United States, including finding office space or signing a rental lease