US Visas

(US Visa Types Including Student Visa and EAD)

What Is Visa?
Visa is an entry clearance certificate that is placed in a travel or passport document, which gives you permission to enter into applied country.

Types of VISAS Visas are mainly classified into two major categories
• Immigrant Visa
• Non-immigrant Visa Immigrant VISA: This is for people who intend to live permanently in US. Types of Immigrant Visa Example -
GC (Green Card): An official document issued by the US Government to alliance allowing them to work permanently in US.
 Non-immigrant VISA: This is for those people with permanent residence outside US but wish to be in US for a temporary basis- for tourism, medical treatment, business, temporary work or study.

Other US Visas From the recruitment perspective, the following information about comparing US visas, differences between US visas and how US visas are related to employment (US TAX TERMS like 1099, w2, 1099) will help the recruiter to source profiles correctly for the client’s requirements or their own requirements. Moreover, it will help the candidates also to search the right employer and working on the correct tax term. We have provided the common visas used in IT recruitment.

H1B: US Work Visa (Applicable to several countries). Validity Period can be extended also
H1B1: For Singapore and Chile Citizens
H4: Dependent to H1B, and H1B1. H1B Dependent Visa. Validity Period can be extended
based on spouse’s visa. L1A: Intra Company Transfer
L1B (L1 Blanket): Intra Company Transfer work visa
L2: Dependent to L1A (with EAD, they can work)
L2: Dependent to L1B (with EAD, they can work)
F1(OPT): US Study Visa (Optical Practical Training). They will get EAD card.
F1 (CPT): US Study Visa (Curricular Practical Training)
F2: Dependent to F1
TN: Canadian and Mexican Citizens
TN1: Canadian Citizen
TN2: Mexican Citizen
TD: Dependent to TN
E-3: Australian Citizens
E-3D: Dependent of E3
B1: Business Visa (Validity period based on visa stamping)
B2: Visitor Visa (Validity period based on visa stamping)
Green Card (EAD): Before getting GC, you can get EAD

Green Card: Permanent residency visa

USC: US Citizenship
Depth analysis about all other visas
Special category for Australian nationals who will work in a Specialty Occupation (Profession), Spouses and Children under the age of twenty-one (21). It is called an "Australian H-1B".
EB-5 Visa:
Green Card for investors of $1 million or $500,000 in a "Pilot Program".
F-1 Visa:
Academic Student.
F-2 Visa:
Spouses and Children under the age of twenty-one (21).
G-1 Visa:
Principal Resident Representative of Recognized Foreign Government to International Organization, Staff, or Immediate Family.
G-2 Visa:
Other Representative of Recognized Foreign Member Government to International Organization, or Immediate Family.

G-3 Visa:

Representative of No Recognized Non-member Foreign Government to International Organization, or Immediate Family.
G-4 Visa:
International Organization Officer or Employee, or Immediate Family.
G-5 Visa:
Attendant, Servant, or Personal Employee of G-1 through G-4 or Immediate Family.
H-1B1 Visa:
Professionals who come temporarily to the U.S. to perform a specialty occupation.
H-1B2 Visa:
Aliens who come temporarily to the U.S. to perform cooperative research and development projects.
H-1B3 Visa:
Aliens who come temporarily to the U.S. as a fashion model.
H-1C Visa:
Nurse coming to areas of health professional shortage.
H-2A Visa:

Aliens who come to the U.S. to perform agricultural labour or services of temporary or seasonal nature.
H-2B Visa:
Aliens who come to the U.S. not to perform agricultural labour or services but to perform work in temporary nature.
H-2R Visa:
Special type of H-2B visa which was temporarily provided as a way to bypass the quotas for the H-2B for individuals who had been previously issued H-2B status (enacted in the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defence, the Global War on Terror, and Tsunami Relief, 2005, P.L. 109-13, 119 Stat. 231, signed into law by the President on May 11, 2005).
H-3 Visa:
Aliens who come to the U.S. to participate in a training program.
H-4 Visa:
Spouses and children under the age of twenty-one (21).
I Visa:
Representative of Foreign Information Media, Spouses and Child.
J-1 Visa:
Exchange Visitor.

