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Ask The US Embassy: Business travel
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Q: I am a manager for a Jamaica-based business and one of my employees recently applied to travel to the United States to attend training related to his work. Despite my giving him an employment letter and paying the application fee, he did not receive a visa. Can you advise the next steps for me to get this employee to the US for training?
A: Any applicant who has recently been refused for a visa, such as your employee, can reapply for a visa at any time. However, as explained to anyone who is refused, they should wait until there is new information available for their re-application or a significant change in their situation. New information or a significant change can include a wide variety of things, but some examples are:
The embassy issues a large number of visas each year for individuals to attend training in the United States, to take professional exams, and to attend conferences.
The embassy issues a large number of visas each year for individuals to attend training in the United States, to take professional exams, and to attend conferences. 1/1
* Employment changes such as additional years of work experience, a salary increase, or attainment of a degree or certificate.
* Travel: New demonstrated travel history.
* Social ties: Involvement in social or charitable organisations.
These examples are not the only possibilities but only a short list of possible new information. All applicants, whether first-timers, renewers, or those previously refused, are interviewed to determine if they have significant social, economic, and family ties that will cause them to return to Jamaica after their travel. During the interviews, consular officers evaluate these circumstances and, based on their level of confidence in the applicant, make a decision to issue or refuse a visa application.
Business-related travel
In the question cited above, the employee intended to travel for training related to his professional work. The embassy's goal in any interview is to facilitate legitimate travel for qualified applicants. If this employee was not issued a visa, it would have been because he did not demonstrate to the interviewing officer that he had sufficient ties to occasion his return to Jamaica.
The embassy issues a large number of visas each year for individuals to attend training in the United States, to take professional exams, and to attend conferences. The fact that such opportunities can be life-changing and may allow employees to advance personally and professionally weighs heavily in the officers' decisions. Nevertheless, the overriding factor in any interview is that the officer must always adhere to the standards established in US immigration law; while an applicant's purpose of travel is considered as part of the visa application, travel to attend training does not in itself qualify an applicant for a visa.
Because the embassy almost always issues visitor's visas (which are used for training) that are valid for ten years, interviewing officers must look beyond the applicant's initial travel purpose -- in this case training -- and determine if they would use the visa properly for personal travel as well.
Travelling to conduct business
On a related topic, the embassy often receives applications from business persons who are looking to engage in business activities in the US. The visitor's visa can be used to conduct several business activities, such as scouting a location to lease for a business, attending a conference or trade show, or to take orders for products made in Jamaica. However, a visitor's visa cannot be used to manage a business in the US, accept a salary from a US entity, or expect to gain employment from a US employer after attending training, a conference, or trade show.
The embassy often receives questions from business applicants regarding whether or not they can obtain a US social security number for use in business activities. Non-citizens who are authorised to work in the United States or who are immigrating to the United States can apply for a social security number. In fact, non-citizens authorised to work in the United States must apply for a social security number, based on the valid entry permit or programme for which they are authorised to work, since social security taxes must be withheld from their income. Social security numbers and social security benefits are administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Alternatively, an applicant who needs an identification number for tax purposes and is not authorised to work in the United States can apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification number from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Application for an Individual Taxpayer Identification number can be made at an IRS office in person, by calling the IRS toll-free number in the United States at 1-800-829-3676, or by visiting the website www.irs.gov. The form to be requested is Form W-7, Application For An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.
New application form a success
Prospective visa applicants are reminded that the US Embassy now requires all applicants to complete the online DS-160 non-immigrant visa application prior to their interview. The embassy's consular section has been processing these online visa applications smoothly using the new system and will soon be increasing the number of daily appointments to reduce appointment wait times.
