Visa Category

Visa Type

Description

Foreign Government Officials

A-1

Ambassador, public minister, diplomatic or consular officer and members of immediate family.

A-2

Other foreign government officials/employees and members of immediate family.

A-3

Employees of A-1 or A-2 and members of immediate family.

Visitors

B-1

Temporary visitor for business.

B-2

Temporary visitor for pleasure.

Visa Waiver Program

Enables citizens of the following countries to travel to the United States for up to ninety days without a visa (list current as of May 1, 2012): Andorra; Australia; Austria; Belgium; Brunei; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Iceland;
Ireland; Italy; Japan; Latvia; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Malta; Monaco; New Zealand; Norway; Portugal;
San Marino; Singapore; Slovakia; Slovenia; South Korea; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; the Netherlands; and the United Kingdom.

Aliens in Transit

C-1

Alien in transit through the United States.

C-1D

Combined transit/crewman visa.

C-2

Alien in transit to the U.N. Headquarters District.

C-3

Foreign government official, members of his or her immediate family and/or employee(s) in transit.

C-4

Transit without visa.

Crewmen

D-1

Crewmember departing on same vessel of arrival.

D-2

Crewmember departing by means other than vessel of arrival.

Treaty Traders and Investors

E-1

Treaty trader, spouse and children of treaty trader.

E-2

Treaty investor, spouse and children of treaty investor.

Foreign Government Officials to International Organizations

G-1

Principal resident representative of recognized foreign member government to international organization, and members of his or her immediate family.

G-2

Other representative of recognized foreign member government to international organization, and members of his or her immediate family.

G-3

Representative of non-recognized/non-member government to international organization, and members of his or her immediate family.

G-4

International organization officer/employee and members of his or her immediate family.

G-5

Attendant/servant/personal employee of G-1, G-2, G-3, or G-4 and members of his or her immediate family.

Temporary Workers

H-1B

Specialty occupations, DOD workers, and fashion models.

H-1C

Nurses in health professional shortage areas.

H-2A

Temporary agricultural workers.

H-2B

Temporary workers – skilled and unskilled.

H-3

Trainees.

H-4

Spouse and child of H-1, H-2 or H-3.

Foreign Media Representatives

I

Exchange Visitors

J-1

Exchange visitors.

J-2

Spouse and children of J-1.

Fiance(e) or Spouse of U.S. Citizen

K-1

Fiance(e) of U.S. citizen.

K-2

Minor child of U.S. citizen.

K-3

Spouse of U.S. citizen.

K-4

Child of K-3.

Intracompany Transferees

L-1A

Executive/managerial employees.

L-1B

Employees with specialized knowledge.

L-2

Spouse and children of L-1.

Vocational and Language Students

M-1

Vocational or other non-academic student.

M-2

Spouse and children of M-1.

Other

N-8

Parent of alien classified as SK-3 special immigrant.

N-9

Child of N-8, SK-1, SK-2, or SK-4 special immigrant.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

NATO-1

Principal permanent representative of member state to NATO and resident members of official staff or immediate family.

NATO-2

Other representatives of member state; dependents of a force entering in accordance with the provisions of NATO Status-of-Forces agreement.

NATO-3

Official clerical staff accompanying representative of member state to NATO or immediate family.

NATO-4

Official of NATO other than those qualified as NATO-1 and immediate family.

NATO-5

Expert other than NATO officials qualified under NATO-4, employed on behalf of NATO and immediate family.

NATO-6

Member of civilian component who is either accompanying a Force entering in accordance with the provisions of the NATO Status-of-Forces agreement; attached to an Allied headquarters under the protocol on the Status of International Military Headquarters set up pursuant to the North Atlantic Treaty; and their dependents.

Workers with Extraordinary Abilities

O-1

Workers with extraordinary abilities in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics

O-2

Support personnel accompanying O-1.

O-3

Spouse and children of O-1 and O-2.

Athletes and Entertainers

P-1

Individual or team athletes and entertainment groups.

P-2

Artists and entertainers in reciprocal exchange programs.

P-3

Artists and entertainers in culturally unique programs.

P-4

Spouse and children of P-1, P-2 and P-3.

International Cultural Exchange Visitors

Q-1

International cultural exchange visitors.

Q-2

Irish Peace Process Cultural and Training Program (Walsh visas).

Q-3

Spouse or child of Q-2.

Religious Workers

R-1

Religious workers.

R-2

Spouse and children of R-1.

Witnesses/Informants

S-5

Informants of criminal organizations information.

S-6

Informants of terrorism information.

Victims of Severe Forms of Trafficking in Persons

T-1

Victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons.

T-2

Spouse of T-1.

T-3

Children of T-1.

T-4

Parents of T-1 if T-1 is under 21 years of age.

North American Free Trade Agreement

TN

Trade visas for Canadians and Mexicans.

TD

Spouse and children of TNs.

Transit Without Visa

TWOV

Passenger or crew.

Victims of Certain Crimes

U-1

Victim of certain criminal activity.

U-2

Spouse of U-1.

U-3

Children of U-1.

U-4

Parent of U-1 if U-1 is under 21 years of age.

Spouses and Children of Lawful Permanent Residents (Green Card Holders) (Second Preference Beneficiaries)

V-1

Spouse of lawful permanent resident who is beneficiary of visa petition which was filed prior to December 21, 2000 and which has been pending for at least three years.

V-2

Child of lawful permanent resident who is beneficiary of visa petition which was filed prior to December 21, 2000 and which has been pending for at least three years.

V-3

Derivative child of V-1/V-2.

Humanitarian Parole

Temporary Protected Status