Permanent Residency (“Green Card”)

Nonimmigrant Visas
The most common temporary (nonimmigrant) visas are outlined below:

B-1/B-2 Tourist/Visitor Visas
B-1 visitors may apply for visas to enter the U.S. on behalf of their overseas employer, for a short duration that may not involve local  employment. Nationals of certain countries may be eligible to visit the U.S. for business purposes for up to 90 days without obtaining a  visa under the Visa Waiver Pilot Program. B-2 visitors for pleasure may apply for visas to enter the U.S. for tourism, visits, medical  treatment, and certain additional activities. Nationals of certain countries may be eligible to visit the U.S. for pleasure for up to 90 days  without obtaining a visa under the Visa Waiver Pilot Program.

E-1 Treaty Trader Visa
Treaty traders and their employees may apply for visas to conduct substantial trade between the U.S. and the treaty country, provided  that treaty country has the requisite treaty with the U.S.

E-2 Treaty Investor Visa
 Investors who invest a substantial amount of capital in a U.S. enterprise, and who will develop and direct the enterprise, may apply for a  visa provided that the treaty country has the requisite treaty with the U.S.

F-1 Student Visa
Students who will pursue a full course of study at an authorized educational institution in the United States may apply for a student visa.  In some cases, a period of practical training in the field of study may be available subsequent to graduating from the educational  institution.

H-1B Specialty Occupations
Alien who come to the U.S. to perform services in a professional occupation. Aliens with at least a bachelor's degree or higher is the  minimum requirement for entry into the particular occupation may apply for a visa if the U.S. employer can document that the worker will  be paid at least the prevailing wage for the position. In certain cases, aliens who have documented education, work experience, and  training that is equivalent to the completion of a U.S. bachelor’s degree.

J-1 Exchange Visitors
Exchange visitors may apply for a visa to travel to the U.S. in an approved exchange program. This category includes certain students,  medical residents and physicians, professors and research scholars, specialists, government visitors, camp counselors and au pairs.  Certain J-1 programs require that the exchange visitor spend two full years outside the U.S. after there visas expires.

K-1 Fianceés
A fianceé of a U.S. citizen may apply for a nonimmigrant visa, which allows entry to the U.S. for 90 days. Within that 90 day period, the  U.S. citizen and foreign fianceé must get married. The fianceé can then apply for permanent resident status.

L-1 Intracompany Transferees
Executives, managers and specialized knowledge employees who within the preceding three years has been employed abroad for at  least one continuous year may apply for a visa to transfer to their employer's U.S. affiliate, parent or subsidiary in the United States.

O-1 Extraordinary Ability Workers
An individual who has extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics which has been demonstrated by  sustained national or international acclaim and who is coming to the United States to continue work in the area of extraordinary ability.

P-1 Athletes, Artists and Entertainers
An alien who is coming temporarily to the U.S. to perform at specific events at an internationally recognized level of performance.

R-1 Religious Workers
An alien who, for at least two years immediately preceding the time of application for admission, has been a member of a religious  denomination having a bona-fide nonprofit religious organization in the U.S., may be admitted temporarily to the U.S. to carry on the  activities of a religious worker.

TN status under NAFTA
Special rules apply to citizens of Canada and Mexico under the provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement. A citizen of  Canada who seeks temporary entry as a business person to engage in business activities at a professional level may be admitted to the  United States in accordance with NAFTA.

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