Reply to: Eight week contract abroad

[Platypus]

Yes, but the kind of business you can do is very limited...
Turning up to do a couple of weeks of full-time paid work just isn't allowed.

Hmm, maybe. Anyway, the point is the OP should be prepared to answer some very detailed and probing questions, and not just land in the USA assuming he can breeze through immigration to do a couple of weeks' work without being confident that he's within the rules.

SL is entirely correct.

Unless the OP is planning to work the weekends, then IMO mentioning some vacation is not lying. But I won't be the one answering the questions that SL refers to (and yes, they do ask).

[BlasterBates]

Hmm, maybe. Anyway, the point is the OP should be prepared to answer some very detailed and probing questions, and not just land in the USA assuming he can breeze through immigration to do a couple of weeks' work without being confident that he's within the rules.

Indeed, It appears to be a grey area.

[SuperLooper]

There were some long discussions on another thread. It might come under the following ESTA exception.



This is a commercial computer system which they are rolling out into different locations.

Hmm, maybe. Anyway, the point is the OP should be prepared to answer some very detailed and probing questions, and not just land in the USA assuming he can breeze through immigration to do a couple of weeks' work without being confident that he's within the rules.

[BlasterBates]

There were some long discussions on another thread. It might come under the following ESTA exception.

Installing, servicing, or repairing commercial or industrial equipment or machinery purchased from a company outside the United States or training U.S. workers to perform such services (but only under specific circumstances).

This is a commercial computer system which they are rolling out into different locations.

[SuperLooper]

I'm not sure this is right as you can travel under the VWP for business:

Yes, but the kind of business you can do is very limited:

A foreign national traveling to the United States to conduct temporary business needs a visitor visa (B-1) unless qualifying for entry under the Visa Waiver Program.
Examples of temporary business include:

Attending business meetings or consultations
Attending a business convention or conference
Negotiating contracts


Turning up to do a couple of weeks of full-time paid work just isn't allowed.

[vwdan]

But that would be lying, and lying to US CBP officers is a terrible idea.

OP says he's going to be providing training, which is working, for two weeks. No mention of vacation.
That is not allowed under visa waiver program. There is basically no visa which allows a UK contractor to arrive in the USA and do some paid work for two weeks through his own UK company.

Like I said, meetings are OK, but if you think you can persuade an immigration officer that two weeks of paid work providing training is just "meetings" then good luck with that...

I'm not sure this is right as you can travel under the VWP for business:

Visa Waiver Program: United Kingdom ESTA

Travelers seeking to enter the United States for business or tourism (B-1/B-2 visa), or in transit (C-1) for less than 90 days may be eligible to travel to the United States visa free under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) if they meet specific requirements.

B-1 visas are nonimmigrant visas for persons traveling to the United States temporarily to engage in business activities such as the negotiation of contracts, consultation with business associates, litigation, and participation in scientific, educational, professional or business conventions, conferences or seminars and other legitimate activities of a commercial or professional nature.

As he's employed by a UK entity, I can't see any issues here.

[SuperLooper]

I disagree... if your say you're in the US for meetings and TO RECEIVE training, plus some vacation days

But that would be lying, and lying to US CBP officers is a terrible idea.

OP says he's going to be providing training, which is working, for two weeks. No mention of vacation.
That is not allowed under visa waiver program. There is basically no visa which allows a UK contractor to arrive in the USA and do some paid work for two weeks through his own UK company.

Like I said, meetings are OK, but if you think you can persuade an immigration officer that two weeks of paid work providing training is just "meetings" then good luck with that...

[vwdan]

Do you have a visa which allows you to work for two weeks in the USA?

If it's just for a few days you may get away with describing it as "meetings" but for two weeks you're pushing it I reckon.

Can't see an issue with that - plenty of people fly to the USA for business meetings etc, and this is the like that. You aren't working in the USA in the sense of getting a job out there.

As for the OP, sounds like a cool contract

[Platypus]

Do you have a visa which allows you to work for two weeks in the USA?

If it's just for a few days you may get away with describing it as "meetings" but for two weeks you're pushing it I reckon.

I disagree... if your say you're in the US for meetings and TO RECEIVE training, plus some vacation days

[BlasterBates]

Since the client is UK based, normally it would be taxed in the UK and would have no tax implications elsewhere.

[KinooOrKinog]

Sure you are getting paid ?


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What?

[GhostofTarbera]

Sure you are getting paid ?


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[KinooOrKinog]

Thank you everyone :-)

[northernladuk]

My question of course is, does anyone know if am I liable for registering my company and paying tax in those other three countries?

If you are contracted with UK entity to go deliver a bit of training and come back then its a pretty normal contract, albeit with some tasty travel. This appear to be the case.

It would be a problem if you were to be paid by each of these entities but you aren't.

All fairly straight forward.

See if you can pay for the travel and accommodation yourself on the points reward credit cards and invoice the client back. Get some nice freebies that way.

Checking Visas is essential. Don't travel unless it's been done properly and you are happy.

[WTFH]

Hello everyone. I'm actually reluctant to post this in case there's some sort of pile on, but I genuinely can't find guidance anywhere for a similar situation to this. I've been offered the opportunity to go for an eight week contract which will consist of

two weeks in UK
two weeks in France
two weeks in Singapore
two weeks in USA

The client would be covering expenses like travel and accommodation and the time abroad would be spent training new users.

The end client is headquartered in the US, but also has an office location in London.

My Ltd company is UK based & I would be invoicing the UK based agency in GBP.

My question of course is, does anyone know if am I liable for registering my company and paying tax in those other three countries?

Short answer: No. You are invoicing a UK agency, and hopefully the contract will say that you are working for the UK office.

But I'd want to check the contract and see if there are any visa requirements etc for each location. (hopefully not, if the contract says you are UK based and it's only one trip to each location)