The US, besides being a popular tourist destination and a place where people want to find jobs, it is also a great place to do business.
The B1 visa is a non-immigrant Business Visa for US that permits visitors to enter the United States for business purposes.
B1 visa holders can engage in the following activities:
- Negotiate contracts.
- Consult with business associates in the US.
- Settle estates.
- Attend conferences, educational, professional, or business events.
The benefit of the B1 visa is that you can develop business relationships and visit the US as many times as necessary for business. After your visa expires, you can always apply for another one. The US business visas do not have a cap so there are no rules as to how many visas can be issued per year.
The US has created the US visitor visas to cover business and touristic purposes. Different from the B1 visa, the B2 visa allows you to enter the US with the purpose of tourism, pleasure, or visit friends and family.
Do I Need to Apply for a US Business Visa?
If you are a citizen of one of the countries in the Visa Waiver Program, you will not need to apply for the US Business visa. You can apply for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) instead. With the ESTA program, you will not be required to go to the US Embassy in person and can get the business visa much faster.
This tool will help you determine whether you need to apply for a B1 visa:
What are the Eligibility Criteria to Qualify for the B1 Visa?
The US business visa eligibility criteria are not as strict as other visas, but you must fulfill them in order to qualify. Here are the criteria that you must meet to be able to get the B1 visa:
- That your intent for visiting the United States is business-related.
- You have enough finances to cover your stay in the United States.
- You intend to return to your home country as soon as your Visitor Visa for USA expires and you do not intend to stay in the United States.
If you meet these criteria and can prove your eligibility through valid documents in the application phase, then you will be able to apply and get the B1 visa.
Steps to Apply for a US Business Visa
To apply for a B1 visa, you must go through these simple steps:
- Complete Form DS-160.
- Pay the B1 visa fees.
- Schedule your visa interview.
- Prepare your B1 visa documents file.
- Attend the interview.
Complete Form DS-160
The Form DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application is used to apply for a business visa as in most US non-immigrant visa applications. It requires your background information and details, as well as your purpose of visit. You will need to find the section which is tailored for the B1 visa and fill it. After you submit the form online, you will get a confirmation page and number, which you need for later on in the application process.
You can fill the DS-160 form online through:
- the Consular Electronic Application Center, or
- with the help of a visa processing assistant.
Get B1 visa application support now!
Pay the B1 visa fees
The application fee for the B1 visa is $160. You must pay this fee in order to continue with your application. Besides the application fee, you might have to pay other fees such as the visa issuance fees. The amount of visa issuance fees depends on the relationship that your home country has with the US. After you pay all fees, make sure you save the receipts to attach to your documents.
Schedule your visa interview
All visa applicants between 14 and 79 years old must attend a visitor visa interview. The interviews are held at the US Embassy where you are applying and are conducted by an official. United States Embassies usually have high workloads, so you must make sure to schedule your interview as soon as possible. This will avoid long wait times and you get to complete the application process faster. In this case, you can call at your Embassy and schedule the interview and then you will get your interview confirmation letter. You must bring that letter on the day of your interview.
Prepare your B1 visa documents file
You must provide the commonly required documents for the business visa application with you to support your application. Your B1 visa application must contain the following additional documents:
- The Form DS-160 confirmation page and code.
- Your valid passport. You must possess a passport which is six months valid beyond your planned stay in the US.
- Details of your social media accounts. A list of the social media that you use, and the name
of your account in each. - The interview confirmation page.
- A photo that complies with the US Visa photo requirements.
- A letter which describes the purpose of your trip.
- Financial or bank statements to prove you have the finances to stay in the US.
- Ties to your home country such as family, job contract, lease, or property deed, which prove you will return.
- Criminal records or letters from authorities stating that you do not have prior convictions.
- If you have visited the US before, bring documents relevant to your prior visits.
- If you work, bring a letter from your employer and payslips for the last three months.
- A letter from the company detailing the purpose of the trip and your job position.
Attend the interview
On the day of the interview, bring your documents file and be prepared to answer questions from the interviewer. You will be asked about your background, your purpose of visit, what business you will be doing in the United States, and whether you intend to return. Answer in specifics and give details about what you plan to do in the United States.
