Heading to US With Work

oB1

Hi all,

Im heading to the US in 2 weeks on a work related business trip (only for a week) to Seattle, WA - two questions:

1. I was in the US last summer on the J1 visa for three months (Central Florida), all went well, came home a week before my Visa expired, all good. I can't imagine this would cause anything to be questioned when i enter the US in 2 weeks? IE i will be entering under the Visa Waiver (ESTA) ?

2. .. which leads to my second question; Is an ESTA sufficient to enter for a business trip? I am not going specifically to carry out work, we are (there are a few of us) going for meetings and conferences etc. i was advised to only apply for an ESTA by my company.. id hate to think this would mess anything up on me, as i have plans for the future in the US.

any advice / help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks!

RonnieRocket

1. Once you left the US before your J1 expired, you're fine. I doubt you'll even be asked about your J1 summer at immigration.

2. Yes, ESTA is sufficient. You're still getting paid by your company in Ireland so you're not "working" in the US. At immigration, you'll be asked are you travelling for business or leisure. Be honest and tell him business.

silja

Ronnie is correct- you cannot do work in the US on ESTA, but you CAN attend meetings and such.

sawdoubters

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/application.html?execution=e1s1

Jonny_D

RobertHopkins wrote: »

2. .. which leads to my second question; Is an ESTA sufficient to enter for a business trip? I am not going specifically to carry out work, we are (there are a few of us) going for meetings and conferences etc. i was advised to only apply for an ESTA by my company.. id hate to think this would mess anything up on me, as i have plans for the future in the US.

any advice / help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks!

When the immigration officers ask you why you're there, say meetings or training.
Don't say "work".
I worked with a guy who naively said that before and was hauled in to a side office and spent frantic efforts on the phone to our company's attorneys to get it straightened out.

Are you with one of the big multinationals?

oB1

Jonny_D wrote: »

When the immigration officers ask you why you're there, say meetings or training.
Don't say "work".
I worked with a guy who naively said that before and was hauled in to a side office and spent frantic efforts on the phone to our company's attorneys to get it straightened out.

Are you with one of the big multinationals?

thank's for the heads up

Yeah, i work for Microsoft - heading to their Redmond campus.

Jonny_D

RobertHopkins wrote: »

thank's for the heads up

Yeah, i work for Microsoft - heading to their Redmond campus.

Enjoy!

It was the many campus visits over the years that prompted me to move over here full time.

usersame

Yeah you're good to go, do the online ESTA clearance thing now if u want to put your mind at ease

oB1

Jonny_D wrote: »

Enjoy!

It was the many campus visits over the years that prompted me to move over here full time.

Excellent - do you still work for them?

Moving to the US is and has been top of my goals list for ages, how did you manage to do it in the end? - im holding out hope for the DVLottery

Jonny_D

RobertHopkins wrote: »

Excellent - do you still work for them?

Moving to the US is and has been top of my goals list for ages, how did you manage to do it in the end? - im holding out hope for the DVLottery

Yeah - been here 3 years now.
Worked in the Dublin office for a few years then applied for a job listed over on this side. Came over on a L1 visa.

oB1

Jonny_D wrote: »

Yeah - been here 3 years now.
Worked in the Dublin office for a few years then applied for a job listed over on this side. Came over on a L1 visa.

Ah fair play, sounds great.

I've actually only just got the FTE job at Microsoft, i was a vendor for the last few years. so in the process of transitioning, as part of that it involves a trip to Redmond, which is pretty cool.

Here's to the DV Lottery, failing that.. L1 Visa