Austrian PhD candidate invited for time-limited stay, paid by German institute

[gziegler]

Hej !

A question to you experts here:
I am employed as a PhD candidate/researcher at the Max Planck Institute for
Informatics (short: MPI), and an Austrian citizen. My supervisor will soon start to work as a postdoc/assistant professor at
Stanford University/Palo Alto, and has invited me to visit him there and
cooperate on a research project lasting several months - But I will still be
paid by the MPI in Germany, and return to my position here after my stay in
California.

The question for me is:
- Do you think I still fall into the Visa Waiver programme provided my stay lasts
shorter than 90 days (I will rent an appartement for the stay, but will have
a defined return date on my flight ticket) ?

- How complicated is it to make this stay last, say, 4-6 months (the MPI
would set the flight dates and accommodation accordingly) ? Which kind of Visa should I apply for ?

Thankful for any tips you can provide,
Gernot :-)

[buddha]

One of the duties perimissible under B1 visa and possibly relevant to your case;

An alien coming to engage in activities that would be classifiable under H-3 except that there is no U.S. employer involved, undertaking training at the behest of a foreign employer by whom the alien is already employed abroad and from whom the alien will continue to receive his or her salary while in training in the United States

[hfz]

Response: VWP or Visa

Hi Gernot:

Probably you already have the info that u need by now..but still the official text at the US department of state's website clearly reads as follows:

"When does a national of a VWP country need to apply for a visa instead of using the VWP?

Nationals of VWP countries must meet the conditions noted in the section above (Which travelers may use the Visa Waiver Program to enter the United States?) in order to seek admission to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. Travelers who do not meet these conditions must apply for a visa. In particular, a visa must be requested if the traveler:

Wants to remain in the United States for LONGER THAN 90 DAYS, or envisions that they may wish to change their status (from tourism to student, etc.) once in the United States;...."

So given the indefinite nature of your schedule, you probably need to apply for a visitors visa (B1) or better still get an invite from the university and apply for a exchange visitor visa (J1), in case if u r expecting any financial assistantship from stanford in lieu for the services that u may provide as a Research assistant..else a B1 will do i guess...

Hope this info helps....
for more info visit:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html

regards and good luck
Hafeez

Hej !

A question to you experts here:
I am employed as a PhD candidate/researcher at the Max Planck Institute for
Informatics (short: MPI), and an Austrian citizen. My supervisor will soon start to work as a postdoc/assistant professor at
Stanford University/Palo Alto, and has invited me to visit him there and
cooperate on a research project lasting several months - But I will still be
paid by the MPI in Germany, and return to my position here after my stay in
California.

The question for me is:
- Do you think I still fall into the Visa Waiver programme provided my stay lasts
shorter than 90 days (I will rent an appartement for the stay, but will have
a defined return date on my flight ticket) ?

- How complicated is it to make this stay last, say, 4-6 months (the MPI
would set the flight dates and accommodation accordingly) ? Which kind of Visa should I apply for ?

Thankful for any tips you can provide,
Gernot :-)