Client Alert!
The U.S. Department of State announced that it has significantly increased visa processing capacity at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, enabling thousands of additional B-1 business visa interviews as part of the administration’s effort to stabilize U.S.–Korea business relations following the high-profile worksite raid in Georgia earlier this year.
To reduce delays and restore business travel, the State Department has:
- Added capacity to conduct more than 5,000 additional B-1 visa interviews above normal levels in recent weeks.
- Issued new guidance on permitted B-1 business activities, encouraging former workers—particularly those previously traveling under the Visa Waiver Program—to apply for B-1 classification.
- Emphasized that these actions support the President’s focus on U.S. reindustrialization and critical supply-chain projects, particularly in battery manufacturing.
Current State Department data reflects an average wait time of under two weeks for B-1 interviews in Seoul—faster than many other high-volume posts, where wait times can stretch from several weeks to over a year.
Despite expanded capacity, visa consultants in Seoul report longer-than-normal processing times, with some applicants waiting more than a month for appointments earlier this fall.
What Employers Should Do Now
Companies with South Korean personnel traveling to or stationed in the United States should:
- Plan early for B-1 visa appointments, despite improved capacity.
- Review the latest B-1 activity guidance to ensure compliance with permitted business functions.
- Assess alternative immigration strategies for longer-term or hands-on technical assignments (e.g., H-1B, E-2, L-1 where applicable).
- Coordinate with counsel to mitigate risks associated with worksite enforcement actions and avoid exposure under U.S. employer-sanctions laws.