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Do you have a business need to bring yourself or your current staff working in Chile to one of our AURA/NOIRLab locations in the U.S.?

Generally, there are 3 best options for employees working in Chile to come to the U.S. for business purposes: the B1 Visa, the Visa Waiver Program (ESTA), or the L1 Visa.

IMPORTANT! Before any visa arrangements are considered, the Employee will need to confirm that they have a valid Passport that is good for 6 months beyond the duration of their intended stay in the U.S.

Please note, the below visa information is for educational purposes only and is not meant to be an exhaustive summary of all visa requirements and circumstances:

• Allows an employee to enter the United States for business purposes such as attending meetings, negotiating contracts, or consulting with business associates (meeting with individuals or companies to discuss business matters, exchange information, or provide advice or expertise).

  • This visa does not permit ‘hands-on’ work in the U.S. (ex. instrument repair, mirror coating, etc.). For that type of work, please refer to L1 Visa information below.

• Process (managed by the Employee):

Applicants for a B1 visa must complete an online application (DS-160) and attend an immigration appointment/interview at a U.S. consulate/embassy.  

• B1 visas may be valid up to 10 years

  • Allows for stays in the U.S. of no longer than 180 days.

  • NOTE: The wait times for U.S. embassy/consular appointments will vary and can be checked online at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/wait-times.html .

    • For the U.S. embassy in Santiago, Chile, the wait times to schedule an appointment are currently around 30+ Days

• If the employee is a citizen of one of the 38 countries that are part of the Visa Waiver Program, then they have the option of applying for an ESTA (Visa Waiver) instead of a B1 visa. Both options allow the employee to enter the U.S. for the same business reasons, but the employee only needs apply for the ESTA online.

  • The visa waiver does not permit ‘hands-on’ work in the U.S. (ex. instrument repair, mirror coating, etc.). For that type of work, please refer to L1 Visa information below.

  • Allows for stays in the U.S. of no longer than 90 days.

• Process (managed by the Employee):

Applicants for the VWP must complete an online ESTA application

• Each approved ESTA application is generally valid for 2 years and allows multiple visits to the U.S. within that period without having to apply for another travel approval

• Which countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program?

*Below information current as of August 2023

• Allows AURA to temporarily transfer employees from their foreign office to a related office in the United States.

  • Permits engagement in employment in the United States, including productive work, gainful employment, or performing services ('hands-on work').

  • To be eligible for an L1 visa, the employee must have worked for AURA for at least one continuous year within the three years preceding the transfer. 

• Process (managed by the Employee & their Manager in partnership with AURA HR and our Immigration Attorney):

Manager submits an L1 Request Form to HR. After HR notifies the Employee & their Manager that the Request Form is approved, applicants for an L1 Visa must complete an online application (DS-160), complete an Employee Visa Questionnaire, provide copies of requested documentation (copies of degrees, previous visas, paystubs), and attend an immigration appointment/interview at a U.S. consulate/embassy. The employee will take a REQUIRED packet of forms and information provided by our immigration attorney to their appointment/interview.

• Allows for stays in the U.S. of up to 3 years.

• The wait times for U.S. embassy/consular appointments will vary and can be checked online at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/wait-times.html .

  • NOTE: For the U.S. embassy in Santiago, Chile, the wait times to schedule an appointment are currently around 30 10 Days

What if I need an L1 Visa faster than this? There is an option for the employee to request an ‘expedited' visa appointment through their online application. The success of this can be 'hit or miss’, and HR does not recommend this option as an alternative to planning in advance for L1 appointment scheduling.

• IMPORTANT! For approved Chilean L1 visa holders, the current authorization period for U.S. Entry/Reentry from Chile (from date of approval) is 1 year.

What does that mean? For Chilean employees' reentry into the U.S. after each 1 year period of theirunexpiredwork authorization, they will need to:

Complete a DS-160 online (and pay fee), obtain a letter from HR supporting their L1 renewal, and schedule & attend an immigration appointment/interview at a U.S. consulate/embassy.

Expatsworking in Chile may have similar restrictions on their L1 Visa of 1 or 2 years for authorization of U.S. Entry/Reentry dependent on the country of their citizenship.

*Costs below are an estimate only and may not include all fees.

*Actual timing may vary

Helpful Links:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/wait-times.html

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/forms/ds-160-online-nonimmigrant-visa-application.html

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/

Additional Questions?

Please contact Kristin Perry, HR Business Operations Manager at kperry@aura-astronomy.org or reach out to your HR Representative.