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BUSINESS VISA PROGRAM Contact Information: jakbusiness@state.gov . Overview The Business Visa Program (BVP) supports bilateral trade between the United States and the Republic of Indonesia by providing corporate staff with enhanced flexibility for the filing of their visa applications and shorter waiting periods at the Embassy for their interviews. Employees of registered companies are interviewed on the first and third Wednesday mornings of each month, without having to make an appointment. The Consular Section is closed to the general public on the first and third Wednesday of each month and focuses solely on Business Visa Program applicants. Program Information Companies that are registered to operate within Indonesia in accordance with applicable Indonesian law are eligible to join the BVP. A corporation may apply regardless of where the corporate headquarters is located. Visa applications submitted under the program are restricted to persons embarking on business travel only. Travel may be for a specific upcoming event or possible future business related travel. The Consular Section encourages companies to plan ahead and to obtain visas in advance for staff who may have a future need to travel. In general, Indonesian citizens found eligible for business visas will be issued five-year, multiple-entry visas. The BVP is restricted to employees of registered companies. Visa applications for spouses and unmarried minors (under 18) may also be submitted in conjunction with the employee’s application. Companies may not submit visa applications for clients, business associates, customers, friends, domestic servants, or other relatives, etc. All applicants must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the interviewing Consular Officer that they are fully qualified under all applicable sections of U.S. law. Applications submitted under the program may still be subject to applicable additional processing requirements that may delay visa approval, as well as additional inspection by the Department of Homeland Security at U.S. ports of entry. Visas will generally be ready for pickup within two to seven days of visa approval. Once the decision to grant a visa has been made, requests for exceptions to this timeframe may be considered based upon documented travel needs. Business Visa Program registrations remain valid for two years from the date the letter was submitted. Companies are required to submit a new registration if any authorized signatories change within that registration period. Registration BVP registration is a simple four step process. Step One: To be accepted into the program, each company must prepare a one-page letter with the following information:
Step Two: Send the letter to: Embassy of the United States of America Step Three: The Consular Section will review each registration request and notify the company of its determination. The Consular Section has sole authority to accept or deny the registration of any company. Step Four: Once a company has been notified of acceptance into the program, company employees may apply for visas without appointment on the first and third Wednesday of every month. The Visa Interview 1. Date: No appointment is needed. Business Visa Program interviews are on the first and third Wednesday of each month. 2. Time: Visa applicants must arrive between the hours of 0700 – 0900. Applicants who arrive after 09.00 will not be accepted. The entire process (from arrival to finishing the interview) should take about an hour, depending on the number of applicants. 3. Documents: Applicants should bring the following items with them to the interview:
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE BUSINESS VISA PROGRAM Question: Can any company in Indonesia apply to participate in the Embassy’s Business Visa Program (BVP)? Answer: No. Companies must be registered to operate within Indonesia in accordance with applicable Indonesian law. A corporation may apply regardless of where its parent company maintains its headquarters. However, all participating companies must show that they have a frequent and ongoing need to send employees to the United States to support their corporate business activities, thereby supporting trade between the United States and the Republic of Indonesia. Question: What are the benefits of the BVP for my company? Answer: Saving time. The BVP provides corporate staff with enhanced flexibility for the filing of their visa applications and shorter waiting periods at the Embassy for their interviews. Corporations may send their employees to the Embassy to apply for their visas, without the need for an appointment, on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. Applicants must arrive at the Embassy not later than 9:00 a.m. Question: If my company participates in the BVP, are my employees required to come to the Embassy for their visa interviews on BVP Wednesdays (the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month)? Answer: No. Your employees are free to schedule employees with the Consular Section on alternate days to accommodate their schedules. However, many companies have indicated that their employees have dramatically shorter waiting times when they arrive at the Embassy on BVP Wednesdays, which are not open to the general public. Applicants wishing to schedule an appointment can do so using our online appointment system. Question: What types of visas can my employees apply for when they come to the Embassy as part of the BVP? Answer: Applicants may apply for B1/B2 (Visitor for Business / Pleasure) visas, and may also file their visa applications for H (Temporary Worker), L (Intracompany Transfer), and J (Exchange Visitor) visas if they have received their approved petitions/documents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Question: How does my company apply to participate in the BVP? Answer: BVP registration is a simple four step process. Step One: To be accepted into the program, each company must prepare a one-page letter with the following information:
