FTA benefits: Temporary Entry for Business Persons

The Chile-United States Free Trade Agreement has a Chapter on Temporary Entry for Business Persons, reflecting the preferential trading relationship between both countries and the mutual desire to facilitate temporary entry for business persons under certain provisions and on a reciprocal basis to promote trade and investment.

The Chapter grants preferential access into the United States for Chilean citizens and vice versa, to those who comply with the Chapter’s dispositions, thus, establishing four categories of individuals, as follows: business visitors, traders and investors, intra company transferees, and professionals.

Under the category of professionals, Chilean nationals who comply with the requirements allowing them to be considered professionals and wish to apply for a US visa, the Agreement contemplates that the United States holds a yearly quota of as many as 1,400 visas, categorized as H-1B1. This visa is issued for a period of 18 months and is renewable an unlimited number of times subject to the compliance of the requirements stated in the Chapter.

This type of benefit is exclusive to the Chile–United States FTA and the Singapore–United States FTA, given that the US has rescinded in extending this benefit to other FTA negotiations or current FTA partners.

For further information regarding these benefits, requirements and limitations, please refer to Chapter 14 of the Chile-United States FTA, available on the USTR web page (www.ustr.gov).