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Ahlfors-Bers Colloquium
Stony Brook 1998
VISA INFORMATION
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Conference participants, and short term visitors to the U.S. of A., receiving local/travel expenses only, need to obtain a business (B-1) visa at the nearest U.S. Consulate (unless the visitor is eligible for the Visa Waiver Program described below.)
The business visa is usually issued as a combined B-1/B-2, business/tourist visa. Depending on your country you may request the designation, "multiple entry" in order to avoid such trips to the Consulate in the future. The B-1 classification solely allows for payment of expenses (no salary or honorarium). The B-2 is strictly a tourist classification and does not allow for expense reimbursement.
At the port of entry, the Immigration official will write either the B-1 or the B-2 classification on the I-94 form to be stapled into your passport. If you are to receive any expense reimbursements, it is to receive the B-1 classification on the I-94 card. In the inspection area one must speak up and ask the inspector for the B-1 designation. Check the card for the B-1 mark before leaving the inspection area.
Canadians please note:
For Canadians nationals an I-94 is not required to enter the U.S. of A. and receive reimbursement. If you are to receive expenses, and you do receive an I-94 card or visa stamp for another purpose, please make sure it is not a Waiver-Tourist or B-2 stamp upon entry.
Information on the visa waiver program
Visitors from Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, with stays of 90 days or less may be eligible to enter the U.S. of A. on the visa waiver program. This means it is not necessary to obtain a visa stamp from an U.S. Consulate. At the U.S. port of entry (or land border, e.g. Canada) one will be required to show a valid passport and a round trip ticket. The I-94 card (arrival/departure record, green colored for waiver program), which is usually issued onboard the airplane and stapled into your passport at the port of entry inspection, will bear the designation WT (waiver tourist) or WB (waiver business). If you are to receive local and/or travel expenses, it is again critical that you inform the official and obtain the "WB" designation on your I-94 card.
eligibility criteria
must have a valid passport
must
have
a roundtrip ticket
total visit may not exceed 90 days
limitations
absolutely no extensions or
changes of visa status permitted
no payment or honorarium permitted; reimbursement for local expenses and travel allowed if WB mark appears on I-94 card.
Updated 9 October,1998.
Information provided by Elizabeth Barnum, (ebarnum@notes.cc.sunysb.edu)
Office of International Services.
© 1998. Department of Mathematics, S.U.N.Y., Stony Brook.