Visa Categories

Visa Categories
Version en Espanol

B Visa	E Visa	F Visa	H-1B Visa	H-2B Visa
H-3 Visa	J-1 Visa	L Visa	O Visa	P Visa

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B Visa The B nonimmigration visa is used by individuals to come to the United States for business (B-1) and pleasure (B-2). The trips are temporary and cannot involve employment in the United Sates or the undertaking of an academic study program. The business visitor (B-1) will be granted only a period of entry necessary to conduct his or her business. Most such visits are approved for less than three months, and only in unusual circumstances would a stay of more than six months be granted. Tourist in the B-2 category are automatically given a period of entry of six months.
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E Visa The E category is especially useful for business owners, managers, and employees who need to remain the United States for extended periods of time in order to oversee or work in an enterprise engaged in trade between the United States and a foreign state or that represents a major investment in the United States. A person who is granted an initial period of stay of two years. This period can be extended almost indefinitely as long as the alien afferms that he or she will leave the United States whne the period of authorized stay, including unlimited extensions, ends.
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F Visa The F visa is used by Foreign nationals to enter the United Sates as monimmigrants in order to engage in academic studies in this country. These students, who can range from elementary school students to doctoral candidates and persons, engage in post-doctoral studies. As long as (F-1) students are bona fide nonimmigrants, they can pursue their academic goals in the United States without regard to the availability of similar training in their own country and can remain here for many; years in order to complete a full academic program.
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H-1B Visa The H-1B nonimmigrant cateogry is set aside for foreign workers in "specailty occupations" and fashion models of "distinguished merit and ability". The initial period of stay may be approved for an initial maximum of three years. An extension may be obtained up to an additional three years, for a total maximun period of stay of six years.
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H-2B Visa The H-2B visa category is used by United States companies temporarily to employ skilled or unskilled foreign nationals in nonagricultural positions for which the employer has a temporary need and for which qualified United States workers are unavailable. The initial period of stay granted to the alien admitted to the United Sates in the H-2B status is governed by the period of time that his or her temporary services are needed. This period cannot extend beyond an initial period of one year. Extensions of stay in increments of one year are possible, but the alien employee cannot be continuously employed in the United States for more than three years.
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H-3 Visa The H-3 visa category is used by United States companies and institutions to bring foreign employees to the United States for a temporary period in order to participate in an established company-training program. Under its rules an outer limit of two years is placed on the training program length.
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J-1 Visa The J-1 visa category is used by foreign students, scholars experts, medical interns and residents, "international visitors", and industrial and business trainees to enter the United States as "exchange visitors", in United States government approved Exchange-Vistor Programs, for the purpose of gaining experience, studying, or doing research in their respective fields. The permissible period of stay for exchange visitors varies depending on the exchange visitor category in which the vistor is admitted.
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L Visa The L nonimmigrant visa category is on of the most useful tools available to international companies needing to bring foreign employees to the United States. An alien may be admitted to the United States in L-1 status for a period of time required by the employer, up to a maximum initial period of stay of three years. The total period of stay may reach seven years for L-1A managers and executives, and five years for L-1B specialized knowledge personnel.
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O Visa The O category is set aside for aliens of extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, certain aliens accompany or assisting those aliens and their family members. The initial period of stay can be approved for the time necessary to complete the event or activity or group of events or activities for which the non-immigrant is admitted, up to a period of three years. Extension of stay can be granted in increments of up to on e year to continue or complete the event.
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P Visa The P Category covers those entertainers and athletes who cannot qualify under the extraordinary ability standard for the O category. The minimal period of stay can be approved for the time necessary for the specific competition, event or performance, up to a period of one year.
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