B-1, B-2, WB or WT Status

Short Term Foreign Visitors
in B-1, B-2, WB or WT Status
Part One

Info on Admissions

FAQ on admissions

F-1 student status

J-1 student status

Hiring & Hosting Foreign Nationals

The role of OISS

Non-immigrant visas overview

F-1 practical training

J-1 academic training

FAQ for B-1/B-2 payment

I-9 procedures at Yale

OISS Notification Form for Scholars

Frequently Asked Questions
About The Payment of Honoraria
and/or Reimbursement of Expenses
To Short Term Foreign Visitors
in B-1, B-2, WB or WT Status

Sample letter for B-1/B-2 receiving reimbursement only

Sample letter for B-1/B-2 visitors receiving honorarium or receiving both honorarium and reimbursement

1. Can an international visitor to Yale receive reimbursements and honorarium payments?
Any visitor to Yale in a "B" visa classification who is engaged in academic activities may be reimbursed or receive payment for service. The academic activity in which the visitor is engaged can last no longer than nine days. In addition, the visitor cannot accept payment of expenses and/or honorarium from more than five U.S. institutions or organizations in the previous six months. If either of these conditions is exceeded the individual may NOT receive any honorarium or honorarium plus reimbursement for expenses. Please refer to Yale Policy 3415 for information about persons in other non-immigrant visa categories.

2. What does the B visa classification include? status includes the following classifications: B-1 visitor for business, B-2 visitor for pleasure, WB (visa waiver for business) and WT (visa waiver for pleasure.) One of these notations will be written on the visitor’s I-94 arrival/departure record, the small card that is normally stapled to the passport.

3. How does a visitor acquire B status? If the visitor does not already have a B visa stamp in his or her passport, he or she must apply for one at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate, unless eligible for the visa waiver program. (For information about applying for visas at a particular embassy or consulate, check the Department of States Links to United States Embassies and Consulates Worldwide. In addition to the visa application form, the visitor should present to the consulate a letter of invitation outlining the terms of the proposed visit to Yale. (See sample letters above.)

4. What is the Visa Waiver Program? WB, Visitor for Business, and WT, Visitor for Pleasure, are designations under the visa waiver program that is currently available only to citizens of certain countries. Persons in WB or WT status will have a green (rather than white) I-94 card. Eligible individuals need not apply for a visa at an American consulate or embassy, but will be required to present a machine readable passport and to go online and register with the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) prior to entering the U.S. (Updated 1-13-2009)

5. What is ESTA and how do I apply? ESTA is an online government pre-screening registration required by visitors from Visa Waiver Countries prior to their entry to the United States . Prior to your arrival you will need to go online for a prescreening by the United States Department of Homeland Security through ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). Applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel, however it is recommended to submit no less than 72 hours prior to your departure. In most cases you will receive a response within seconds. You will not be granted entry under the visa waiver program without having completed your ESTA registration. DHS recommends that travelers print out the ESTA application response to serve as confirmation of their ESTA registration to present upon boarding their air carrier. ESTA registrations will be valid for two years. Those traveling prior to Jan 12, 2009 will be issued a small green card (the I-94 card) upon their entry to the US which will be stamped with WB or WT upon presentation of Yale’s letter of invitation, confirmation of ESTA registration and their passport. After, January 12, 2009, I-94 issuance will be phased out. Planning for the elimination of the Form I-94W is still in progress and policy has not been completely finalized. It is expected that when the form is eliminated, the class of admission (WT/WB) and admission date will be annotated in the traveler’s passport. (Updated 1-13-2009)

YALE UNIVERSITY, OFFICE OF INTERNATiONAL STUDENTS AND SCHOLARS
421 Temple Street, New Haven, CT 06511

TELEPHONE: (203) 432-2305
FAX: (203) 432-7166

COMMENTS: WEB MANAGER
Last updated: 01/13/2009 02:35:53 PM

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