What You Should Know

✅ The B1 Industrial Worker visa is required for sending workers to participate in the installation, commissioning, repair, maintenance, and training of equipment manufactured outside the United States and acquired by a U.S. company.

✅ The sales contract must explicitly include these activities as part of the equipment supply.

✅ This visa guarantees that you can work for the U.S. company that purchased the equipment, without issues at entry or at the workplace.

✅ The visa can only be processed while outside the United States, so it must be applied for before traveling.

✅ The visa is stamped in the passport, requiring an interview at the U.S. Embassy.

Visa Duration

📅 The duration of the B1 Industrial Worker visa depends on the length of the work to be performed, but it can be valid for up to 10 years.

Maximum Stay and Entries

•  The maximum stay allowed in the U.S. with a B1 Industrial Worker visa is 6 months, though the final decision on how long you can stay is made by the border control officer upon arrival (recorded in the I-94).
•  There is no limit to the number of B1 Industrial Worker visas that can be processed per year, nor to the number of days spent in the U.S. within a year.

Can It Be Extended?

•  This visa can can be extended for one year if there is justification.
•  If you need to stay longer, you must leave and reapply for a new B1 Industrial Worker visa.
•  There is no limit on the number of times you can apply for the visa in a year.

Processing Time

•  The processing time varies depending on the time of year, but it typically takes about 5 calendar days after the interview.
•  Interviews may be scheduled several months in advance, depending on embassy availability.
•  If delays occur, it is possible to request an expedited interview.
•  We recommend starting the process 2 to 3 months in advance due to the complexity of the documentation required.

Processing Fees

•  The official fee charged by the U.S. government for processing a B1 Industrial Worker visa is $185.
•  Please note, these fees only cover the official visa processing costs. They do not include additional fees for legal services or assistance with your application.