For International Visitors Receiving Expense Reimbursement from CSCAMM

Helpful Links:

• U.S. State Department
• B1 Visa Information
• Visa Classification
• Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)

If we have offered to reimburse some of your expenses during your visit to CSCAMM, please read below to determine which visa category applies to you:

A. If you are staying for 30 days or less at CSCAMM you may come on any "B" visa. CSCAMM recommends the B-1 or W-B since your visit is for a business purpose.

B-1 (Business) Please take your letter of invitation to the US Embassy in your country to apply for a B-1 visa. At the port of entry, the Immigration official will write either the B-1 OR the B-2 classification on the I-94 card (small white card you filled out on the airplane) which will be stapled into your passport. Please check the card for the B-1 mark before leaving the inspection area.

B-2 (Tourist) Same as above.

W-B (only valid if staying for 90 days or less. No extension or change of visa status is possible). Must have a valid passport and a return trip ticket (to any foreign destination other than a territory bordering the U.S., unless you are a resident there).

W-B, W-T: These are visitors for business and tourism, respectively, but the requirement for a passport visa stamp is waived for citizens of these countries: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay. The United Kingdom refers only to British citizens who have the unrestricted right of permanent abode in the United Kingdom, which includes England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It does not refer to British overseas citizens, British dependent territories' citizens, or citizens of British Commonwealth countries.

Visitors from these countries with stays of 90 days or less may be eligible to enter the U.S. on the visa waiver program. This means it is not necessary to obtain a visa stamp from a US Consulate. At the US port of entry (or land border, e.g. Canada, Mexico) you will be required to show a passport (valid for six months beyond the intended visit) 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 by the INS official at the inspection point, will bear the designation WT (waiver tourist) or WB (waiver business). Please check the I-94 card before leaving the area to be sure it is stamped with WB.

Important: This is a reminder that beginning January 12, 2009, all visitors traveling to the US for business or tourism under the visa waiver program must obtain a clearance through the online Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) before departing to the US.  Travelers without ESTA clearance will be required to obtain a B-1/B-2 visitor’s visa to enter the United States for business or tourism visits.

CANADIAN CITIZENS

If you are a Canadian citizen, you will not need an entry visa from a U.S. consulate. When you arrive at the border, you should ask the U.S. officer for an I-94 card which will reflect your admission as a visitor for business (B-1) or visitor for pleasure (B-2) status. The I-94 will help CSCAMM process your payment. Be prepared to pay $6 U.S. currency, exact change, for the I-94. Bring proof of your Canadian citizenship and your invitation letter from CSCAMM. Some INS officers actually charge the fee, some don't. If the Canadian visitor cannot get an I-94 from INS, the university can presume the individual was admitted as a visitor and can take advantage of the provisions allowing payment of honoraria and reimbursements to visitors. Canadian visitors are simply different from any others. At many border crossings, there are no INS officers, but Customs officials instead. The Customs officers do not give out I-94's so depending on where a Canadian crosses into the U.S. he or she may not have an I-94.

In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, the U.S. State Department has indicated that some countries may be excluded from the visa waiver program. Please check with the U.S. embassy in your country to make sure your country is still eligible before you travel.

Criteria for Appropriate Payment to Visitors with "B" status:

A "B" visitor may accept only honoraria and associated incidental expenses (not salary for employment), if ALL of the following criteria are met:

a. A "B" visitor may accept payment only for usual academic activities (lectures, conferences, teaching, presentations, etc.) conducted at an educational or non-profit research institution.

b. A "B" visitor may accept payment for such activities conducted for the benefit of the paying institution.

c. A "B" visitor may accept payment for such activities lasting only 9 days or less at a single institution.

d. A "B" visitor may accept such payment from only 6 institutions during any 180 day period.

*** Please note: For B-1 visitors who will only receive reimbursement of associated incidental expenses and NO honorarium, criteria (c) & (d) are not applicable.

B. If you are staying for more than 30 days at CSCAMM you will need to obtain a United States Social Security number and you may need to obtain a J1 visa in order to receive reimbursement. If you come on a J1 visa you are also responsible for purchasing your own health and emergency exit insurance. Often times your current insurance provides coverage while you are in the United States but it is best to contact your insurance provider for details.

PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.