There are many different business reasons that could lead a foreign businessperson to want to temporarily come into the United States. When a foreign businessperson wants temporary admittance into the U.S. in order to engage in business activities, one of the nonimmigrant visas they may qualify for is a B-1 visa. This is a nonimmigrant business visitor visa.
B-1 visas have their own special eligibility requirements, and this is not the only unique aspect of this type of nonimmigrant visa. Lawyers knowledgeable in U.S. immigration law can give guidance to individuals seeking a B-1 visa on the unique issues related to this type of visa and the process of applying for it.
One of the ways in which B-1 visas are different from many other types of visas regards the visa holder’s dependent family members. For many types of nonimmigrant visas, there is a special dependent visa that the visa holder’s spouse and children may qualify for. However, there is no such special dependent visa available in relation to B-1 visas.
This does not, however, mean that there is no way that a B-1 visa holder’s spouse and children can be able to be with the visa holder during the visa holder’s time in America. They may be eligible to apply for their own independent nonimmigrant status that would authorize them for travel in the U.S., such as B-2 status. B-2 status is the nonimmigrant visitor status for visits for pleasure.
So, family-related immigration matters can be a little different for B-1 visa holders than for other types of nonimmigrant visa holders.
Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, “B-1 Temporary Business Visitor,” Accessed June 21, 2016