Visa B1/B2 – Visa de Turista
Santos Lloyd Law Team • May 25, 2023
Click here to read this article in English and Portuguese
Probablemente ya haya escuchado, visto o tenido una visa B1/B2. ¿Pero sabe lo que significa B1 y B2? Para empezar, B1 es para visitantes temporales por negocios y B2 es para visitantes temporales por placer. Ok, entonces B1 es para fines comerciales y B2 es para disfrutar de los Estados Unidos.
Pero, ¿qué significa aquí fines comerciales?
La pregunta principal que podría surgir en su mente es: "¿Me pueden pagar por hacer algo que agrega valor a un negocio?" La respuesta es mi favorita, prepárese.
¡Eso depende!
Lo que se quiere preguntar aquí es de dónde viene el dinero. Si el pago proviene de una fuente de EE. UU., probablemente signifique que está trabajando sin autorización, violando el estado B1/B2. Este tipo de visa no le permite ingresar al mercado laboral estadounidense.
Sin embargo, una visa B1/B2 le permite realizar servicios en los Estados Unidos para su empleador extranjero. Por ejemplo, puede venir con un B1/B2 para realizar servicios de reparación en una máquina que su empleador extranjero vendió a una empresa estadounidense. Cuando se hizo el trato, probablemente había una cláusula que autorizaba al comprador a obtener las reparaciones necesarias por parte del vendedor en caso de que algo no funcionara como debería. Bueno, lo más probable es que alguien necesite venir a los Estados Unidos y ensuciarse las manos. En este caso, puede venir a realizar el servicio y, si lo desea, quedarse a pasar el rato y hacer compras. Aquí, el titular de B1/B2 es empleado y pagado por una empresa extranjera y viene a los Estados Unidos para promover la relación comercial entre la empresa estadounidense y el empleador, por lo que no hay problema.
Otras actividades permitidas para esta visa son las transacciones comerciales que no implican que una empresa estadounidense le pague, como asistir a reuniones, tomar pedidos y vender. Vender aquí significa que está vendiendo en nombre de la empresa extranjera, a la que luego se le pagará por el producto o servicio. En última instancia, su empleador extranjero le pagaría fuera de los Estados Unidos.
¿Qué pasa con las actividades de voluntariado? No me pagan, así que está bien, ¿verdad? No precisamente. La definición más segura de trabajo voluntario es el trabajo realizado sin la expectativa de recibir ningún beneficio, realizado en nombre de una organización sin fines de lucro. Cualquier otra cosa que no sea eso es arriesgada, ya que es posible que obtenga beneficios no financieros por su trabajo voluntario, y es probable que su "empleador voluntario" se beneficie de su admirable voluntad de trabajar con la expectativa de obtener beneficios.
Por último, los atletas pueden venir a los Estados Unidos para competir bajo un B1/B2 y pueden recibir un premio en efectivo, pero es posible que no se les "pague por actuar". Y los artistas no pueden usar este tipo de visa para actuar en los Estados Unidos a menos que participen en programas culturales patrocinados por el gobierno del país de origen. Aparte de eso, los artistas necesitan una visa apropiada, como, en muchos casos, una visa O. Más por venir sobre esto.
Este blog no pretende ser una asesoría legal y nada aquí debe interpretarse como el establecimiento de una relación abogado-cliente. Programe una consulta con un abogado de inmigración antes de actuar sobre cualquier información que aquí lea.
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