Types of U.S. Visas Explained: A Guide to Entry and Immigration

Whether you’re looking to study, chase a career opportunity, or settle in the U.S. for good, understanding the different visa options is your first step toward getting there. But with dozens of categories — from non-immigrant student and temporary work visas to immigrant Green Cards and specialized programs — it’s hard to know where to start or which path gives you the best shot.

In this article, we’ll explain the main types of U.S. visas, outline the key differences between non-immigrant and immigrant categories, and walk you through the typical visa application process from start to finish.

What Is a U.S. Visa?

A U.S. visa is a travel document issued by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) that allows a foreign national to travel to a U.S. port of entry. When specific conditions or requirements are met, they can request admission. The type of visa an applicant petitions for will determine the exact legal rights, duration of stay, and permissible activities during their time in the U.S.

Each visa has a different purpose, so the eligibility rules aren’t the same. That’s why it’s important to choose the right visa before you apply. For employers hiring international talent, success starts with matching the visa classification to the employee’s skills, experience, and education.

Overview of the Different Types of U.S. Visa

U.S. visas fall into two categories: immigrant visas for permanent relocation to live and work in the U.S. and non-immigrant visas for individuals temporarily entering the U.S.

Both immigrant and non-immigrant visas allow individuals to travel to the U.S. and request entry, though the permitted duration, purpose, and eligibility criteria differ.

Non-Immigrant Visas: Understanding Your Options

Non-immigrant visas are the most common route for students, professionals, and individuals with specialized skills who want to live and work in the U.S. temporarily. Non-immigrant visas are also used for short-term stays for tourism, business, seasonal work, or medical care — with the duration varying by visa type.

Work and Employment Visas

Temporary work visas allow individuals to perform professional, managerial, or specialized roles in the U.S. Most require employer sponsorship.

Visa	Who It’s For	Purpose / Key Details
H-1B	Individuals in specialty occupations that require at least a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) and specialized knowledge in a specific field	Enables temporary employment in specialized roles If you already hold an H-1B and are considering changing employers in the U.S., you may want to look into how the H-1B transfer process works
O-1	Individuals with extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business, athletics, and arts and entertainment	In addition to demonstrating “extraordinary ability,” typically granted to individuals who have achieved national or international recognition in their field
TN	Canadian or Mexican citizens entering the U.S. under the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement to work in prearranged professional roles, either full-time or part-time	For part-time or full-time employment in designated professional occupations
L-1A	Executives or managers transferring within a multinational company	Supports intracompany transfers from a foreign office to a U.S. branch or affiliate
E-2	Investors from treaty countries	For individuals investing substantially in a U.S. business and directing its operations

Student Visas

Student visas allow individuals to study full-time at approved U.S. institutions.

Visa	Who It’s For	Purpose / Key Details
F-1	Individuals entering the U.S. as a full-time student at an accredited U.S. college, university, or other academic institution, or in an approved English language program	Allows full-time study Eligible for OPT and CPT work authorization
M-1	Students in non-academic or vocational programs	For technical or vocational training programs

Exchange and Training Visas

These visas support cultural exchange, research, and training programs.

Visa	Who It’s For	Purpose / Key Details
J-1	Exchange visitors in teaching, research, training, or cultural program	Participate in approved exchange programs (research scholars, interns, trainees, teachers, au pairs) Requires sponsorship by an authorized exchange program
H-3	Trainees or special education exchange visitors	Allows individuals to receive training not available in their home country Cannot be used for productive employment except when necessary for training Includes a category for special education exchange visitors working with children

Business and Tourism Visas

These visas allow temporary visits that do not involve employment.

Visa	Who It’s For	Purpose / Key Details
B-1	Business travelers	Short-term business activities (meetings, conferences, negotiations) Employment or productive work not permitted
B-2	Tourists and visitors seeking medical care	Tourism, leisure travel, or family visits May be used for medical treatment No work allowed
B-1/B-2	Travelers with combined business and tourism needs	Combines permissions for business and tourism Allows mixed-purpose travel on the same trip

You may also hear people mention an ESTA “visa” in this category, but ESTA is not a visa. It's a travel authorization for citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries that allows short visits—up to 90 days—for business or tourism. It is often discussed alongside B-1 and B-2 visas because it is used for similar short-term travel, but it has different rules and requirements.

