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- After a high-profile U.S. immigration raid in Georgia (which detained over 300 South Korean workers at a battery factory), Washington and Seoul held talks to clarify visa rules.
- In those discussions, the U.S. side reconfirmed that B-1 visas (temporary business visitor visas) and ESTA (visa waiver / electronic travel authorization) can be used for workers coming to install, service, repair, or maintain equipment purchased abroad, as well as training or support roles tied to investment projects.
- The U.S. also clarified that under ESTA, holders can engage in the same kinds of limited activities that B-1 visa holders are allowed.
- A new “investor visa desk” is to be set up at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, and U.S. immigration and South Korean missions will coordinate more closely on visa matters.
- However, U.S. officials stated that more foundational visa reform (e.g. creating new visa categories or expanding quotas) faces legislative constraints, so for now the reaffirmation is a “clarification” of existing visa tools rather than a broad new program.
Significance & limitations
- This is a diplomatic and legal move to protect the access of Korean (and possibly other) technical workers to U.S. industrial sites, under well-defined rules.
- It provides more assurance to companies that rely on foreign technical personnel for setting up and fine-tuning complex equipment.
- But it doesn’t solve all risks: even with proper visas, workers may face scrutiny or rejection at entry points.
- Also, these permissions are limited in scope — they don’t allow general labor, long-term employment, or broader work beyond the narrowly defined technical / installation / maintenance tasks.
If you like, I can dig into how this might affect firms from Nigeria doing similar work, or what documentation companies should prepare to rely safely on B-1 / ESTA under the clarified rules. Do you want me to do that?
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