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U.S. Temporary Work Visas

A temporary or nonimmigrant visa is given to someone who lives in another country and wishes to come temporarily to the United States for a specific purpose. Nonimmigrant visas are given to people such as tourists, business people, students, temporary workers, and diplomats.

Below is a listing of some of the common temporary U.S. visa classifications and links to detailed information provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

  • B 1/B-2 Visitor Visa: Persons who want to enter the U.S. temporarily for business (visa category B-1), for tourism (visa category B-2), or for a combination of both purposes (B-1/B-2)
  • Visa Waiver Program: Enables most citizens or nationals of participating countries to travel to the U.S. for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa.
  • E-1/E-2 Treaty Traders & Investor Visas: Citizens of countries with which the U.S. maintains treaties of commerce and navigation to work as a manager or key employee with a company owned by citizens of the same country. 
  • F-1 Student Visa: Required visa to study in the U.S.
  • H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa: Persons to work in specialty occupation. Requires at least a Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent.
  • H-2A & H-2B Temporary Workers Visa: Persons to provide temporary or seasonal agricultural work (visa category H-2A); persons to provide temporary or seasonal non-agricultural work (visa category H-2B).
  • H-3 Trainee or Special Education Visitor Visa: Persons to receive training, other than graduate medical or academic, that is not available in the trainee’s home country.
  • J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa: Persons approved to participate in exchange visitor programs.
  • K-1 Fiancé (e)/K-3 Spouse Visa: Persons may bring Fiancé (e) to the U.S. to marry and live (visa category K-1); persons may bring foreign spouse (husband or wife) to live (visa category K-3).
  • L-1A Intra-company Transferee Visa: Persons employed in managerial or executive positions who have previously been employed in a qualifying capacity abroad with a parent, affiliate, branch or subsidiary of the company. 
  • L-1B Intra-company Transferee Visa: Persons employed in professional positions requiring specialized knowledge that can ordinarily be gained only through employment within the company or a parent, affiliate, branch, or subsidiary of the company. 
  • O-1 Extraordinary Ability Visa: Persons with extraordinary ability or achievement in the sciences, arts, education, business, athletics, or with extraordinary recognized achievements in the motion picture and television fields, demonstrated by sustained national or international acclaim, to work in their field of expertise.
  • P-1 Individual or Team Athlete, or Member of an Entertainment Group Visa: Persons to perform at a specific athletic competition as an athlete or as a member of an entertainment group.
  • Canadian and Mexican NAFTA Professional (TN) Visa: Allows citizens of Canada and Mexico, as NAFTA professionals, to work in the U.S. in designated position classifications.

Foster is not responsible for the content of the articles. Changes in immigration laws and policies occur frequently and the articles may not be immediately updated. Please be advised that interpretation of general information should not take the place of legal advice provided by an experienced immigration lawyer familiar with the specifics of your case.