A nonimmigrant visa is most frequently a tourist, business, student, or specialty worker travel document that permits you to travel to the United States during the validity of the visa to accomplish a specific purpose, such as visiting, studying, or working in a specialty job.
Individuals who are traveling to the United States for a temporary purpose are classified under U.S. law as nonimmigrants since they do not intend to remain there permanently. These persons must obtain a “nonimmigrant visa” (NIV). Individuals who are traveling to the United States to live and work permanently are classified as immigrants and must obtain an “immigrant visa” (IV) permitting them to stay indefinitely.
| Visa Type | Basis for Eligibility |
| A-1 | Ambassador, Public Minister, Career Diplomat or Consular Officer, or Immediate Family |
| A-2 | Other Foreign Government Official or Employee, or Immediate Family |
| A-3 | Attendant, Servant, or Personal Employee of A-1 or A-2, or Immediate Family |
| B-1 | Temporary Visitor for Business |
| B-2 | Temporary Visitor for Pleasure |
| B-1/B-2 | Temporary Visitor for Business & Pleasure |
| C “Transit Visa” | C-1 – Alien in Transit C-2 – Alien in Transit to United Nations Headquarters District Under Sec. 11.(3), (4), or (5) of the Headquarters Agreement C-3 – Foreign Government Official, Immediate Family, Attendant, Servant or Personal Employee, in Transit |
| C-1/D “Crewmember” | Combined Transit and Crewmember Visa For people serving on a ship or plane, landing or docking temporarily |
| D | Crewmember (Sea or Air) |
| E-1 | Treaty Trader, Spouse, or Child |
| E-2 | Treaty Investor, Spouse, or Child |
| E-3 | Australian Treaty Alien Coming to the United States Solely to Perform Services in a Specialty Occupation |
| E-3D | Spouse or Child of E-3 |
| E-3R | Returning E-3 |
| F-1 | Students; academic, including at colleges, universities, seminaries, conservatories, academic high schools, other academic institutions, and in language training |
| F-2 | Spouse or Child of F-1 |
| F-3 | Canadian or Mexican national commuter student in an academic or language training program |
| G-1 | Principal Resident Representative of Recognized Foreign Government to International Organization, Staff, or Immediate Family |
| G-2 | Other Representative of Recognized Foreign Member Government to International Organization, or Immediate Family |
| G-3 | Representative of Nonrecognized or Nonmember Foreign Government to International Organization, or Immediate Family |
| G-4 | International Organization Officer or Employee, or Immediate Family |
| G-5 | Attendant, Servant, or Personal Employee of G-1 through G-4, or Immediate Family |
| H-1B | Temporary professionals (for specialty occupations such as doctors, engineers, physical therapists, computer professionals; must have at least a bachelor’s degree) H-4 visa is for dependents |
| H-1B1 | Chilean or Singaporean National to Work in a Specialty Occupation |
| H-1C | Nurse in Health Professional Shortage Area |
| H-2A | Temporary Worker Performing Agricultural Services Unavailable in the United States |
| H-2B | Temporary Worker Performing Other Services Unavailable in the United States |
| H-3 | Trainees |
| H-4 | Spouse or Child of Alien Classified H-1B/B-1/C, H-2A/B/R, or H-3 |
| I | The representative of Foreign Information Media, Spouse and Child |
| J-1 | Exchange visitor |
| J-2 | Spouse or Child of J-1 |
| K-1 | Fiance(e) of United States Citizen |
| K-2 | Child of Fiance(e) of U.S. Citizen |
| K-3 | Spouse of U.S. Citizen Awaiting Availability of Immigrant Visa |
| K-4 | Child of K-3 |
