Temporary Visas

The E-1 treaty trader visa allows an individual to enter the US to conduct international trade between the US and their home country. The trader must be a citizen of the treaty trader country.

The E-2 treaty investor visa allows a national of a treaty country to be admitted to the United States when investing substantial amount of capital in a US business. Certain employees of such a person or of a qualifying organization may also be eligible for this visa.

The E-3 visa is available to Australian citizens entering the United States to work in a specialty occupation. The specialty occupation requires theoretical and practical application of a body of knowledge in professional fields and at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent.

The F-1 visa allows a foreign national to enter the United States and enroll as a full-time student.

The H-1B visa authorizes an individual to enter the United States as a professional in a specialty occupation. The specialty occupation requires “the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge” that typically require at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent.

The H-1B1 visa, similar to the TN visa, is available to the citizens of Chile and Singapore engaged in a specialty occupation with the United States under NAFTA.

The H-2B visa allows temporary or seasonal non-agricultural workers enter the United States. The visa is limited to citizens and nationals of designated countries, with limited exceptions, if determined to be in the US interest.

The H-3 visa allows an individual to enter the United States as a:

(1) Trainee to receive training in any field including but not limited to agriculture, commerce, communications, finance, government, transportation air other professions, other than graduate medical education or training, that is not available in the  individual’s home country;

(2) Special Education Exchange Visitor to participate in a special education exchange visitor training program that provides for practical training and experience in the education of children with physical, mental or emotional disabilities. There is a numerical cap on the number of H-3 special education exchange visitors.

The J-1 visa allows individuals (exchange visitors) who intend to participate in an approved program for the purpose of teaching, instructing or lecturing, studying, observing, conducting research, consulting, demonstrating special skills, receiving training, or to receive graduate medical education or training to enter the United States.

Examples of exchange visitors include, but is not limited to, the following: professors or scholars, research assistants, students, trainees, teachers, specialists, nannies/Au pairs, and camp counselors.

The K-1 visa allows a US citizen to bring his or her fiancé(e) to live in the United States. The K-3 visa allows a US citizen to bring his or her spouse to live in the United States.

An individual may be granted an L-1 visa if he or she (1) is a manager, executive, or has specialized knowledge, employed by a foreign company; (2) has been working abroad for at least one continuous year within the past 3 years; and (3) the employer must be an affiliate of the parent foreign company or planning to do business in the United States.

The L-1A visa permits a U.S. employer to transfer an executive or manager from one of its affiliated foreign offices to one of its offices in the United States.  It also enables a foreign company which does not yet have an affiliated U.S. office to send an executive or manager to the United States with the purpose of establishing one.

The L-1B visa permits  a U.S. employer to transfer a professional employee with specialized knowledge relating to the organization’s interests from one of its affiliated foreign offices to one of its offices in the United States.  This classification also enables a foreign company which does not yet have an affiliated U.S. office to send a specialized knowledge employee to the United States to help establish one.

The L-2 visa allows the spouses and children of of L-1 visa holders to enter the United States.

The O-1 visa allows an individual who possesses extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, or who has a demonstrated record of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry and has been recognized nationally or internationally for those achievements to enter the United States.

The P-1 visa allows an internationally recognized athlete or entertainer to enter the United States.

The R-1 visa allows a foreign national to enter the United States temporarily to be employed at least part-time by a non-profit religious organization to work as a minister or in a religious occupation.

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) created special economic and trade relationships for the United States, Canada and Mexico. The TN visa permits qualified Canadian citizens and Mexican citizens to  enter the United States to engage in business activities. These activities include accountants, engineers, lawyers, pharmacists, scientists and teachers.