Israel Marketing and Business Development

Home Page

Newsroom

From the Top

Business Buzz

Vis-a-vis Visas: Do You Have a Contingency Plan?

While others proceed with caution, Israeli entrepreneurs often forge ahead quickly, leading advances in technology and innovation, being first to market, and making snap decisions. But the recent changes in U.S. visa laws have made snap travel impossible for some members of the Israeli business community.

September 11th has had wide-ranging repercussions for businesspeople seeking to travel and do business in the United States. Travelers from around the world, but especially those from the Middle East, are viewed with suspicion.

The United States recently implemented new visa regulations worldwide. In Israel, it is no longer possible to walk in to the Embassy or Consulate and drop off a visa application. As of mid-July, new U.S. State Department regulations require that "every applicant for a visitor's visa between the ages of 16 and 60...come to the Embassy's consular section for an interview." (Visitor's visas are required regardless of the nature of the trip.) Now, everyone requesting a visa must complete and submit relevant forms (available free of charge online) and appear at the embassy or consulate for a personal interview at an appointed time.

The U.S. Embassy website states that "applicants must submit all completed and required application forms through a travel agent, who will assist the applicant in filling out the application forms and deliver them to the Embassy for processing."

On the date of the interview, the applicant must bring

		the appointment letter
		his/her passport
		all required, completed documents

See Mark Dollinger's View from the States for this month: "When Should You Take Your First Market Trip?"

There's no substitute for preparation. If the applications and documents "are not complete, the applicant will not be permitted an interview." And, being on time is its own reward: "The applicant is required to appear no more than 10 minutes before or 10 minutes after the appointment time or s/he will not be permitted entry." As a result, Israelis who need to do business in the States have occasionally found themselves "locked out" of the country, unable to attend important meetings and conferences or even visit their U.S. offices.

"Some of our recent engagements have been performed on behalf of clients who haven't been able to make the trip," says Mark Dollinger, president of Trendlines America. Dollinger, along with Israel-based staff members, frequently accompanies clients on sales and marketing trips, to negotiations, and at trade shows.

Because of the major backlog of interviews at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, Dollinger reminds potential travelers to allow enough time in planning their trips, especially if they are geared to coincide with a trade show, conference, or exhibit.

"In the event you do not obtain your visa in time, make sure you have a back-up plan in place," says Dollinger, noting that repeated cancellations or worse, a "no-show," makes a bad impression on prospective customers or strategic partners. "While teleconferencing is an option, there is really no substitute for face-to-face meetings," he says.

Dollinger has some useful insights on travel in the United Staes and what to expect once you get there. He points out that while U.S. government policy stipulates that ethnic profiling is not acceptable, his personal experiences suggest that foreign nationals are much more likely to be selected for a "random" inspection than a U.S. citizen. Beyond that, if you are not completely comfortable speaking or reading English, the U.S. travel experience — starting at the airport — can be overwhelming. Dollinger frequently accompanies Israeli businesspeople who find it very convenient to "travel with a native English speaker."

While Israel's Foreign Ministry is taking action to persuade the United States to relax its stringent new regulations, Israeli citizens should do their part, too, by writing letters of protest to the U.S. Embassy.

Should you find yourself unable to travel to a meeting in the States, contact Steve Rhodes or Todd Dollinger at Trendlines' Israel office. We represent numerous clients in the States and will be happy to assist you in taking your business ventures across the Atlantic.