Business travel to the United States: visa and preparation

A client meeting in Miami, a trade show in Las Vegas or training at headquarters in Chicago: for many Brazilian companies, the United States is the most frequent international destination. It is also the one that takes the most planning, because almost everything starts with the visa, and the visa cannot be sorted out in the week of the trip.

At ArrowTur, we have been managing corporate travel since 1989, and the same pattern keeps showing up: when a business trip to the United States goes wrong, the problem is rarely the flight or the hotel. It is an expired visa, an interview booked too late or a document left at home. This guide covers what the company and the traveler need to prepare, in the right order.

Which visa a business trip requires

Brazilian citizens need a visa to enter the United States, even for short trips. Brazil is not part of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, so ESTA, the electronic authorization used by citizens of other countries, is not available to travelers holding a Brazilian passport.

For business activities, the right visa is the B1 visitor visa, which in Brazil is usually issued together with the tourist visa as a B1/B2. It covers activities such as:

meetings with clients, suppliers and partners;
attending conventions, trade shows and conferences;
negotiating contracts;
short training programs, with no pay from a U.S. source.

A visitor visa does not allow paid work in the United States or providing services as if the employee were a local hire. Transfers, long projects or actual work require other visa categories, which call for a specific assessment. The official rules are on the U.S. Department of State visitor visa page.

How the B1/B2 application works

The process has fixed steps and usually follows this order:

DS-160 form: filled in online with personal details, travel history, employment and trip information. Mistakes here mean rework, so review it carefully.
Visa fee: paid before scheduling and non-refundable. The amount is set by the U.S. government and may change; always check the official page before paying.
Appointments: biometrics at an application center and an interview at the U.S. Embassy in Brasília or at one of the U.S. consulates in Brazil.
Interview: the consular officer asks about the purpose of the trip and the applicant’s ties to Brazil and to the company. Clear answers that match the DS-160 make a difference.

Some renewals may qualify for an interview waiver, but the criteria have changed more than once in recent years. Before counting on it, check the current rules on the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Brazil website.

Timing: start before buying the ticket

Interview wait times vary widely by city and time of year, and can run to several months. The Department of State publishes a wait-time lookup tool for each consulate, and that is what the company should rely on, not the experience of someone who got a visa years ago.

In practice, we recommend that the company:

keep a list of employees who travel or may travel to the United States, with the expiry date of each visa and passport;
start renewals well ahead of expiry, without waiting for the next trip to be booked;
not issue tickets for anyone whose visa is not yet approved, unless the fare allows changes;
state in the travel policy who pays the visa fee and the travel to the interview.

Documents to carry on the trip

Holding a visa does not guarantee entry. The final decision belongs to the immigration officer at the U.S. airport, who may ask about the purpose of the trip, where the traveler will stay and when they will return. The employee should have at hand, printed or easy to access:

a valid passport and an unexpired visa;
a company letter explaining the purpose of the trip and confirming employment and return;
the meeting invitation or agenda, or the conference or trade show registration;
the hotel booking and return ticket;
the travel insurance policy with its assistance phone numbers.

As for the passport, the general advice is to have at least six months of validity left on the travel date, which also avoids problems on connections and in other countries on the route. Health rules and declarations required by U.S. authorities can change at short notice; check with your agency in the week of departure.

Insurance, health and costs at the destination

Travel insurance is not required to enter the United States, but medical care there is expensive, and a simple hospital stay can become a serious financial problem for the traveler and the company. For business trips, corporate insurance with medical coverage suited to the destination should be part of the package, without exception.

Other points that often catch travelers off guard:

Tipping: in restaurants and services, tips are expected and not included in the bill. Set out in the policy whether they come out of the per diem or are reimbursed.
Taxes: prices shown in stores and restaurants usually exclude sales tax, which varies by state.
Distances: in many cities, getting around depends on a car or a ride-hailing app. A hotel close to the meeting saves time and money.
Time zones: the difference from Brasília changes depending on the coast and the time of year, because of U.S. daylight saving time. This affects online meetings with Brazil during the trip.

Business travel to the United States with ArrowTur

ArrowTur advises the company and the traveler on documents and deadlines, compares flights and fares to the main U.S. cities, books hotels close to the appointments, arranges car rental and transfers, adds travel insurance and puts everything into a single itinerary, with reports by cost center. During the trip, our team tracks flight changes and finds alternatives Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Brasília time), with an emergency on-call service outside those hours. Learn more about our corporate travel management.

To talk to our sales team, call +55 11 5189-4120, message us on WhatsApp or visit our Contact us page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use a tourist visa for a business meeting?

The visa issued to Brazilians is usually a B1/B2, which covers both tourism and business. Meetings, trade shows and conventions fall under B1. Paid work in the United States is not allowed on this visa.

How far in advance should I apply for the visa?

As early as possible. Interview wait times vary by consulate and can take months. Check the wait times on the official Department of State website before booking any commitment.

Can Brazilians use ESTA?

No. ESTA is for citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries, and Brazil is not one of them. Travelers with a Brazilian passport need a visa.