B-1 Temporary Business Visitor

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	B-1 Temporary Business Visitor
Purpose	Temporary legitimate business activities
Stay	Generally up to one year
Extension	Up to six months
Maximum trip stay	Generally one year
Cost	$185 application fee
Eligibility timing	Apply early; waits vary
Work rights	No U.S. employment permitted
Study	No study; limited recreational course
Medicare	Not stated in the source
Travel facility	Visa allows travel to port-of-entry
Citizenship	Not stated in the source
Family sponsorship	No B-1 dependent visa
Visa record	Admission stamp or Form I-94
Application form	Online Form DS-160
Interview	Generally required
Entry guarantee	Visa does not guarantee admission

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Purpose

The B-1 visa is a nonimmigrant visitor visa for temporary business activities of a commercial or professional nature, including:

• Consulting business associates.
• Attending scientific, educational, professional, or business conventions or conferences.
• Settling an estate.
• Negotiating a contract.
• Participating in short-term training.
• Certain transit or airline-crew “deadheading” activities.

A B-1/B-2 visa may cover both business and tourism purposes.

Eligibility

You must demonstrate that:

• Your trip is for legitimate business.
• You will stay for a specific, limited period.
• You have enough funds for the trip and U.S. stay.
• You have a residence outside the United States that you do not intend to abandon.
• You have binding ties that will ensure your return abroad.
• You are otherwise admissible to the United States.

Visa applicants must qualify based on ties abroad or to their home country, not assurances from U.S. family or friends. A letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support is not required and is not a factor in deciding whether to issue or deny a visitor visa.

Stay and Extension

An initial B-1 admission is generally 1 to 6 months, with six months stated as the maximum initial period. At entry, a CBP officer may admit you for the period needed for your business activities, up to a maximum of one year.

You may request an extension of up to six months by filing Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status with USCIS. The maximum total time in B-1 status on one trip is generally one year.

Apply before the departure date on your admission stamp or paper Form I-94.

Rights and Restrictions

Permitted activities

B-1 visitors may undertake approved temporary business activities, such as consultations, conferences, estate settlement, contract negotiations, and short-term training.

Prohibited activities

A visitor visa does not permit:

• Employment or work in the United States.
• Study.
• Paid performances or professional performances before a paying audience.
• Arrival as a ship or aircraft crewmember.
• Foreign press, radio, film, print journalism, or other information-media work.
• Permanent residence.
• Birth tourism, where the primary purpose is giving birth in the United States to obtain U.S. citizenship for a child.

A short recreational course that is not for credit toward a degree may be permitted, such as a two-day cooking class while on vacation.

Limited domestic employee and airline exceptions

Certain personal or domestic servants and certain foreign-airline employees may qualify for B-1 status where their U.S. activities are connected to foreign employment. They do not need an Employment Authorization Document before approved B-1 activities, but may request one using Form I-765.

Working for another U.S. employer or otherwise acting outside approved B-1 status violates status.

Family Provisions

A spouse and children are not eligible for a B-1 dependent visa. Each accompanying or following family member must apply separately for a B-2 visa and comply with B-2 requirements.

Required Documents

Prepare the following for the visa interview:

• Passport valid for at least six months beyond the intended U.S. stay, unless exempt under a country-specific agreement.
• Form DS-160 confirmation page.
• Visa application fee payment receipt, if required before interview.
• Photo uploaded with Form DS-160, or a printed compliant photo if upload fails.

The embassy or consulate may request further evidence of:

• Trip purpose.
• Intent to depart the United States.
• Ability to pay all trip costs.

Evidence of employment, family ties, financial resources, or another person’s ability to cover costs may be relevant.

How to Apply

1. Complete the online Form DS-160.
2. Upload a compliant photo.
3. Print the DS-160 confirmation page.
4. Pay the non-refundable application fee, if required before interview.
5. Schedule an interview with a U.S. Embassy or Consulate, generally in your country of residence.
6. Gather required documents and any requested supporting evidence.
7. Attend the interview and provide digital fingerprints if required.
8. If approved, pay any applicable visa issuance fee and arrange passport return.

Interview requirements, payment procedures, appointment availability, and processing times vary by location. Apply early.

Processing

Interviews are generally required, though limited exceptions may apply. A consular officer may require an interview for any applicant.

A case may require administrative processing after interview. The consular officer will advise if this is required. There is no guarantee that a visa will be issued; do not make final travel plans or buy tickets until you have a visa.

Travel and Entry

A visa allows you to travel to a U.S. port of entry and request admission. It does not guarantee entry. CBP officers decide whether to admit or deny admission.

If admitted, CBP will provide an admission stamp or paper Form I-94. Your authorized stay is determined by this admission record.

A valid U.S. visa in an expired passport remains valid until its expiration date unless cancelled or revoked. You may travel using the expired passport containing the valid visa together with a new valid passport.

Obligations and Important Warnings

• Depart by the date authorized on your admission stamp or Form I-94 unless you obtain an extension or change of status.
• Remaining after the authorized period makes you out of status.
• A visa is automatically voided under INA section 222(g) when a person is out of status.
• A multiple-entry visa voided due to overstaying is not valid for future U.S. entries.
• Overstaying may make you ineligible for future visas.
• Willful material misrepresentation or fraud may result in permanent visa refusal or denial of entry.

Change of Status

If circumstances change while in the United States, you may be able to request a change to another nonimmigrant status through USCIS. A USCIS-approved change of status does not require a new visa while you remain in the United States.

After leaving the United States, you must apply at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate for a visa in the appropriate category before returning.

Country-Specific Notes

• Some travelers from certain countries may qualify to enter without a visa.
• Visa Waiver Program travelers may visit for business or tourism for 90 days or less if they meet program requirements.
• Citizens of Canada and Bermuda generally do not need visas for visits, tourism, or temporary business travel.
• Holders of an APEC Business Travel Card still need a U.S. visa unless eligible for the Visa Waiver Program.
• Chinese citizens holding 10-year B-1, B-2, or B-1/B-2 visas in People’s Republic of China passports must enroll or update information through EVUS every two years, when obtaining a new passport, or when obtaining a new covered visa, whichever occurs first. As of September 30, 2025, each new EVUS enrollment costs $30.