 Non-Immigrant
Visitors
The United States has a very complex system of classifying
non-immigrants. Each category is identified by a letter. Each
category has its own admission requirements and procedures. These
are some of the most important categories:
- B
Visitors: These are tourists and short-term business
visitors such as buyers and sellers.
- E
Traders and Investors: These are business people who come to
the U.S. to invest and operate a business, or to engage in international trade.
- F
and M Students: These are students who come to the U.S. to
study in an academic program at a high school or university
(Fs), or in vocational programs (Ms).
- H-1B
Specialty workers: These are professional workers whose jobs
normally require a college degree, such as computer programmers,
teachers, doctors, and engineers. The E-3 visa is very similar
to the H-1B, and is available only to citizens of Australia.
- H-2B
Essential Workers: These are usually non-professional
workers such as construction workers, fishermen, and ski
instructors. They can only work to fill a short-term temporary
or seasonal need.
- J
Exchange Visitors: These are people who come to the United
States as students, interns, teachers, researchers, medical
residents, au pairs, camp counselors, and other
categories. Some J visitors are subject to a two-year home
residency requirement after completing their stay in the United
States.
- L
Intracompany Transferees: These are employees of foreign
companies who come to work for a U.S. affiliate as managers or
perform work requiring specialized knowledge.
- O
and P Artists, Entertainers, Athletes, Scientists, and
Businesspeople: These categories require distinguished or
outstanding ability.
- R
Religious Workers: These are missionaries, pastors, priests,
and others providing religious services.
- TN
Guest Workers: The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
provides special opportunities for Canadian and Mexican citizens
to work in the U.S.
|
