SeriouslyLost

I'm not sure which country you mean there. If you mean going/coming to the US and doing those things then the person very definitely requires a work visa for all those things you mention, whether it be a business VWP or a B1. If they get paid within the US then they need whichever visa it is that covers them.



A lot of countries will issue a buisness visa at entry, like the US does under the VWP. But if you're from a country that doesn't get that benefit then you very much need a visa, like the B1 for entry into the US for business.


Depends on your entry passport.

zkzkz

Well depending on your passport you might need a visa to enter the US at all. But if you're from a country that needs no visa to enter the US for tourist purposes then as far as I know you can enter the US for business purposes without a visa too. As long as you don't plan to "work" in the US.

pinniped

I've always followed the correct procedures - no exceptions. The consequences of getting caught are simply not worth it. Any decent corporate travel department should know the rules and demand that their travelers follow them: that's why organizations who have international travelers usually have contracts with 3rd party passport/visa services who can get your visa fast.

I've done a lot of trips where no visa is required, but if immigration asks I give them the straight answer...I'm here for meetings, a conference, etc.

tentseller

You are posting incorrect information.

I know of people who were denied entry on suspicion of entry for purpose of work/conduct business by US CBP from Canada and were secondaried on all future border crossings.

I also know of others who were banned from certain countries for a long time or for life due to this work/business entry violation.

sbm12

Depends on the country.

Just attended a conference in Turkey and a standard tourist visa was acceptable for a US passport holder. Ditto for going to a conference in Canada.

And there may have been one or two trips where I did not have the appropriate visa for the work I was doing. Managed to get away with it, though one was a close call (sent to secondary immigration)

pinniped

I'd also be hesitant on assuming that my definition of "work" is the same as the foreign country's definition of "work". IANAL, but I don't believe the aforementioned "Are you getting paid in local currency?" is the only determining factor. I also know that the rules for U.S.-Canada change depending on the nature and frequency of the work: while you might not need a visa to attend a conference, you might need one to do frequent client visits in the other country.

I'd definitely consult with my corporate travel desk (or whomever at your firm handles international travel). I would never wing it and just assume everything will be fine with no visa.

mfkne

That is definitely correct for the US (your not believing it is correct, not the statement).

I learned the hard way last year that as an employee of a company in the Netherlands a work permit/work visa is required to be allowed to deliver training to employees at the same company in the US. Delivering training is considered productive work, and in that case it didn't matter that my salary is paid in my home country. (By "the hard way" I mean that I didn't get to travel because the required visa couldn't be obtained in time)

MEABFlyer

While it can be a pain to get all of your documentation in order for a work visa (the one I just received for Australia was 20+ pages of questions), I wouldn't attempt to work without one. As others have pointed out, the risk of being denied entry is too great to risk working without the visa.

Here's something interesting I learned about speaking at conferences, some countries consider speaking on stage to be a "performance." That requires a different visa than a typical work visa.

mfkne

The one thing I've learnt researching some of the visa policies is that there is a complete absence of common sense in them.

DieselYVR

Apologies for not being clearer here. By work, I meant unpaid work such as attending meetings or conferences. No special visa is required for this.

This was the context I was posting under regarding entry into all the countries/regions I mentioned.

When asked I always truthfully declare what the purpose of my visit is.

You want to go where?

Do bear in mind that some countries distinguish betwen attending and presenting at a meeting or conference.

iaflyer

You are still somewhat incorrect (see at the bottom) -

Business (B-1):

consult with business associates
attend a scientific, educational, professional, or business convention or conference
settle an estate
negotiate a contract

All require a Business Visa according to US Department of State: http://travel.state.gov/content/visa...t/visitor.html

Here is what a Tourist visa permits:

Tourism and Visit (B-2):

tourism
vacation (holiday)
visit with friends or relatives
medical treatment
participation in social events hosted by fraternal, social, or service organizations
participation by amateurs in musical, sports, or similar events or contests, if not being paid for participating
enrollment in a short recreational course of study, not for credit toward a degree (for example, a two-day cooking class while on vacation)

However, since you are a Canadian and in the Visa Wavier Program, you don't need a Business visa for the activities listed in the Business visa list. But citizens of countries not in the VWP would need a Business visa.

http://travel.state.gov/content/visa...r-program.html

DieselYVR

Understood and this is what I meant when referencing my Canadian passport. You simply declare your intentions to the border officials. Same goes for when I enter the EU. Of course, other nationalities may have to apply for a visa.

Also, as a Canadian we cannot get two passports like some other countries offer. In Asia countries the visa rules are far less strictly applied and especially for Canadians and Americans IME. The latter based solely on my colleagues' experiences.

You want to go where?

I would check to be certain exactly what is required, although I am fairly certain a visa is not required. Note that Canada is NOT in the Visa Waiver Program, and travel by Canadians to the US operates under different (generally less restrictive) rules.

http://travel.state.gov/content/visa...a-bermuda.html

zkzkz

(as the other poster said, Canada isn't a VWP country).

Afaict this just means you have to get a B1 instead of a B2. Whether you need a visa is unchanged, it's just the number on the visa is different.

I think the relevant question is really "are there any countries that require a visa for a business meeting but do *not* require a visa for tourists for the same nationality". I would really want to know the answer to that since it's something I could easily get caught by.

Afaik it's not true for Europe or the US -- short business trips for meetings and training are allowed for the same nationalities under the same terms as tourist trips. But I wouldn't be surprised if some Asian countries are different.