J-2 Visa:
Exchange Visitor.
K-1 Visa:
Fiance(e) of United States Citizen.
K-2 Visa:
Minor Child of Fiance(e) of U.S. Citizen.
K-3 Visa:
Spouses of a U.S. Citizen under LIFE Act.
K-4 Visa:
Children of K-3 under LIFE Act.
L-1A Visa:
Intracompany Transferee (Executive, Managerial) Continuing Employment with International Firm or Corporation.
L-1B Visa:
Intracompany Transferee (Specialized Knowledge Personnel) Continuing Employment with International Firm or Corporation.
L-2 Visa:
Spouses and Children under the age of twenty-one (21).
M-1 Visa:

Vocational Student or Other Non-academic Student.
M-2 Visa:
Spouses and Children under the age of twenty-one (21).
N-8 Visa:
Parent of an Alien Classified SK-3 Special Immigrant.
N-9 Visa:
Children under the age of twenty-one (21) of N-8 or of an SK-1, SK-2, or SK-4 Special Immigrant.
NATO-1 Visa:
Principal Permanent Representative of Member State to NATO (including any of its Subsidiary Bodies) Resident in the U.S. and Resident Members of Official Staff; Secretary General, Assistant Secretary General, and Executive Secretary of NATO; Other Permanent NATO Officials of Similar Rank, or Immediate Family.
NATO-2 Visa:
Other Representative of member state to NATO (including any of Subsidiary Bodies) including Representatives, its Advisers and Technical Experts of Delegations, Members of Immediate Art. 3, 4 UST 1796 Family; Dependents of Member of a Force Entering in Accordance with the Provisions Status-of-Forces Agreement or in Accordance with the provisions of the Protocol on the Status of
International Military Headquarters; Members of Such a Force if Issued Visas.
NATO-3 Visa:
Official Clerical Staff Accompanying Representative of Member State to NATO (including any of its Subsidiary Bodies) or Immediate Family.
NATO-4 Visa:
Official of NATO (Other Than Those Classifiable as NATO- 1) or Immediate Family.
NATO-5 Visa:
Expert, Other Than NATO Officials Classifiable Under the NATO-4, Employed in Missions on Behalf of NATO, and their Dependents.
NATO-6 Visa:
Member of a Civilian Component Accompanying a Force Entering in Accordance with the Provisions of the NATO Status-of- Forces Agreement; Member of a Civilian Component Attached to or Employed by an Allied Headquarters Under the Protocol on the Status of International Military Headquarters Set Up Pursuant to the North Atlantic Treaty; and their Dependents.
NATO-7 Visa:

Attendant, Servant, or Personal Employee of NATO-1, NATO-2, NATO-3, NATO-4, NATO-5, and NATO-6 Classes, or Immediate Family.
O-1A Visa:
Aliens possessing extraordinary abilities in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics.
O-1B Visa:
Aliens of extraordinary ability in the arts or extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry.
O-2 Visa:
Accompanying Alien.
O-3 Visa:
Spouses or Children under the age of twenty-one (21).
P-1 Visa:
Athletes, Entertainment Groups and Support Personnel.
P-2 Visa:
Artistic Exchange (reciprocal exchange program).
P-3 Visa:
Artistic Exchange (culturally unique program).

P-4 Visa:
Spouses and Children under the age of twenty-one (21).
Q-1 Visa:
Participant in an International Cultural Exchange Program.
Q-2 Visa:
Irish Peace Process Cultural and Training Program (Walsh Visas).
Q-3 Visa:
Spouses and children under the age of twenty-one (21).
R-1 Visa:
Aliens in a religious occupation.
R-2 Visa:
Spouses or Children under the age of twenty-one (21).
S-5 Visa:
Certain Aliens Supplying Critical Information Relating to a Criminal Organization or Enterprise.
S-6 Visa:
Certain Aliens Supplying Critical Information Relating to Terrorism.
S-7 Visa:
Qualified Family Member of S-5 or S-6.

