mariacarmen

I have been invited to do a seriees of talks in Nevada and Ohio in month Aug/Sept for two different organisations. They will pay my expenses for this. Do I need a visa as this is sort of paid or can I do it on WV prog.? Both organisations are small, one is religious setup and another new financial school. Not related to each other.

In addition, while I am there, some other groups may ask me to talk to their members and I would love to do this as all my trips would be paid.

Please advice what I have to do?
Thank you.

scrubbedexpat099

Not the VWP, might depend on exactly what it was.

Unless they are paying you mega bucks, might be easier to just do it as a freebie, but even that depends on the details.

O and I Visa's come to mind, but neither may be relevant.

mariacarmen

Thanks David. Problem is they will pay for the trip, hotel and taxis etc. All that I spend there. The talk per se is free, but still they will pay my bills. I just don't want to get in any trouble. Someone told me visiting scholar visa or something, but those are not Universities but small member organisations.

Trouble is every time I call a lawyer, they want me to come and pay a fee which is always in the range 100-150 pounds. Nobody wants to give free advice. Terrible.

Lilyella

You know, I'm not sure that this wouldn't be permissable under the VWP.

The relevant part in the London Embassy B visa info says:

"Individuals participating in a voluntary service program which benefits a U.S. local community, who establish that they are a member of, and have a commitment to, a particular recognized religious or nonprofit charitable organization, may be eligible for a B-1 visa or visa free travel under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) if the work to be formed is traditionally done by volunteer charity workers; they will receive no salary or remuneration from a U.S. source, other than an allowance or other reimbursement for expenses incidental to their stay in the United State; and they will not engage in the selling of articles and/or the solicitation and acceptance of donations."

The part about being a member of an particular organization may not precisely apply to you, but it's interesting to note that being paid expenses is deemed OK. I don't think the I-visa would work as it is very specifically restricted to journalists.

mariacarmen

yes I looked up I and O visas. I am an academic and am just going to do various talks, and from you said it seems that it is OK to be paid expenses. But I am just not sure. And also if some organisation, say, wants to give me amount of money rather than purchase tickets themselves, say, this may be deemed as payment.
All very confusing and offputting. My colleagues have done it on WV prog, but I have some friends in the US who tell me that it is not strictly legal. Hmmmm Very confusing.

Lilyella

I suspect it's legal. A few years ago, the British author Ian McEwan was temporarily denied entry to the US; he was due to give a lecture, for which he was being paid $5000. It was the fee, not the fact that he was giving the lecture, that concerned the entry officials.

You might find this interesting, especially number 9:

"B or VW visitors from any country who intend to earn honorarium income in the US from lectures at higher education or non-profit research institutions must follow the 9/5/6 Rule:

9 Days: Limit of days at any single institution
5 Institutions: Limit of number of institutions that can pay honoraria
6 Months: Limit of time period within which to receive honorarim"


http://controller.richmond.edu/tax/honorarium.htm

mariacarmen

Thank you. Will look it up now.