A B-1 visitor is required to retain a foreign residence and is only authorized to enter the United States for the temporary duration needed to complete a specified business task. The visitor must remain on a foreign payroll and this visa cannot be used as a means to enter the United States for domestic employment.

This visa applies to treaty traders, who are permitted to enter the United States to conduct international trading between the United States and their home country. The trader must be a citizen of the trading country and the country must have the appropriate treaty with the United States.

An E-2 visitor is a treaty investor, who is permitted to enter the United States on behalf of foreign investors to further a substantial investment in a U.S. enterprise. The foreign investors, which may be individuals or businesses, must be citizens of a treaty country.

An E-3 visa is a temporary visa available to Australian citizens entering the United States to work in a specialty occupation. To qualify as a “specialty occupation,” the Australian and U.S. governments have enumerated specific (similar to an H-1B visitor).

This visa permits a foreign individual to enter the United States and enroll as a full-time student.

An H-1B visitor is authorized to enter the United States as a professional worker in a specialty occupation. A “specialty occupation” requires “the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge,” typically the result of a higher education degree.

Similar to a TN visa, this visa is available to citizens of Chile and Singapore engaged in free trade with the United States under the.

Temporary or seasonal nonagricultural workers may enter the United States with an H-2B visa (seasonal agricultural workers are eligible for an H-2A visa).

An H-3 visitor enters the United States to receive training for the benefit of a career in his or her country of origin.

The J-1 visa is available for individuals seeking to enter the United States for a recognized cultural or educational exchange program.

A U.S. citizen may bring his or her spouse (via K-3 visa) or fiancé(e) (via K-1 visa) to live in the United States.

An individual is eligible for an L-1 visa if he or she has worked abroad for a minimum period of twelve months within the last three years in an executive, managerial (see L-1A) or specialized knowledge (see L-1B) capacity.

This type of visa is for executives or managers meeting the L-1 visa requirements.

This visa is for transferees possessing a specialized knowledge in their company’s products or processes in accordance with L-1 visa requirements.

This visa is for spouses and children of L-1 visa holders.

The O-1 visa permits entry to the United States for individuals of extraordinary ability or achievement in the sciences, arts (including motion picture and television fields), education, business or athletics.

Internationally-recognized athletes or entertainers may enter the United States with a P-1 visa.

This visa is available to a minister or other religious worker entering the United States temporarily at the request of their affiliated domestic organization.

Under NAFTA, Canadian citizens may temporarily enter the U.S. to engage in business activities with a TN-1 visa. These activities are limited to the approved professions under NAFTA.

Mexican citizens need a TN-2 visa to enter the United States under NAFTA regulations. Like the TN-1 visitor, the TN-2 visitor must have pre-arranged employment in an approved profession.