How to Get a Business Visa

A business visitor visa is for short trips: meetings, conferences, negotiations, and trade fairs. It does not let you take a local job or earn a local salary. A work or business-residence visa lets you actually live and operate a business in the country. Mixing the two up is a common and costly mistake.

The B-1 covers meetings, consultations, contract negotiation, conferences, independent research, and meeting suppliers or partners. It does not allow you to work for or be paid by a US source, beyond reimbursement of reasonable expenses. The application fee is 185 dollars, plus a 250 dollar visa integrity fee introduced in late 2025.

A Schengen business visa is a short-stay (Type C) visa allowing up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen Area for meetings, conferences, and trade fairs. It is not for working or earning local income. You typically need travel medical insurance of at least 30,000 euros and an invitation from the host company.

Through an entrepreneur or self-employment route. In Serbia, for example, founding a local company can support a unified residence-and-work permit on a self-employment basis. The UK's Innovator Founder visa requires an endorsement from an approved body for an innovative, scalable business. These let you live there, unlike a visitor visa.

No. A visitor visa is for short business activities like meetings, not for operating a business or providing paid services locally. If you want to base and run a company in the country, you need an entrepreneur, self-employment, or work residence permit instead.