Nonimmigrant Visa Catergories
The chart below contains many different purposes of temporary travel and the related nonimmigrant 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 | A
|
(NA) |
| Domestic employee or nanny – must be accompanying a foreign national employer | B-1 | (NA) |
| Employee of a designated international organization or NATO | Â Â 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:
- DOLÂ =Â The U.S. employer must obtain foreign labor certification from the U.S. Department of Labor, prior to filing a petition with USCIS.
- USCISÂ = U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approval of a petition or application (The required petition or application depends on the visa category you plan to apply for.)
- SEVISÂ = Program approval entered in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS)
- (NA) = Not Applicable – Additional approval by another U.S. government agency is not required prior to applying for a visa
Important Notes:
- About this chart – It is not a complete list of all travel purposes for the visa category. Select a visa category webpage for more information. The chart lists almost all nonimmigrant visa categories, with the exception of several not listed above. Refer to the Foreign Affairs Manual, 9 FAM 402.1 for all nonimmigrant visa categories.
- Canadian NAFTA Professional workers – A visa not required; apply to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at border port of entry.
- K nonimmigrant visas – For U.S. citizen fiancé(e) and spouse for immigration related purposes. Refer to Immigrant Visa Categories.
Source: DEPARTMENT of STATE — BUREAU of CONSULAR AFFAIRS/Travel.State.GovU.S.
