The B1 business visitor visa, or business visitor visa is sometimes referred to as a business meeting visa. This visa is a special type of visa that is available to foreign nationals who will be engaging in business activities in the United States. 
The business visitor visa is very different from a work permit, and in fact you must be able to prove that you will not be engaging in activities that would otherwise require a work permit. You can only engage in permissible business activities while in the Untied States on a B1 business visitor visa.
Permissible B1 business visitor visa activities
Permissible B1 business visitor visa activities include attending business meetings, investigating business opportunities purchasing property in the United States, consulting with associates, attending conferences or conventions and negotiating contracts.
You can demonstrate your intentions to only engage in permissible activities by providing immigration authorities with a copy of your travel itinerary, with a letter from the organization that invited you to the United States or with a letter from your employer.
As the B1 business visitor visa is a temporary visa, you must also be able to demonstrate that you will be leaving the United States when your business trip is over. This means that you need to show you have strong ties to your home country, such as immediate family living there, a house there, a job there or assets there.
Do you require a work permit or a business visitor visa for your upcoming trip to the United States?
Contact our immigration law firm – do not pass up an important business opportunity simply because you were unsure of what to do. We can help you explore your options and help you apply for the visa that best suits your needs!
President & CEO
Michael Niren
Mr. Niren is CEO of VisaPlace LLC and the President and Managing Partner of VisaPlace Legal Canada, an immigration law firm based in Toronto, and VisaPlace Legal US a law firm registered in The District of Columbia, USA. Mr. Niren is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian Bar Association’s Citizenship and Immigration Section, American Lawyers Association, and an Associate Member of the American Bar Association.