| L-1 | Intracompany Transferee (Executive, Managerial, and Specialized Knowledge Personnel Continuing Employment with International Firm or Corporation) |
| L-2 | Spouse or Child of Intracompany Transferee |
| M-1 | Vocational Student or Other Non-Academic Student |
| M-2 | Spouse or Child of M-1 |
| M-3 | Canadian or Mexican National Commuter Student (Vocational Student or Other Non-Academic Student) |
| NATO-1 | Principal Permanent Representative of Member State to NATO (including any of its Subsidiary Bodies) Resident in the U.S. and Resident Members of Official Staff; Secretary General, Assistant Secretaries General, and Executive Secretary of NATO; Other Permanent NATO Officials of Similar Rank, or Immediate Family |
| NATO-2 | Other Representative of Member State to NATO (including any of its Subsidiary Bodies) including Representatives, Advisers, and Technical Experts of Delegations, or Immediate Family; Dependents of Member of a Force Entering in Accordance with the Provisions of the NATO Status-of-Forces Agreement or in accordance with the provisions of the “Protocol on the Status of International Military Headquarters”; Members of Such a Force if Issued Visas |
| NATO-3 | Official Clerical Staff Accompanying Representative of Member State to NATO (including any of its Subsidiary Bodies), or Immediate Family |
| NATO-4 | Official of NATO (Other Than Those Classifiable as NATO-1), 1098 or Immediate Family |
| NATO-5 | Experts, Other Than NATO Officials Classifiable Under NATO-4, Employed in Missions on Behalf of NATO, and their Dependents |
| NATO-6 | Member of a Civilian Component Accompanying a Force Entering in Accordance with the Provisions of the NATO Status- of-Forces Agreement; Member of a Civilian Component Attached to or Employed by an Allied Headquarters Under the “Protocol on the Status of International Military Headquarters” Set Up Pursuant to the North Atlantic Treaty; and their Dependents |
| NATO-7 | Attendant, Servant, or Personal Employee of NATO-1, NATO-2, NATO-3, NATO-4, NATO-5, and NATO-6 Classes, or Immediate Family |
| O-1 | Alien with Extraordinary Ability in Sciences, Arts, Education, Business or Athletics |
| O-2 | Alien Accompanying and Assisting in the Artistic or Athletic Performance by O-1 |
| O-3 | Spouse or Child of O-1 or O-2 |
| P-1 | Internationally Recognized Athlete or Member of Internationally Recognized Entertainment Group |
| P-2 | Artist or Entertainer in a Reciprocal Exchange Program |
| P-3 | Artist or Entertainer in a Culturally Unique Program |
| P-4 | Spouse or Child of P-1, P-2, or P-3 |
| Q-1 | Participant in an International Cultural Exchange Program |
| Q-2 | Irish Peace Process Program Participant |
| Q-3 | Spouse or Child of Q-2 |
| R-1 | Alien in a Religious Occupation |
| R-2 | Spouse or Child of R-1 |
| S-5 | Certain Aliens Supplying Critical Information Relating to a Criminal Organization or Enterprise |
| S-6 | Certain Aliens Supplying Critical Information Relating to Terrorism |
| S-7 | Qualified Family Member of S-5 or S-6 |
| T-1 | Victim of a Severe Form of Trafficking in Persons |
| T-2 | Spouse of T-1 |
| T-3 | Child of T-1 |
| T-4 | Parent of T-1 Under 21 Years of Age |
| T-5 | Unmarried Sibling Under Age 18 of T-1 Under 21 Years of Age |
| TN | NAFTA Professional |
| TD | Spouse or Child of NAFTA Professional |
| U-1 | Victim of Criminal Activity |
| U-2 | Spouse of U-1 |
| U-3 | Child of U-1 |
| U-4 | Parent of U-1 Under 21 Years of Age |
| U-5 | Unmarried Sibling Under Age 18 of U-1 Under 21 Years of Age |
| V-1 | Spouse of a Lawful Permanent Resident Alien Awaiting Availability of Immigrant Visa |
| V-2 | Child of a Lawful Permanent Resident Alien Awaiting Availability of Immigrant Visa |
| V-3 | Child of a V-1 or V-2 |
