B Visitors & Visa Waiver Program

The B non-immigrant category permits temporary entry to the U.S. for business (B-1 visa) or for pleasure (B-2 visa.) As a general rule, the B visitor category is not intended for employment. However, there are some allowances for reimbursement of "reasonable" expenses and for honoraria paid to someone who will be at an academic institution for nine days or less and was not paid by more than five institutions in the previous six-month period. You should discuss this option with your sponsoring department.

If you will be paid and do not already have a U.S. Social Security Number (SSN), you should contact your sponsoring department and discuss this issue before arriving in the U.S. A visitor in B status cannot obtain an SSN while in B status. Generally, an SSN is required for anyone who will be paid in the U.S. Without an SSN, your payment may be delayed, or you may not be able to be paid at all.

Individuals from some countries (Western European nations, as well as Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore and several others) who meet specific criteria and have a machine-readable passport may enter the U.S. for brief visits without applying for a B visitor visa. This is called the visa waiver program. People admitted to the U.S. for business are admitted in "WB" status and those admitted for pleasure in "WT" status.

The same rules for the "B" visitor visa regarding work and compensation apply to those individuals admitted in WB or WT status. The rules are not well-tested in law and may change as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues to regulate this area.

Important: Those who enter under the visa waiver program may not extend or change status from within the U.S.