If you wish to enter the U.S. for a temporary period of time, a non-immigrant visa permits you to travel to a U.S. port of entry and request permission of the Department of Homeland Security to visit for a specific purpose (work, school enrollment, conference, visit of the country, friends, or family etc). Having an approved visa does not mean you will be allowed to enter the United States. A visa allows you to travel to a United States port of entry and request permission to enter. When you arrive at a United States port of entry, an official from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will grant or deny your admission into the Untied States. If you are granted admission, the CBP official will mark the length of your stay on your Form I-94, Arrival and Departure Card. The length of time someone can stay in the U.S. depends on the visa status under which they are admitted (for example, specialty occupation). And a person admitted in one status can often change his or her status in order to stay longer – or to perform different activities. For instance, a medical school student may want to change his or her status to an employer-sponsored non-immigrant visa once he or she graduates and finds employment (assuming the new employer is willing to sponsor). Several types of non-immigrant visas also allow a person to extend his or her status and thereby extend his or her stay in the United States.

B-1  Temporary visitors for business B-2  Temporary visitors for pleasure

F  Academic students M  Vocational students J  Exchange students

E-1 Treaty traders and qualified employees E-2 Treaty investors and qualified employees E-3 Certain “specialty occupation” professionals from Australia H-1B Workers in a specialty occupation H-1B1 Workers in a specialty occupation from Chile and Singapore H-1B2 Specialty occupations related to Department of Defense Cooperative Research and Development projects or Co-production projects H-1B3 Fashion models of distinguished merit and ability H-1CRegistered nurses working in a health professional shortage area H-2ATemporary or seasonal agricultural workers H-2B Temporary non-agricultural workers H-3 Trainees other than medical or academic (this classification also applies to practical training in the education of handicapped children) I Representatives of foreign press, radio, film or other foreign information media J Exchange visitors L-1A Intra-company transferees in managerial or executive positions

L-1B Intra-company transferees in positions utilizing specialized knowledge O Persons with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics and motion picture or TV production P-1A Internationally recognized athletes P-1B Members of an internationally recognized entertainment groupP-2 Individual performer or part of a group entering to perform under a reciprocal exchange program P-3 Artists or entertainers, either an individual or group, to perform, teach, or coach under a program that is culturally unique Q Persons participating in an international cultural exchange program for the purpose of providing practical training, employment, and to share the history, culture, and traditions of the alien’s home country R Religious workersTN Canadian and Mexican Professionals (NAFTA)

C-1 Foreign travelers in transit through the U.S. C-2 Foreign travelers in transit to U.N. Headquarters C-3 Foreign government officials in transit through the U.S.D Crew members who land temporarily and depart on the same ship or plane K-1/K-2 Fiancé(e) of US citizens and unmarried children under age 21 K-3/K-4Spouses of US citizens and unmarried children under age 21 T Victims of Human Trafficking U Crime Victims