B-1

B-1 Business Visitor are issued to individuals traveling to the United States to engage in certain types of business activities. Acceptable activities to be conducted under a B-1 visa include:

1. Engaging in commercial transactions which do not result in gainful employment in the United States;
2. Negotiating contracts;
3. Consulting with Business Associates;
4. Litigating;
5. Participating in scientific, educational, professional or business conventions, conferences, or seminars; or
6. Undertaking independent research.
7. Training purposes in certain circumstances.

The B-1 visa excludes those people coming to study, work or represent the foreign press or information media.

A B-1 classification also includes the following under certain circumstances:

• Religious ministers and missionaries;
• Board members of U.S. corporations;
• Servants of non-immigrants or certain U.S. citizens here temporarily;
• Professional athletes;
• Entertainers;
• Still photographers;
• Musicians recording for sale outside the U.S.;
• Employees of foreign airlines; and
• Persons who would ordinarily qualify for H-1 or H-3 qualifications.

A dependent (spouse or child) of a B-1 visa holder is considered a B-2 non-immigrant when accompanying a person on a B-1 visa.

E-1

A visa granted for companies or individuals who are carrying on, or want to develop, substantial trade between the United States and a country with which the U.S. maintains an appropriate treaty, and members of their immediate families.

To be entitled to an E-1 classification, the applicant must be a national of the treaty country. There is no nationality requirement for the spouse or child accompanying or following the applicant and taking the same E-1 classification.

E-2

Granted for applicants who want to enter the United States solely to develop and direct the operation of an enterprise in which they have invested a substantial amount of capital. An E-2 is also valid for their employees and members of their immediate family. This visa is granted to the spouse and minor children of the applicant regardless of nationality.

H-1B

Granted to individuals who have a bachelors degree in a specific field of study or equivalent in work experience and have a job offer in a position, which can be classified as a specialty occupation

H-2A

An H-2A visa is issued to temporary or seasonal agricultural workers where U.S. agricultural workers are unavailable.

H-2B

An H-2B visa is issued to persons coming to the U.S. to engage in non-agricultural employment which is seasonal, intermittent, to meet a peek load need, or for a one-time occurrence where U.S. workers are unavailable.

H-3

This visa is for workers coming temporarily to the U.S. to receive training which is not available in the applicants country, will not involve productive employment unless it is incidental and necessary training and will benefit the applicant in pursuing a career outside the U.S.

I

The I visa is issued to any representative of the foreign press, film, television, or other media. I visas are also issued to the spouses and unmarried children under 21 of the I visa applicant. I Visa holders cannot change from one employer to another, or from one information medium to another without permission from the INS.

L-1A

The L-1A visa is for persons employed at a managerial or executive level for at least one of the previous three years at a non-U.S. firm, corporation, or other legal entity, who will come to the U.S. to work, in a managerial or executive position, at its related entity in the United States, or will oversee the opening of a new entity in the United States which is affiliated with the non-U.S. entity.

L-1B

The L-1B visa is for persons employed for at least one year (6 months if petition is based on an L blanket) of the previous three years at a non-U.S. firm, corporation, or other legal entity, who will come to the U.S. to work at its related entity in the United States as an employee who has specialized knowledge.

O-1

The O-1 visa is for people with extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, or with a record of extraordinary achievement in television or motion pictures.

There are three categories within the O-1 visa designation:

1. Applicants with Extraordinary Ability in the Arts;
2. Applicants of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industries.
3. Applicants of extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business or athletics.

Visa Term: An O-1 visa holder is admitted to the United States for the duration of the event, production or activity. This may include an entire season of performances, or a group of related activities. This may include short vacations and stopovers and could comprise an academic year or business or scientific project.

O-2

The O-2 visa is for people that accompany and assist an O-1 visa holder in a specific athletic or artistic event. The O-2 visa is also for people that accompany or assist an O-1 visa holder in the motion picture or television industry. O-2 visas are not available for people to accompany or assist O-1 visa holders in education, science, or business.

O-2 visa holders that accompany O-1 visa holders in a specific athletic or artistic event must be an integral part of the performance and must have critical skills and experience which cannot be performed by other individuals.

O-2 visa holders that accompany O-1 visa holders in the motion picture and television industry must have skills or experience that are critical for the O-1 visa holder because of either of the following:

• A previous, longstanding working relationship; or,
• With respect to the specific production, much of the production work will be done both inside and outside of the United States and the continuing participation of the applicant is essential to the completion of the production.

P-1

The P-1 visa is for members of entertainment groups, individual athletes, and members of athletic teams.

P-2

The P-2 visa is for entertainers that are a part of reciprocal international exchanges.

The P-2 visa applicant must be either an artist or entertainer with skills comparable to those of the U.S. entertainer participating in the exchange. No fixed level of expertise is required. A P-2 visa applicant does not need to show that he/she is in a lead or starring role, has achieved international recognition, or involved in a program that has a distinguished reputation.

P-3

This visa is issued to performers in culturally unique programs. The P-3 visa applicant must be coming to the United States primarily for cultural events to further the understanding or development of that art form. In order to be culturally unique is a style of artistic expression, methodology, or medium which is unique to a particular country, nation, society, class, ethnicity, religion, tribe, or medium, which is unique to a particular country, nation, society, class, ethnicity, religion, tribe, or other group of persons, must be present. Teachers, coaches, and performers, are eligible for P-3 visas. Applicants may be admitted for commercial or non-commercial performances.

P-3 Term: A P-3 visa holder is admitted for the duration of the culturally unique event or program.

Q-1

The Q-1 visa is for participants in an international cultural exchange program in the U.S. The cultural exchange program can provide practical training, employment, and the sharing of the culture of the Q-1 visa applicants country of nationality.

R-1

The R-1 visa is for religious workers coming to the United States temporarily. The R-1 visa applicant must be a member of a religious denomination that has a bona fide nonprofit, religious organization in the United States.

TN

The TN visa is for Canadian and Mexican business visitors, treaty traders and investors, intra-company transferees, and professionals to work in the United States. The TN visa is available for Canadian and Mexican citizens. The applicant must be coming to work in the United States as one of the following and possess the required education and/or experience: