Visa Information
For International Visitors Receiving Expense Reimbursement from CSCAMM
Helpful Links:
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.
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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.
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