The Dedicated Business Interview Program (DBIP) is designed to facilitate legitimate business travel between the United States and Belarus. It allows qualifying businesses access to:

• A designated weekly slot for visa interviews
• A dedicated line of communication

Please note that employment with a DBIP-designated company does not guarantee visa issuance.

HOW TO APPLY FOR DBIP MEMBERSHIP

There are no application forms to complete. To apply for DBIP membership, the interested company must submit the following:

1. A cover letter including a brief description of the company and the type of business in Belarus, including the number of full-time direct-hire employees in Belarus.
2. A statement of the company’s annual travel needs, including the number of employees sent to the United States in the last two years, as well as the expected number to be sent within the next year.
3. Complete contact information (email address and telephone) for each authorized representative designated to act on behalf of the company in requesting appointments.

4. Applications for membership should be sent to ConsularMinsk@state.gov and contain the subject line: “DBIP – Application for Membership.”

Most membership applications will require a site visit by Embassy officials in order to meet key managers/staff and understand the travel needs of the organization.  Your application will be reviewed for eligibility and you will be contacted for a site visit or letters of reference, if necessary.  Acceptance into the program will be subject to the reviewing official’s discretion.  Companies accepted into the program will receive a membership letter containing instructions on how to apply for visas under the Dedicated Business Interview Program.

Questions regarding DBIP membership can be emailed to ConsularMinsk@state.gov.

 CRITERIA FOR DBIP MEMBERSHIP

When evaluating membership requests the Embassy uses the following guidelines:

1. An established profitable and non-state-owned business, as indicated by:
   a) Annual revenue (typically in excess of $10 million)
   b) Number of full-time, regular employees (typically in excess of 25 employees in positions requiring university degrees)
   c) Private ownership
2. Strong business ties with the United States: This may be demonstrated by factors such as a large customer base in the United States, or partnership, subsidiary or supplier relationships with U.S. companies.
3. Frequent business travel by employees to the United States (typically, at least 10 employees traveling to the United States per year).
4. Positive community awareness and reputation in Belarus: The business must be well known in its industry and business community and enjoy a strong, positive reputation.

 REQUIREMENTS FOR DBIP COMPANIES

A DBIP company must ensure that participating in the program is limited to full-time direct-hire employees of the company who are traveling on official company business to the United States. It will be the responsibility of the DBIP member company to:

• Provide and maintain updated contact information, including e-mail addresses, for authorized company representatives;
• For L applicants, submit a signed itemized compensation package agreement between the company and the employee;
• Notify the Embassy immediately if any employees resign while in the United States, or fail to return to Belarus after their visit;
• Respond to periodic emails from the Embassy to verify compliance with DBIP regulations;

 HOW TO APPLY FOR A VISA UNDER DBIP

 To apply for a visa under this program, please check the Nonimmigrant Visa Application Procedures page. In addition to the basic documentary requirements, each DBIP applicant is required to do the following:

1. Send an email to ConsularMinsk@state.gov with the subject line “DBIP – Appointment request,” a scanned copy of the DS160 confirmation page, and the guarantee letter. All business travelers from DBIP companies must schedule their appointments this way.  Otherwise, it will be assumed that they are presenting fraudulent employment documents.
2. Bring a Guarantee Letter on company letterhead mentioning the applicant by name and two to three sentences detailing the purpose of travel. An applicant who appears for an interview without a valid Guarantee Letter will be automatically refused and will need to apply again with a valid Guarantee Letter in order to be considered.
3. Demonstrate that s/he is a bona fide business traveler with substantial ties to Belarus that will compel his/her return after a temporary visit to the United States. S/he must be able to explain the purpose of the trip and articulate why s/he was selected over other employees to attend business meetings and or/training in the U.S.
4. Provide the consul with an English language copy of their most recent CV or resume and a list of their publications.

 DBIP ACCOUNTABILITY – IMPORTANT REMINDERS

• DBIP companies have access to expedited visa appointments for their employees as well as a dedicated line of communication for any inquiries or problems. In order to run an efficient program for all our clients, we require that all employees of DBIP companies apply using the specially designated DBIP appointments.  Employees of DBIP member companies who have not made appointments through the dedicated DBIP channel will be turned away.
• Do make sure the guarantee letter includes the name of the company your employee will be visiting (whether that is company headquarters or a client) as well as the expected length of your employee’s stay in the United States.
• Remember, only employees of DBIP companies who are going on OFFICIAL COMPANY business are eligible to use the program.
• Companies unable or unwilling to abide by the rules of the DBIP program may face removal from the program. The DBIP member company should check the Embassy website periodically for updates to the visa and/or DBIP process.
• DBIP applicants must not use the DBIP channel to apply for personal travel to the U.S. Please visit the U.S. Embassy Visa Information Service website for information on the appropriate visa classification to apply.
• For inquiries regarding the Dedicated Business Interview Program, please contact the DBIP team at ConsularMinsk@state.gov.