photographer: shooting in USA, selling out of canada

[kov]

im trying to gather some information here. im a canadian photographer, wishing to take pictures in the USA. return to canada, then do the sales web-based with NO transactions happening in the USA. trips will be no more than 3-4 days long, and i have no intentions of moving to the USA. im right on the border and its convienient so im looking into what i need to do here. any help?

[Steven]

Depends on why you're taking the photographs, if it's journalism then you need an I visa. Otherwise it's a lot more tricky, if you're self-employed in Canada I'm not sure what you'd qualify for as a photographer.

I suspect it ends up being a situation similar to a writer, i.e. you go in as a visitor and just don't tell them that you're working, although technically that's unlawful.

E-1 maybe?

[kov]

it a part time business (registered) i run on the side. im a former motorcycle racer and im wanting to do alot of racing photography over there (got alot of friends and contacts to make it work $$ wise).

basically i want to go and shoot the races, come home, edit, post online, sell downloads or cds.

in the past when it was a hobby, i would just say im going to watch. but ive since upgraded to over $10,000 in pro camera equipment. if they pull me in and notice it, i dont think it will go over in my favour.

[kov]

i sent an email to the customs and border patrol. hopefully they have an answer for me.

[Steven]

I'd say your best bet (simplest anyway) would be to get credentials with a racing magazine in Canada, then you qualify as foreign media and you can get an I visa. Or set your company up officially as a foreign media outlet and use that as the basis for the visa.