Specialized Non-Immigrant Visas

Visas designed for temporary roles in specialized or industry-specific areas.

Visa	Who It’s For	Purpose / Key Details
H-2A	Temporary or seasonal agricultural workers	Allows U.S. employers to hire seasonal agricultural labor Requires temporary labor certification (DOL)
H-2B	Temporary non-agricultural workers	Seasonal or peak-load roles outside agriculture (e.g., hospitality, landscaping) Requires temporary labor certification (DOL)
P-Visas (P-1, P-2, P-3)	Athletes, entertainers, and performers	For internationally recognized athletes, artists, and entertainment groups Tied to specific events, performances, or tours
R-1	Religious workers	For temporary work in religious occupations or vocations Requires sponsorship by a qualified nonprofit religious organization

Immigrant Visas: Pathways to Permanent Residency

An immigrant visa is intended for individuals who want to enter the U.S. to live and work permanently. These visas offer applicants a direct pathway to lawful permanent residency, typically through an adjustment of status (I-485) or via consular processing (DS-260).

Most immigrant visas require sponsorship from a U.S. employer or an immediate family member who is already a U.S. citizen.

Employment-Based Immigrant Visas

Employment-based immigrant visas generally require employer sponsorship, except for certain self-petition categories (like EB-1A or EB-2 NIW) and investor visas (EB-5). This visa category spans from EB-1 to EB-5, with around 140,000 employment-based immigrant visas made available each fiscal year, as allocated by Congress and administered by the DOS.

Below are some examples of work visas in the U.S.

Visa Type	Who It’s For / Key Details	Sponsorship Required?
EB-1A – Extraordinary Ability	Individuals with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics; must show national or international acclaim	No, self-petition allowed
EB-1B – Outstanding Professors & Researchers	Applicants with international recognition and a qualifying job offer from a U.S. employer	Yes, U.S. employer
EB-1C – Multinational Managers & Executives	Managers or executives transferring to the U.S. branch of a multinational company	Yes, U.S. employer
EB-2 – Advanced Degree Professionals / Exceptional Ability	Individuals with advanced degrees or exceptional ability in the sciences, arts, or business	Yes, U.S. employer
EB-2 NIW – National Interest Waiver	Individuals whose work benefits the U.S. national interest; advanced degree or exceptional ability	No, self-petition allowed
EB-3 – Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers	Skilled workers (2+ years experience), professionals (bachelor’s degree), and certain other workers	Yes, U.S. employer
EB-4 – Special Immigrants	Religious workers, SIJs, certain broadcasters, retired NATO staff, and other special categories	Varies, depending on subcategory
EB-5 – Immigrant Investors	Investors contributing $800,000–$1,050,000+ to a U.S. commercial enterprise that creates at least 10 jobs	No employer sponsorship (investment required)

Family-Sponsored Immigrant Visas

Family-sponsored immigrant visas allow U.S. citizens to bring their immediate relatives, including spouses, children, and parents, to live permanently in the U.S. They also enable lawful permanent residents (Green Card holders) to sponsor certain family members, including their spouses and unmarried children. These visas rely on proving the family relationship and meeting financial sponsorship requirements.

There are two main types of family-based immigrant visas: Immediate Relative (IR) visas and Family Preference (F) visas.

Immediate Relative (IR) Visas

These visas are for the closest family members of U.S. citizens. Immediate Relative (IR) visas are not subject to annual caps, making them the fastest family immigration pathway.

