Title: NON-IMMIGRANT VISAS
1- NON-IMMIGRANT VISAS
- TO THE U.S.
2What is a Non-Immigrant Visa?
- A nonimmigrant visa is most frequently a
tourist, business, student, or work visa that
will permit the applicant to stay for a
particular period of time in the United States to
accomplish a specific purpose, such as visiting,
studying, or working.
3Visa Validity
- A visa's validity is the time period that a visa
may be used to apply for admission to the U.S. - For instance, a businessman who receives a 10
year multiple entry visa has a 10 year period
during which he or she may apply for admission to
the U.S. - It does not mean one can go to the U.S. and
live there for 10 years.
4Visa ValidityCont.
- Upon arrival in the U.S., an immigration officer
will - 1)actually decide whether to authorize the
traveler's admission to the United States - 2) and determine the period of authorized stay.
5Port of Entry
- Applicants should be aware that a visa does not
guarantee entry to the United States. - At the port of entry, an immigration officer may
deny entry to the holder of a valid visa if the
traveler's activities do not appear to agree with
the specified visa category.
6B1/B2
7B1/B2 Visa - Business
- Acceptable B1/B2 Activities
- Selling
- An individual traveling to the United States
- to take part in an exhibition,
- to set up an exhibition booth,
- to display samples,
- to sign contracts,
- to take orders for merchandise produced.
-
8B1/B2 Visa Business Cont.
The holder of a B-1 visa may not actually
sell or take orders for merchandise produced in
the United States.
9B1/B2 Visa Business Cont.
- 2. Conference
- Participants in scientific, educational,
professional, or business conventions,
conferences or seminars may travel to the United
States on B-1 visas
10B1/B2 Visa Business Cont.
- 3.Business venture
- The B-1 visa is the appropriate visa
classification to travel to the United States to
survey potential sites for a business and/or to
lease premises. - However, the holder of a B-1 visa may not
remain in the United States to manage the
business.
11What We Look For
- Immigration and Naturalization Act, section
214(b) Everyone is a presumed immigrant. - You overcome this presumption by showing social,
economic, professional or family ties to Turkey. - There are many ways to show these ties.
12(E-1) (E-2)
13 Introduction
- The Immigration and Nationality Act provides
non-immigrant visa status for a national of a
country with which the United States maintains a
Treaty of Commerce and Navigation who is coming
to the United States to carry on substantial
trade, including trade in services or technology,
principally between the United States and the
treaty country, or to develop and direct the
operations of an enterprise in which the national
has invested or is actively in the process of
investing a substantial amount of capital.
14Requirements for Treaty Trader Visa (E-1)
- The applicant must be a national of the treaty
country - The trading firm must have the nationality of the
treaty country - The international trade must be "substantial"
15Requirements for Treaty Trader Visa (E-1) Cont.
- The trade must be principally between the United
States and the treaty country - Trade means the international exchange of goods,
services and technology. Title of the trade items
must pass from one party to the other
16Requirements for Treaty Investor Visa (E-2)
- The investor, either a real or corporate person,
must be a national of a treaty country - The investment must be substantial.The percentage
of investment for a low-cost business enterprise
must be higher than the percentage of investment
in a high-cost enterprise
17Requirements for Treaty Investor Visa(E-2) Cont.
- The investment must be a real operating
enterprise - The investment may not be marginal. It must
generate significantly more income than just to
provide a living to the investor and family, or
it must have a significant economic impact in the
United States
18Requirements for Treaty Investor Visa(E-2) Cont.
- The investor must have control of the funds and
the investment must be at risk in the commercial
sense - The investor must be coming to the United States
to develop and direct the enterprise
19Requirements for Employees of both categories
who are not investors
- Must have the same nationality as the Employer
- Must be employed in a supervisory or executive
capacity or have a highly specialized skill
20Application Procedure
- All requirements for E-1/E-2 mentioned above must
be met - DS-156E and and all required company
documentation - DS-156
- DS-157 For male applicants between the ages of
16-45 - One Photograph
- Fee
- Passport and statement of intent to depart the
United States on termination of E status
21New Enterprise Applications Enterprise
- DS-156E "Non-immigrant Treaty Trader/Investor
Application Form - Corporate documents
- A letter of introduction to the enterprise
- A five year plan
22Investor/employee
- Part III Applicant Form DS-156E, together with
curriculum vitae, copy of degrees etc - Form DS-156
- Form DS-157
- Photograph
- Fee
- statement of intent to depart the United States
on termination of E status - Certificate of net worth duly authenticated
23Family members
- Spouses and unmarried children under 21 years of
age, regardless of nationality, may receive
derivative E visas - Spouses of E visa holders may seek employment
authorization on derivative E visas. (For
further information, please contact the U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS)
24Revalidation of E status
- DS-156E duly completed
- Updated corporate documentation
- Copies of most the recent U.S. tax returns and
financial report - W2 (for investors with 10 employees or less) and
letter from the company summarizing its
performance to date and outlining future plans
25New employees for companies who currently hold
E status
- All the forms and information detailed above
- A brief narrative of applicant's
quality/suitability for the position - An organization chart showing the employee
position in the enterprise. - (All corporate documentation needs to be updated
and resubmitted this information to include
latest U.S. tax returns and financial reports if
the companys status is about to expire)
26Port of Entry
- The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency
(CBP) has authority to deny admission - A CBP official validates the Form I-94, Record
of Arrival-Departure, which notes the length of
stay permitted - Contact the U.S. Citizenship Immigration
Services (CIS) to request Form I-539, Application
to Extend Status
27Time Limits
- Holders of E visas may reside in the United
States as long as they continue to maintain their
status with the enterprise
28How to apply
- Schedule an appointment through the non-immigrant
visa appointment system - Bring all required documents for submission on
the day of interview - Review of corporate files may take between two to
four weeks - (in rare cases, applicants will be called in for
another interview)
29L VISAS
- Intra-company Transferee Visa (L-1)
30L-1 classification
- Intra-company transferees who, within the three
preceding years, have been employed outside the
U.S. continuously for one year - Who wishes to establish, or be employed by a
branch, parent, affiliate or subsidiary of that
same employer in the U. S. in a managerial,
executive, or specialized knowledge capacity
31Blanket L-1 visa
- Blanket L-1 visa applicants are required to pay a
500.00 Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee.
32- For detailed information visit www.travel.state.go
v
33 U.S. VISA PROCEDURES
34Be Prepared
- The average interview takes 3-5 minutes.
- The central questions
-
- What will the applicant do in the U.S.?
- (For B visas) Will the visa applicant return to
their home country?
35Documents (Part I)
- Complete instructions are available on the
website ankara.usembassy.gov/guide_to_niv.html - Use the electronic visa application form and get
priority. - Schedule your interview (212-340-4444)
- Pay 100 Fee (Non-Refundable) at Fortis
36Documents (Part II)
- DS 156, DS 157 (for men 16-45)
- Photograph (strict rules!)
- Documents about your job
- Proof of ability to pay
- Prior passport
- Ties to Turkey
37The Interview
- Apply 6-8 weeks before you intend to travel.
- Tell the truth!
- English, or Turkish?
38Congratulations, You Got A Visa!
- UPS Delivery of your passport and visa in 2-3
days.
39Sorry, You Dont Qualify for A Visa ...
- 221(g) refusals Whats missing?
- 214(b) refusals Should you reapply?
40THANK YOU!
- We hope to see you at the visa window!
41Key Websites
- www.travel.state.gov
- www.dhs.gov
- www.unitedstatesvisas.gov
- http//ankara.usembassy.gov
- http//istanbul.usconsulate.gov