Visa type

Business visa for meetings and trade fairs

A business visit lets you meet partners, negotiate, attend fairs and inspect sites, but not work for a company in the country you visit. We prepare the file with your employer and the company you visit.

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Covers

Business visa

Meetings, negotiations and signing contracts
Trade fairs, conferences and seminars
Site visits and inspections
Short training while employed abroad (UK)

covered on this page

Documents

What the application needs

The purpose documents carry your application. They come on top of the basics every consulate asks for.

For this purpose

Documents for a business trip (Visa Code, Annex II, point A1)

An invitation from the company or authority you will meet, for meetings, conferences or events connected with trade, industry or work
Documents that show the business relationship
Entry tickets for fairs and congresses, if relevant
Documents on the business activities of your company
Proof of your employment in the company, such as an employer letter about your role and the trip

Every trip

The basics

Passport
Form and photo
Travel medical insurance
Money for the trip
Where you will stay
Travel plans
Ties to home
Fingerprints

What each one means

By destination

How the main destinations handle it

Official rules, checked 9 November 2026. We confirm the details for your passport before anything is submitted.

Schengen area
Business visits of up to 90 days in any 180. Applicants who have used earlier visas lawfully can get multiple-entry visas valid for 1 year, then 2 years and then 5 years (Visa Code, Article 24(2)).
EU Visa Code, Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 (consolidated)
United Kingdom
Visitors can attend meetings, conferences and seminars, negotiate and sign deals, promote their business at trade fairs (without selling), carry out site visits and get work-related training if employed overseas.
GOV.UK: Visit on business
United States
B-1 covers consulting business associates, attending conventions and conferences, settling an estate and negotiating a contract. Employment is not allowed on a visitor visa.
U.S. Department of State: Visitor visa
Australia
Visitor visa (600), Business Visitor stream: AUD 250, for stays of up to 3 months.
Department of Home Affairs: Visitor visa (subclass 600)
Canada
Business visitors travel on the same visitor visa or eTA as other visitors.
Government of Canada: Visit Canada

Tips

Small things that make a strong file

01
Ask the company you visit for a letter that states the purpose, the dates and who pays.
02
Keep to what visitors may do. Paid work for a company in the destination needs a work permit.
03
Travel often? Use each visa as issued: a clean history leads to longer multiple-entry visas.

FAQ

Business visa: common questions

Can I work on a business visa?

No. A business visit covers meetings, negotiations, fairs and similar activities. Working for a company in the country you visit needs a work permit. The US lists employment among the activities a visitor visa does not allow.

What is a Schengen multiple-entry visa with long validity?

Under Article 24(2) of the Visa Code, an applicant who has obtained and lawfully used three visas within two years can get a one-year multiple-entry visa, then a two-year visa, and then a five-year visa, as long as the passport is valid.

Who should write the invitation?

The company or authority you will meet. It should show the purpose, the dates and, ideally, who covers the costs, together with documents on your own employer and your role.

Official sources, checked 9 November 2026

The embassy or consulate always makes the visa decision.

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