T-1 Visa:
Victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons.
T-2 Visa:
Spouse of a victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons.
T-3 Visa:
Child of victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons.
T-4 Visa:
Parent of victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons (if T-1 victim if under twenty-one (21) years of age).
TN Visa:
Professional Workers under NAFTA.
TD Visa:
Spouses and children under the age of twenty-one (21).
TWOV Visa:
Transit Without Visa Program (Passenger and Crew) SUSPENDED: this program was SUSPENDED at 11:00 a.m., Saturday August 2, 2003 (EST).
U-1 Visa:
Victim of Certain Criminal Activity.

U-2 Visa:
Spouse of U-1.
U-3 Visa:
Child of U-1.
U-4 Visa:
Parent of U-1, if U-1 is under the age of twenty-one (21).
V-1 Visa:
Spouse of an LPR who is the principal beneficiary of a family-based petition (Form I-130) which was filed prior to December 21, 2000, and has been pending for at least three years.
V-2 Visa:
Child of an LPR who is the principal beneficiary of a family-based visa petition (Form I-130) that was filed prior to December 21, 2000, and has been pending for at least three years.
V-3 Visa:
The derivative children of a V-1 or V-2.
TPS Visa:
Temporary Protected Status.

US Citizenship
“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein there reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” - XIV Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
-Citizenship of children by birth
In the United States, nationality of children can derive from place of birth (i.e. jus soli) or ethnicity:
- Birth in the U.S.: all persons born in the U.S. are U.S. citizens regardless of the status of their parents (except for children of diplomats)
- Acquisition at birth: a child born outside the U.S. may be granted U.S. citizenship if one or both parents are U.S. citizen residents
- Derivation through naturalization of Parents: In 2000, Congress passed the Child Citizenship Act (CCA) permitting any child under the age of eighteen (18) who is adopted by a U.S. Citizen and immigrates to the United States to be granted immediate citizenship.
-Naturalization
Naturalization: Process by which U.S. citizenship is conferred upon a foreign national after complying with the requirements established by Congress in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

What are the requirements for administrative naturalization?
- Be a lawful permanent resident
- Be eighteen (18) years of age or older
- Residence and physical presence: reside continuously in the U.S. for at least five years (or three years for permanent residence obtained through marriage to a U.S. citizen) prior to filing
- Be capable to speak, read and write in English
- A knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of the U.S. History as well as the principles and form of the U.S. government
- Attachment to the principles of U.S. Constitution
- Good moral character (alien showing he/she has never been convicted of murder or aggravated felony for five years or three years for an applicant married to a U.S. citizen or one (1) year for an applicant serving in the U.S. Armed Forces prior filing)
- Oath of Allegiance: an applicant shall swear to:
Support the Constitution and obey the laws of the United States
Renounce any foreign allegiance and/or foreign title
Bear arms for the U.S. Armed Forces or perform services for the U.S. government when necessary.
After acquiring U.S. Citizenship, you are granted the following rights:
- The right to obtain a U.S. passport
- The right to vote in the U.S. elections
- The right to participate in federal programs like Social Security

- The right to qualify for some security clearances.
Green Card
The Lawful Permanent Residence (“Green Card”) allows an immigrant, i.e. a foreign national, to live and work permanently in the United States.
A multi-step procedure
To become an immigrant, you must go through a multi-step process:
- An immigrant petition filed either by a relative or an employer must be approved by the USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services).
How to become an immigrant through a relative?
Preference Categories:
Foreign nationals who want to become immigrants are classified into categories based on a preference system. Regarding the immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, i.e. spouses, parents, and unmarried children under the age of twenty-one (21), an immigrant visa number will become immediately available.
However, the relatives in the remaining categories must wait for an immigrant visa number to become available according to the following preferences:
- First preference: Unmarried sons and daughters (twenty-one (21) years old or older) of U.S. citizens.
- Second Preference: Spouses of lawful permanent residents, their unmarried children (under twenty-one), and the unmarried sons and daughters of lawful permanent residents.