The American Embassy staff in Kingston will answer any questions you may have regarding US consular law, regulations and/or practice. In order to respect the privacy of applicants, the embassy will not answer questions on specific personal applications.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Send your questions to: [email protected] and we will send them to the embassy</span>
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Q: I am a manager for a Jamaica-based business and one of my employees recently applied to travel to the United States to attend training related to his work. Despite my giving him an employment letter and paying the application fee, he did not receive a visa. Can you advise the next steps for me to get this employee to the US for training?
A: Any applicant who has recently been refused for a visa, such as your employee, can reapply for a visa at any time. However, as explained to anyone who is refused, they should wait until there is new information available for their re-application or a significant change in their situation. New information or a significant change can include a wide variety of things, but some examples are:
The embassy issues a large number of visas each year for individuals to attend training in the United States, to take professional exams, and to attend conferences.
The embassy issues a large number of visas each year for individuals to attend training in the United States, to take professional exams, and to attend conferences. 1/1
* Employment changes such as additional years of work experience, a salary increase, or attainment of a degree or certificate.
* Travel: New demonstrated travel history.
* Social ties: Involvement in social or charitable organisations.
These examples are not the only possibilities but only a short list of possible new information. All applicants, whether first-timers, renewers, or those previously refused, are interviewed to determine if they have significant social, economic, and family ties that will cause them to return to Jamaica after their travel. During the interviews, consular officers evaluate these circumstances and, based on their level of confidence in the applicant, make a decision to issue or refuse a visa application.
Business-related travel
In the question cited above, the employee intended to travel for training related to his professional work. The embassy's goal in any interview is to facilitate legitimate travel for qualified applicants. If this employee was not issued a visa, it would have been because he did not demonstrate to the interviewing officer that he had sufficient ties to occasion his return to Jamaica.
The embassy issues a large number of visas each year for individuals to attend training in the United States, to take professional exams, and to attend conferences. The fact that such opportunities can be life-changing and may allow employees to advance personally and professionally weighs heavily in the officers' decisions. Nevertheless, the overriding factor in any interview is that the officer must always adhere to the standards established in US immigration law; while an applicant's purpose of travel is considered as part of the visa application, travel to attend training does not in itself qualify an applicant for a visa.
Because the embassy almost always issues visitor's visas (which are used for training) that are valid for ten years, interviewing officers must look beyond the applicant's initial travel purpose -- in this case training -- and determine if they would use the visa properly for personal travel as well.
Travelling to conduct business
On a related topic, the embassy often receives applications from business persons who are looking to engage in business activities in the US. The visitor's visa can be used to conduct several business activities, such as scouting a location to lease for a business, attending a conference or trade show, or to take orders for products made in Jamaica. However, a visitor's visa cannot be used to manage a business in the US, accept a salary from a US entity, or expect to gain employment from a US employer after attending training, a conference, or trade show.
The embassy often receives questions from business applicants regarding whether or not they can obtain a US social security number for use in business activities. Non-citizens who are authorised to work in the United States or who are immigrating to the United States can apply for a social security number. In fact, non-citizens authorised to work in the United States must apply for a social security number, based on the valid entry permit or programme for which they are authorised to work, since social security taxes must be withheld from their income. Social security numbers and social security benefits are administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Alternatively, an applicant who needs an identification number for tax purposes and is not authorised to work in the United States can apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification number from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Application for an Individual Taxpayer Identification number can be made at an IRS office in person, by calling the IRS toll-free number in the United States at 1-800-829-3676, or by visiting the website www.irs.gov. The form to be requested is Form W-7, Application For An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.
New application form a success
Prospective visa applicants are reminded that the US Embassy now requires all applicants to complete the online DS-160 non-immigrant visa application prior to their interview. The embassy's consular section has been processing these online visa applications smoothly using the new system and will soon be increasing the number of daily appointments to reduce appointment wait times.
The American Embassy staff in Kingston will answer any questions you may have regarding US consular law, regulations and/or practice. In order to respect the privacy of applicants, the embassy will not answer questions on specific personal applications.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Send your questions to: [email protected] and we will send them to the embassy</span>
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