The purpose of your intended travel and other facts will determine what type of visa is required under U.S. immigration law. As a visa applicant, you will need to establish that you meet all requirements to receive the category of visa for which you are applying. When you apply at a U.S embassy or consulate, a consular officer will determine based on laws, whether you are eligible to receive a visa, and if so, which visa category is appropriate.
The chart below contains many different purposes of temporary travel and the related non immigrant visa categories available on this website. Select a visa category below to learn more:
Purpose of Travel | Visa Category | Required: Before applying for visa* |
Athlete, amateur or professional (competing for prize money only) | B-1 | (NA) |
Au pair (exchange visitor) | J | SEVIS |
Australian professional specialty | E-3 | DOL |
Border Crossing Card: Mexico | BCC | (NA) |
Business visitor | B-1 | (NA) |
CNMI-only transitional worker | CW-1 | (USCIS) |
Crewmember | D | (NA) |
Diplomat or foreign government official |
|
(NA) |
Domestic employee or nanny – must be accompanying a foreign national employer | B-1 | (NA) |
Employee of a designated international organization or NATO | G1-G5, NATO | (NA) |
Exchange visitor | J | SEVIS |
Foreign military personnel stationed in the United States | A-2 NATO1-6 |
(NA) |
Foreign national with extraordinary ability in Sciences, Arts, Education, Business or Athletics | O | USCIS |
Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Professional: Chile, Singapore |
H-1B1 – Chile H-1B1 – Singapore |
DOL |
International cultural exchange visitor | Q | USCIS |
Intra-company transferee | L | USCIS |
Medical treatment, visitor for | B-2 | (NA) |
Media, journalist | I | (NA) |
NAFTA professional worker: Mexico, Canada | TN/TD | (NA) |
Performing athlete, artist, entertainer | P | USCIS |
Physician | J , H-1B | SEVIS |
Professor, scholar, teacher (exchange visitor) | J | SEVIS |
Religious worker | R | USCIS |
Specialty occupations in fields requiring highly specialized knowledge | H-1B | DOL then USCIS |
Student: academic, vocational | F, M | SEVIS |
Temporary agricultural worker | H-2A | DOL then USCIS |
Temporary worker performing other services or labor of a temporary or seasonal nature. | H-2B | DOL then USCIS |
Tourism, vacation, pleasure visitor | B-2 | (NA) |
Training in a program not primarily for employment | H-3 | USCIS |
Treaty trader/treaty investor | E | (NA) |
Transiting the United States | C | (NA) |
Victim of Criminal Activity | U | USCIS |
Victim of Human Trafficking | T | USCIS |
Nonimmigrant (V) Visa for Spouse and Children of a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) | V | (NA) |
Renewals in the U.S. – A, G, and NATO Visas | (NA) |
*What the abbreviations above mean – Before applying for a visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate, the following is required: