| 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 labor 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 |
| Nonimmigrant (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:
| Immediate Relative & Family Sponsored | Visa Category |
| Spouse of a U.S. Citizen | IR1, CR1 |
| Spouse of a U.S. Citizen awaiting approval of an I-130 immigrant petition | K-3 * |
| Fiancé(e) to marry U.S. Citizen & live in U.S. | K-1 * |
| Intercountry Adoption of Orphan Children by U.S. Citizens | IR3, IH3, IR4, IH4 |
| Certain Family Members of U.S. Citizens | IR2, CR2, IR5, F1, F3, F4 |
| Certain Family Members of Lawful Permanent Residents | F2A, F2B |
| Employer Sponsored – Employment | |
Employment-Based Immigrants, including their preference group number (in square brackets):
|
E1 E3, EW |
| Religious Workers | SD, SR |
| Iraqi and Afghan Translators/Interpreters | SI |
| Iraqis Who Worked for/on Behalf of the U.S. Government | SQ |
| Afghans Who Worked for/on Behalf of the U.S. Government | SQ |
| Other Immigrants | |
| Diversity Immigrant Visa | DV |
| Returning Resident | SB |
