Which visa category is applicable?

[jumbo]

If we want to invite some reputed person in India for giving religious discourses to the temple (for free) in US, what visa they should apply? Can the sponsors in USA be any individual or does it need to be from non -profit organization?

[taco]

It is a B1/B2 visa. For such an application to succeed, an established
organization in US(need not be non-profit) should send an invitation letter to the applicant on its letter head, describing the desired length of stay,
the purpose of visit and that it will be unpaid. You may have to send
an affidavit of support if you are paying for his trip and stay.

If we want to invite some reputed person in India for giving religious discourses to the temple (for free) in US, what visa they should apply? Can the sponsors in USA be any individual or does it need to be from non -profit organization?

[jumbo]

Thanks for the info. I read B1/B2 is okay for giving lectures in universities.. But I want to make sure it applies to religious discourse/lectures in temples as well. I would appreciate if you could point a link that says B1/B2 is okay for this?

It is a B1/B2 visa. For such an application to succeed, an established
organization in US(need not be non-profit) should send an invitation letter to the applicant on its letter head, describing the desired length of stay,
the purpose of visit and that it will be unpaid. You may have to send
an affidavit of support if you are paying for his trip and stay.

[taco]

There is no other visa for this purpose. R visa (religious visa) does not apply in your case as it is a work visa for those
who come as regular paid employees in religious capacity(priests etc.) for 1 year or more.

Anyway you need not worry about the classification because it is decided
by the visa officer and not the applicant.