Visa Issues

I have to agree that it's hard to blame customs for enforcing visa regulations -- he's entitled to present at the conference (if he's not being paid), but not to earn money.

You would have pretty much the same experience if you told any EU member state officials that while visiting as a tourist here you were intending to pick up some side work as a waiter.

It's the company and conference that deserve the blame here for failing to ensure that attendees has the proper visas.