Frequent Business Trips

[Les H]

It looks like I may have to make monthly business trips to the US on behalf of my company in addition to the 2 trips per year to Orlando that we make as a family. My question is, will I be OK using the visa waiver scheme or would some sort of business visa be preferable to avoid long chats with the nice people at US immigration every time I visit. I will be travelling on my own when on business. Any thoughts on this?
Les H

[blott]

Well, you could get into lots of questions from Immigration on a visa waiver if you're travelling to the USA that often but in theory there's no limit to the amount of times you can use a visa waiver. In practice though, I'm sure Immigration will probably query it.

Not sure what you're meaning to be doing whilst on business but this page of the US Embassy website might help http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_web...iv/b1apply.htm as there are some things that you cannot do whilst there, like sell things or do consultancy work.

[DaveL]

It's very simple, if you enter the U.S. to carry out business commitments then you need a visa. If you are going once a month for your company you need to apply now. I know in theory you can enter and do certain things BUT you give up all your rights the minute you sign the visa wavier form. If the guy at the desk got out the wrong side of the bed I would not want to be the one explaining my forth trip in four months.

Regards Dave

[steph_goodrum]

Your company should organise your visa for you, it's up to them to make sure you have the right paperwork wherever they want you to travel in the world so it should be at their expense not yours. If you were to be refused entry then you wouldn't be eligible to use the visa waiver for your family holidays either.

[esprit]

You need a B1. As Steph says your business should arrange this for you. You will start to get questions if you are going backwards and forwards frequently on your own on visa waiver.

[Les H]

Thanks for your opinions, I suppose the nagging worry at the back of my mind is that the embassy decide that the visa waiver scheme is adequate and I end up with a visa refusal. There website does after all state that visa waiver is OK for business trips.

"In general, travelers seeking admission into the United States to conduct business require valid B-1 visas. That is unless they are eligible to travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program, or they are a national of a country which has an agreement with the United States allowing their citizens to travel to the United States without B-1 visas."

Would I be right in thinking that this visa is relativly straighforward to obtain?

[Carla]

Les, apply for the B1/B2 visa through your company. I had problems last year, travelling on my own, and I only went 5 times. At Immigration, they can get really "funny" with you. It's just not worth it. I would think that it is highly unlikely that you would be turned down for a B1/B2 visa, particularly if your company is helping with the application.

[Ray&Sarah]

Hi Les, With our two trips to the villa, and business trips last year, I flew to , and through the US 8 times, each time on the Visa Waiver schemme. I did not have any problems with immigrations, I have this year already been through the US twice, again just using the Visa Waiver form. To my knowledge, none of my colleagues who also frequently visit any of our twelve sites in the US have anything other than the Visa Waiver. I hope this helps, although reading the comments above I will be asking about the B1 Visa at work?

[esprit]

You only need to get a stroppy immigration officer. If your business trips are valid, why should they turn you down for B1? Talk it through with your company, why should you take the risk if you are traveeling for them on company business.