Visa Type	Who It’s For / Key Details	Sponsorship Required?
IR-1	Spouse of a U.S. citizen	Yes, U.S. citizen sponsor
IR-2	Unmarried child (under 21) of a U.S. citizen	Yes, U.S. citizen sponsor
IR-3	Orphan adopted abroad by a U.S. citizen	Yes, U.S. citizen adopting parent
IR-4	Orphan to be adopted in the U.S. by a U.S. citizen	Yes, U.S. citizen adopting parent
IR-5	Parent of a U.S. citizen (petitioner must be 21+)	Yes, U.S. citizen sponsor

Family Preference Categories (F Categories)

These visas cover more extended family relationships and have annual limits, which often lead to long wait times.

Category	Who It’s For / Key Details	Sponsorship Required?
F1	Unmarried adult children (21+) of U.S. citizens	Yes, U.S. citizen sponsor
F2A	Spouses and unmarried children (under 21) of permanent residents	Yes, Green Card holder sponsor
F2B	Unmarried adult children (21+) of permanent residents	Yes, Green Card holder sponsor
F3	Married adult children of U.S. citizens	Yes, U.S. citizen sponsor
F4	Siblings of U.S. citizens (petitioner must be 21+)	Yes, U.S. citizen sponsor

Visa Application Process for Different Types of Visas

Visa application processes vary significantly by category. Any category-specific requirements can add considerable time and complexity. For example, some employment-based immigrant visas require the sponsoring company to obtain a PERM labor certification.

Aside from category-specific variations, the general application process is as follows:

Determine eligibility: Identify which of the visa categories is the most appropriate, based on the applicant’s experience, qualifications, and intent.
Secure sponsorship (if required): For many employment-based and family-based visas, a U.S. employer or qualifying relative will have to sponsor the applicant’s petition.
File the petition: File the appropriate petition through USCIS. The exact form varies by visa type — for example, Form I-129 is used for many non-immigrant visas, Form I-140 for employment-based immigrant categories, and Form I-130 for family-sponsored immigrant visas.
Complete biometrics and attend interviews (if required): Applicants may need to provide fingerprints, take photographs, and attend an interview with USCIS or at a U.S. consulate in their country of residence.
Wait for adjudication: A petition adjudication will either be approval, denial, a Request for Evidence (RFE) that solicits more information from the applicant, or a Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID) that informs the petitioner and beneficiary of USCIS's intent to deny the petition application.

For immigrant visas, approved applicants may apply for a Green Card when their priority date is current, according to the DOS’ Visa Bulletin.

Important Considerations in the Application Process

Applications for a U.S. visa, regardless of immigrant or non-immigrant categories, are complicated. It’s not uncommon for applicants to run into issues, especially when petitioning without legal guidance.

Here are some common issues applicants may experience when applying for a U.S. visa.

Long wait times: The entire process of applying for a visa and waiting for adjudication from USCIS can be lengthy. Working with legal counsel typically helps expedite the process.
Eligibility confusion: Misinterpreting visa eligibility criteria, applying for the wrong category, or submitting evidence that doesn’t meet USCIS requirements will waste time and extend the application process. Always establish which visa is the most appropriate before applying.
Policy shifts or process changes: Policy shifts directly impact the visa process, can alter requirements, or may create backlogs. For example, a recently published proclamation has reformed the H-1B visa program, adding new requirements for H-1B petitions. Staying updated on U.S. foreign policy can help avoid petition mistakes.
RFEs: When a visa petition lacks sufficient documentation or proof of eligibility, USCIS may issue an RFE, delaying processing. Working with an immigration attorney helps ensure petitions are clear, complete, and properly supported, reducing this risk.

Navigating these challenges carefully — and seeking expert guidance — can greatly improve the chances of a smooth visa application process.

Choose the Right Visa with Ellis

Obtaining even the most basic visas in the U.S. requires careful planning and strategy. Seeking professional legal guidance is the most effective way of reducing delays in the visa process and ensuring the strongest possible application.

Ellis partners with companies to expedite the process of hiring internationally, reducing friction and helping to align employee qualifications with the most viable visa categories.

Need clarity on how to obtain a U.S. visa? Ellis helps companies and talent teams navigate every step. Reach out to Ellis today to get started.