Office of International
Students & Scholars
International Center
421 Temple Street
New Haven, CT 06511
USA

Phone: 203.432.2305
Fax: 203.432.7166
email: oiss@yale.edu

B Status

B Status-includes B-1, B-2, WB and WT 

Purpose: to bring a visitor to Yale for a short period of time (not to exceed 9 days) for an academic activity for which he or she will receive an honorarium and/or be reimbursed for expenses 

Limitations: The visitor’s academic activity is limited to nine (9) days. (See FAQs for information on visitors who will be staying for more than 9 days.) In addition, he or she must not have accepted payment of expenses and/or honorarium from more than five U.S. institutions or organizations in the previous six months. If any of these conditions is exceeded the individual may NOT receive any honorarium or honorarium plus reimbursement for expenses. 

Document Required to Enter the U.S.: 
The hosting department should send a letter of invitation outlining the details of the visit including mention of payment of an honorarium and/or reimbursement of expenses. If the visitor does not have a B1/B2 visa stamp in his or her passport, he or she must take this letter to a U.S. Consulate and apply for a visa. The letter may also need to be presented to the U.S. immigration inspector at the port of entry. (For information about applying for visas at a particular embassy or consulate, check the Department of States Links to United States Embassies and Consulates Worldwide.) 

Visa Waiver Program - WB Waiver for Business and WT Waiver for Tourist Status: The WB status carries the same terms and conditions of the B-1 category and the WT the carries the same terms and conditions as the B-2 category. The WB or WT may not extend his or her stay beyond the initial period of admissions (maximum of 90 days) or change his or her immigration status while the visitor is in the U.S. Persons in WB or WT status will have a green I-94 card. (All other non-immigrants have a white I-94 card.) Holders of WB or WT status may be paid an honorarium and or be reimbursed under the same provisions as a person holding B1 or B2 Status. The twenty-seven countries that participate in the visa waiver program is listed at this Web site.  Persons eligible to enter the U.S. on the visa waiver program do not require visas and do not have to visit the U.S. Consulate or Embassy.