- Third Preference: Married sons and daughters of U.S. Citizens.
- Fourth Preference: Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. Citizens.
Once the immigrant visa number is available, he/she may adjust status if in the U.S.
1) If the sponsor is a U.S. Citizen, he or she may petition for:
- Parent (immediate relative category)
- Husband or wife (immediate relative category)
- Unmarried child under 21(immediate relative category)
- Unmarried son or daughter over 21
- Married son or daughter of any age
- Brother or sister, if the sponsor is at least twenty-one (21) years old.
2) If the sponsor is a lawful permanent resident, he or she may petition for:
- Husband or wife
- Unmarried son or daughter of any age.
How to become an immigrant through employment?
Five categories based upon employment allow foreign nationals to be granted lawful permanent residence.
EB-1: Priority Workers: Extraordinary Ability or Managers and Executives transferred to the U.S. branch:
- Aliens who possess extraordinary abilities (nationally or internationally recognized) in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics
- Aliens who are managers or executives of a U.S. branch
- Aliens who are exceptional researchers or professors.

EB-2: Professionals with advanced degrees or persons with exceptional abilities:
- Aliens "who because of their exceptional ability in the sciences, arts, or business and who are advanced will substantially benefit the national economy, cultural, or educational interests or welfare of the United States."
- Aliens who have advanced degrees.
EB-3: Professional, Skilled and Unskilled Workers:
- Professionals with a baccalaureate degree
- Skilled workers with at least two (2) years of experience
- Others workers with less than two (2) years of experience.
EB-4: Special Immigrants:
- Priest of a religious denomination
- Religious workers.
EB-5: Investors:
Pursuant to the section 203(b)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. § 1153(B)(5), ten thousand (10,000) immigrant visas are granted annually to qualified persons who are engaged in a new commercial company. Five thousand (5,000) visas out of the ten thousand (10,000) visas are granted to persons who apply under a pilot program involving a designed “Regional Centre”.


Purpose of Travel Visa Category  
Athlete, amateur or professional (competing for prize money only) B-1  
Au pair (exchange visitor) J  
Australian professional specialty E-3  
Border Crossing Card: Mexico BCC  
Business visitor B-1  
CNMI-only transitional worker CW-1  
Crewmember D  
Diplomat or foreign government official A  
Domestic employee or nanny B-1  
Employee of a designated international organization or NATO G1-G5, NATO  
Exchange visitor J  
Foreign military personnel stationed in the United States A-2 NATO1-6  
Foreign national with extraordinary ability in Sciences, Arts, Education, Business or Athletics O  
Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Professional: Chile, Singapore H-1B1 – Chile H-1B1 – Singapore  
International cultural exchange visitor Q  
Intra-company transferee L  
Medical treatment (visitor for medical treatment) B-2  
Media, journalist I

NAFTA professional worker: Mexico, Canada TN/TD    

Performing athlete, artist, entertainer P    

Physician J , H-1B    

Professor, scholar, teacher (exchange visitor) J    

Religious worker R    

Specialty occupations in fields requiring highly specialized knowledge H-1B    

Student: academic, vocational F, M    

Temporary agricultural worker H-2A    

Temporary worker performing other services or labour of a temporary or seasonal nature. H-2B    

Tourism, vacation, pleasure visitor B-2    

Training in a program not primarily for employment H-3    

Treaty trader/treaty investor E    

Transiting the United States C    

Victim of Criminal Activity U    

Victim of Human Trafficking T    

Non-immigrant (V) Visa for Spouse and Children of a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) V    

Renewals in the U.S. – A, G, and NATO Visas  

The chart below contains different purposes for immigrating to the United States, and the related immigrant visa categories for which information is available. Select a visa category below to learn more:

For more detailed information about US Visas , Download the below PDF file and thanks to Mr.
(Laxminarayana Bupathi)(Senior Staffing Consultant for US Process) Who have given too much effort to understand the common and terms and condition about the visas.

US Visas Ebook Free download