Temporary visitors admitted into the United States are considered nonimmigrants. They are granted nonimmigrant visas
consistent with the purpose of their visit. Each visa category has its own terms and conditions.
Here are some of the common nonimmigrant visa categories:
| Visa Code | Description | INA § |
| A-1 | Ambassador, public minister, or career diplomatic or consular officer | 101(a)(15)(A)(i) |
| A-2 | Officials and employees of a foreign government | 101(a)(15)(A)(ii) |
| A-3 | Attendants, servants, personal employees, and immediate family members of A1 & A2 visa holders | 101(a)(15)(A)(iii) |
| B-1 | Business visitors | 101(a)(15)(B) |
| B-2 | Tourism, vacation, pleasure visitors | 101(a)(15)(B) |
| C | Aliens in transit (C-1, C-2, C-3) | 101(a)(15)(C) |
| D | Crewmembers | 101(a)(15)(D) |
|
E-1
|
Treaty traders and their immediate family members
|
101(a)(15)(E)(i) |
|
E-2
|
Treaty investors and their immediate family members
|
101(a)(15)(E)(ii) |
| E-3 | Australian treaty aliens coming to the United States to work in a specialty occupation | 101(a)(15)(E)(iii) |
| F-1 |
International students |
101(a)(15)(F)(i) |
| F-2 |
Spouses and children of international students |
101(a)(15)(F)(ii) |
| F-3 |
Canadian and Mexican commuter students |
101(a)(15)(F)(iii) |
| G-1 | Principal representatives of recognized foreign governments to international organizations and their immediate family members | 101(a)(15)(G)(i) |
| G-2 | Other representatives of recognized foreign governments to international organizations and their immediate family members | 101(a)(15)(G)(ii) |
| G-3 | Representatives of non-recognized foreign governments to international organizations and their immediate family members | 101(a)(15)(G)(iii) |
| G-4 | Officers or employees of international organizations and their family members | 101(a)(15)(G)(iv) |
| G-5 | Attendants, servants, or employees of G-1 to G-4 visa holders and their immediate family members | 101(a)(15)(G)(v) |
|
H-1B
|
Temporary professionals
|
101(a)(15)(H) |
|
H-1B
|
Temporary professionals from Chile or Singapore
|
101(a)(15)(H) |
| H-1C | Nurses for Health Professional Shortage Areas | 101(a)(15)(H) |
| H-2A | Temporary agriculture workers | 101(a)(15)(H) |
| H-2B | Temporary workers | 101(a)(15)(H) |
| H-3 | Trainees | 101(a)(15)(H) |
| H-4 | Spouse or child of H visa holders | 101(a)(15)(H) |
| I | Foreign press, radio, film, or other foreign information media and their accompanying spouse and children | 101(a)(15)(I) |
| J-1 | Exchange visitors | 101(a)(15)(J) |
| J-2 | Spouses and children of exchange visitors | 101(a)(15)(J) |
|
K-1
|
Fiancés of U.S. citizens
|
101(a)(15)(K)(i) |
|
K-2
|
Children of fiancés of U.S. citizens
|
101(a)(15)(K)(iii) |
|
K-3
|
Spouses of U.S. citizens (awaiting immigrant visa availability)
|
101(a)(15)(K)(ii) |
|
K-4
|
Children of spouses of U.S. citizens (awaiting immigrant visa availability)
|
101(a)(15)(K)(iii) |
|
L-1
|
Intracompany transferees
|
101(a)(15)(L) |
|
L-2
|
Spouse and children of intracompany transferees
|
101(a)(15)(L) |
| M-1 |
Vocational international students |
101(a)(15)(M)(i) |
| M-2 |
Spouses and children of vocational international students |
101(a)(15)(M)(ii) |
| M-3 |
Canadian and Mexican commuter vocational students |
101(a)(15)(M)(iii) |
| O-1 | Visitors with extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics | 101(a)(15)(O)(i) |
| O-2 | Those accompanying O-1 visa holder to assist in their performance | 101(a)(15)(O)(ii) |
| O-3 | Spouse and children of O-1 and O-2 visa holders | 101(a)(15)(O)(iii) |
| P-1 | Internationally-recognized athletes and performing artists | 101(a)(15)(P)(i) |
| P-2 | Artists in a reciprocal exchange program | 101(a)(15)(P)(ii)(II) |
| P-3 | Artist or entertainer of a culturally unique program | 101(a)(15)(P)(iii) |
| P-4 | Spouses and children of P-1, P-2, or P-3 visa holders | 101(a)(15)(P)(iv) |
| Q | Participant in an international cultural exchange program and their spouses and children (Q-1, Q-2, & Q-3) | 101(a)(15)(Q) |
| R | Religious workers and their spouses and children (R-1 & R-2) | 101(a)(15)(R) |
| S-5 | Alien possessing critical and reliable information concerning a criminal organization or enterprise | 101(a)(15)(S)(I) |
| S-6 | Aliens willing to supply or having supplied information to federal law enforcement authorities or a federal court | 101(a)(15)(S)(II) |
| S-7 | Spouses and married and unmarried sons and daughters of aliens receiving S-5 or S-6 visas | 101(a)(15)(S)(III) |
| T | Victims of severe forms of human trafficking and their qualified family members (T-1 to -5) | 101(a)(15)(T) |
|
TN
|
NAFTA Professionals.
Citizens of Canada and Mexico Coming to the United States to perform professional services for a
sponsoring employer, in a specific position, and for a fixed period of time
|
214(j) |
|
TD
|
Dependents of TN visa holders
|
214(j) |
| U | Victims of criminal activity who have suffered substantial physical or mental abuse and their qualified family members (U-1 to -5) | 101(a)(15)(U) |
| V |
Spouses and children of permanent residents who have been awaiting visa availability for three (3) years or more (V-1, V-2, & V-3).
[Practically Expired. To apply for this visa, the underlying petition must have been filed on or before December 21, 2000].
| 101(a)(15)(V) |
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