Step Two: Send the letter to: Embassy of the United States of America Step Three: The Consular Section will review each registration request and notify the company of its determination. The Consular Section has sole authority to accept or deny the registration of any company. Step Four: Once a company has been notified of acceptance into the program, company employees may apply for visas without appointment on the first and third Wednesday of every month. Question: Can our company use the BVP to apply for visas for family members and domestic servants/ employees? Answer: The BVP is restricted to employees of registered BVP companies. Visa applications for spouses and unmarried minors (under 18) may also be submitted in conjunction with the employee’s application -- only when filed at the same time on the same day as the employee’s visa application. Companies may not submit visa applications for clients, business associates, customers, friends, domestic servants/employees, or other relatives, etc. Question: Can our company use the BVP to sponsor a group of customers, vendors or business partners for travel to the US? Answer: Although BVP applications are restricted to employees of BVP companies, the Consular Section will make every effort to accommodate requests for interview appointments for other sponsored travelers. Such applicants will be scheduled in groups during regular interview hours. BVP companies are encouraged to consult with the Consular Section as far in advance as possible when planning group travel to the U.S. for either their employees or the employees of clients, business partners or vendors. Question: When my company sends our employees to the Embassy, is there anything we must do prior to their interview? Answer: There are three major requirements. a) Participating companies must attach to each visa application an original cover letter on corporate letterhead explaining the employee(s) proposed purpose of travel and be signed by one of the company’s two authorizing BVP officers. b) Corporations must utilize the Electronic U.S. Non-Immigrant Visa Application Form (EVAF) for all applications submitted under the program. Instructions on how to complete the Electronic Visa Application Form can be found on the following website: http://evisaforms.state.gov/ Bring all three (3) pages of the EVAF printout. c) Finally, employees must arrive at the Embassy between 7:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. on either the first or third Wednesday of the month. No appointment is necessary. Please see “The Visa Interview” section of the BVP information sheet. Question: How long will visas for my employees be valid for? Answer: In general, Indonesian citizens found eligible for U.S. business/tourist (B1/B2) visas will be issued five-year, multiple-entry visas. H1B (Temporary Worker) visas are valid for one year or until the H1B petition expires, whatever is shorter. Question: If my employees apply for visas as part of the BVP, are they more likely to be issued visas by the Embassy? Answer: No. The BVP merely provides corporations with the ability to expeditiously apply for visas for their staff. All applicants must still demonstrate to the satisfaction of the interviewing Consular Officer that they are fully qualified under all applicable sections of U.S. law to receive a visa. Additionally, applications submitted under the BVP may also be subject to applicable additional administrative processing requirements that may delay the approval of a visa. Question: If my employees apply for a visa under the BVP, will they receive expedited processing at U.S. ports of entry when they arrive in the United States? Answer: No. All visa applicants are subject to additional processing by the Department of Homeland Security at U.S. borders and ports of entry. A visa is a document issued by the U.S. Department of State that permits qualified applicants to travel to the United States and apply for permission to enter. An immigration official from the Department of Homeland Security at the port of entry is solely responsible for granting admission into the United States to all non-U.S. citizens. Question: What happens if an employee arrives at the Embassy without having completed the Electronic U.S. Non-Immigrant Visa Application Form (EVAF) or is lacking the BVP reference letter signed by our company’s authorized BVP officers indicating the purpose of travel? Answer: The applicant will not be permitted to enter the Embassy and will be required to schedule an appointment at a later date. Question: What happens if an employee arrives at the Embassy without having a photograph that meets requirements? Answer: The applicant will not be permitted to enter the Embassy. If the applicant can return to the Embassy before 09.00 with a valid photo, he or she may proceed with processing. Otherwise, the applicant will be required to schedule an appointment at a later date. http://jakarta.usembassy.gov/consular/NIVPHOTO.html Question: Many of our employees travel frequently for our company, although they have not yet traveled to the United States. Does the BVP require that applicants have firm travel plans to travel to the U.S. on a specific date in order to apply for a visa under the BVP? Answer: If a participating BVP corporation believes that an employee will need to travel to the United States in the near future in support of their business, and a date has not yet been selected, the employee may still apply for a visa as part of the BVP. Question: Once our company registers for the BVP, how often do we need to re-register for the program? Answer: Once the Embassy has approved an application for participation from a company, that application will remain valid for two years. During this time, companies are required to notify the Embassy regarding the following: (a) the name of an approving corporate BVP officer is no longer authorized to sign on behalf of the company, or (b) to change the name of an authorizing corporate BVP officer, or (c) to provide the Embassy with notice that it is withdrawing from participation in the BVP. Additionally, the Embassy may, at its sole discretion, request additional information from BVP companies as a condition of remaining within the program. Question: I have a visa that is still valid in my old passport, but the passport has expired. Can I still use that visa, or do I need to get it transferred to my new passport? Answer: You do not need to transfer it to the new passport. Indonesians, and most other nationalities, visiting the United States must present a currently valid passport issued by their own country and a valid visa issued by the United States. As long as the visa has not expired, it can continue to be used to enter the U.S., even if the visa is in an old, expired passport. In that case, the visitor must carry both the new passport and the old passport, containing the still valid visa. Note: to enter the US, your new/current passport must have a minimum of six (6) months validity remaining. Anyone who wants a new visa placed in their new passport must follow the normal procedure to apply for a new visa, including paying the application fee and attending a visa interview at the U.S. Embassy. _________________________________________ Still confused? Please check out our most frequently asked questions page. Or, for more information, please contact one of our visa assistants by phone at + 62 (21) 3435-9000, by e-mail at jakconsul@state.gov or by fax at + 62 (21) 385-7189 .
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