Nonimmigrant visas to the U.S. permit foreign nationals to enter the U.S., generally for specific purposes and for a specific duration.
Sometimes compared to “alphabet soup,” the visas are mostly named after the relevant section of the Immigration and Nationality Act and therefore correspond to alphabet letters as organized by statute. For most categories, dependent visas are available for spouses and unmarried children under the age of 21.
A full directory of nonimmigrant visas is available through the U.S. Department of State’s website. We have attached the key provisions relating to the most common visa types our employment-based clients obtain. As a disclaimer, this information is of a general nature. Immigration law is incredibly nuanced and many exceptions (and exceptions to the exceptions) apply to the provisions. (PDF)