Can I Apply for Work Authorization with a Tourist VISA?
As an experienced Morristown, New Jersey Immigration Lawyer, a very common question I am often asked comes from people who enter the US under a visitor visa. They come to my office under their six month period, sit in front of me, and say: how can you get me an employment authorization document? How can you get me a work visa? The reality is when you’re here on a visitor visa it is not easy to get an employment authorization document, it is not easy to get a work visa. An employment authorization document is only filed within conjunction with another type of application, it cannot be filed in and of itself by itself.
Download Our Free Immigration Guide
A visitor visa has two subcategories, B1 and B2. B2 is the most common category, visitor for pleasure. There is no way to work on a B2 visitor for pleasure visa. A B1 visa is considered visitor for business and there are limited instances where you can work on a B1 visitor for business. You always must be paid from abroad and maintain your primary business relationship with the employer abroad. A B1 cannot be used to seek employment within the US. Thank you. If you have any questions about this type of matter or any immigration matter in general, please contact my Morristown office. We would be very happy to talk to you and hopefully answer your questions.
This informational blog post was brought to you by Susan W. Scheer, an experienced Morristown, New Jersey Immigration Lawyer.