Dear Ms.Pan,
Greetings from the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai. Thank you for joining the SelectUSA Roadshow program in Shanghai and for your inquiry. Consul General Smith asked me to follow up with you on his behalf.
America is open for business! We welcome legitimate travelers and our goal is to facilitate legitimate business travel.
On this website you can find information about U.S. immigrant and nonimmigrant visas and the requirements to apply for each.
A B-1/B-2 visa can be used for several types of temporary business travel as well as leisure travel. International business travelers with a B-1/B-2 visa may attend trade shows, meetings, negotiate contracts, conduct business development/research, and participate in short-term training.
While the B-1/B-2 visa is not a pathway to obtaining U.S. permanent resident (green card) status – it is the most applied for visa category in China.
Individuals traveling on their B-1/B-2 visa, however, should bear in mind that their visa cannot be used for gainful employment or non-temporary stay in the United States.
注意这里强调是不能拿B签证来美国打工,也不能一次性长期呆美国。但是来美国创业做生意,促进贸易,确实是签证的原意。
· An L-1 visa is required if you are the employee of an international company which is temporarily transferring you to a parent branch, affiliate, or subsidiary of the same company in the United States. To qualify for an L-1 visa, you must be at the managerial or executive level, or have specialized knowledge and be destined to a position within the U.S. company at either of these levels. In addition, you must have been employed outside the United States with the international company continuously for one year within the three years preceding your L-1 visa application. You may only apply for an L-1 visa after your U.S. company or affiliate has received an approved petition from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), either on a "blanket" or individual basis.
The employer (or prospective employer) may sponsor a foreign national to become a U.S. permanent resident based on a permanent job offer. Please see the attached USCIS document regarding the multi-step process.
The spouse and minor children of an L-1 visa holder are entitled to apply for the L-2 visa. Public Law provides for work authorization for spouses (L-2 visa). Therefore, in the case of an L-2 spouse, the Attorney General must authorize the spouse to engage in employment in the United States and provide the spouse with an employment authorized endorsement or other appropriate work permit.
The EB-1 visa is an employment-based immigrant visa. Your contacts may be eligible for this employment-based visa if they have an extraordinary ability, are an outstanding professor or researcher, or are a multinational executive or manager. Each of the three aforementioned occupational categories has certain requirements that must be met. Could an EB-1 Extraordinary Ability Visa work for your contacts? Please have them answer the questions on this USCIS website to see if they might qualify.
The principal EB-1 visa holder can provide U.S. permanent residency status to his or her spouse and minor children. As permanent residents, the spouse and minor children will be able to work and study in the United States without much restriction.
The EB-5 visa is for immigrant investors. USCIS administers the Immigrant Investor Program which was created by Congress to stimulate the U.S. economy through job creation and capital investment by foreign investors. Additional resources regarding the EB-5 program can be found on this USCIS website.
If you or your contacts need help with a visa application or want to learn more about obtaining a visa to travel to the United States, please contact us via any of the means shown on this website.
Best regards,
Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV) unit (KL)
Consular Section / U.S. Consulate General, Shanghai
1038 W Nanjing Rd - Westgate Mall, 8th floor
梅龙镇广场8楼 (Méi'lóng'zhèn guǎngchǎng)
http://shanghai.usconsulate.gov