Kevin Keane

• A-1: Ambassadors and career diplomats, and their immediate families.
• A-2: Other embassy employees and their immediate families.
• A-3: Personal servants of A-1 and A-2, and their immediate families.

• B-1: Visitors for business
• B-2: Visitors for pleasure

Most visas in this family are actually issued as B-1/B-2 combinations. This means that you can come to the US either on business or as a tourist, as you like.

People who travel to the US on the visa waiver program (VWPP) are also considered to have a B-1 or B-2 visa, but have special restrictions.

There is no "immediate family" type for this visa category. Family members simply get the same type of visa on their own.

When you apply for either a B-1 or a B-2 visa, you are usually issued a combination visa called a B-1/B-2. This simply means that you can use it to travel to the US either for business or for pleasure, whichever you prefer. Once you arrive in the US, you will only have one or the other status. You will be either a B-1 or a B-2, but not both. Please see the General FAQ for more information about the difference between visa and status.

As a special exception, somebody who enters the US as a B-1 business visitor can change to B-2 (tourist) without filing an application to change status. The change happens automatically simply when the purpose of your business trip is accomplished. However, it does not work the other way round!

So it would be permissible for you to come to the US for a convention in Dallas, and then spend two weeks in Hawaii on vacation. However, it would not be allowed to spend two weeks in Hawaii first, and then go to Dallas for a convention!

• C-1: Alien in transit directly through the US.
• C-1D: Combination crewman/transit visa.
• C-2: Alien in transit to UN headquarters. This is how people such as Fidel Castro come to the US even though they are otherwise ineligible to travel here.
• C-3: Foreign government officials and members of their immediate family and attendants in transit
• C-4: Transit without visa (TWOV). Obviously, this is only a status but not a visa.

There is no "immediate family" type for this visa category. Family members simply get the same type of visa on their own, with the exception of C-3.

• D-1: Crewmember departing on the same vessel.
• D-2: Crewmember departing on a different vessel.

There is no "immediate family" type for this visa category.

• E-1: Treaty Trader and immediate family.
• E-2: Treaty Investor and immediate family.
• E-3: Guest workers from Australia.

• F-1: Student
• F-2: Spouse and child
• F-3: Commuting students (Mexican and Canadian Nationals only)

• G-1: Principal resident representative, and members of immediate family.
• G-2: Other representative, and members of immediate family.
• G-3: Representative non-recognized or non-member government, and members of their immediate family.
• G-4: International organization officer or employee, and members of their immediate family.
• G-5: Attendant of G-1, G-2, G-3 or G-4, and members of their immediate family.

• H-1B: Speciality worker, DOD worker, fashion model.
• H-1C: Nurses.
• H-2A: Temporary agricultural worker.
• H-2B: Temporary worker, skilled and unskilled.
• H-3: Trainee.
• H-4: Spouse and child of an H-1, H-2 or H-3.

• J-1: Exchange visitor.

• J-2: Spouse or child.

• K-1: Fiancee of a US citizen.
• K-2: Minor child of a K-1.
• K-3: Spouse of a US citizen under the LIFE Act.
• K-4: Child of a K-3

• L-1A: Executive or manager.
• L-1B: Specialized knowledge.
• L-2: Spouse or child of an L-1.

• M-1: Vocational or other nonacademic student.
• M-2: Spouse or child of an M-1.

• N-8: Parents of alien classified as SK-3 Special Immigrant.
• N-9: Child of N-8 or of SK-1, SK-2 or SK-4

• O-1: Extraordinary ability in Sciences, Arts, Education, Business, or Athletics.
• O-2: Support personell for an O-1.
• O-3: Spouse or child of an O-1 or O-2

• P-1: Individual or team athlete, or entertainment group.
• P-2: Artist or entertainer in reciprocal exchange program.
• P-3: Artists or entertainers in culturally unique programs.
• P-4: Spouse or child of P-1, P-2 or P-3.

• Q-1: International cultural exchange visitor.
• Q-2: Irish Peace Program.
• Q-3: Spouse or Child of Q-2.

• R-1: Religious worker.
• R-2: Spouse or child.

• S-5: Informant of criminal organization information.
• S-6: Informant of terrorism information.

• T-1: Victim.
• T-2: Spouse of T-1.
• T-3: Child of T-1.
• T-4: Parent of T-1, if T-1 is under 21 years of age.

• U-1: Victim.
• U-2: Spouse of U-1.
• U-3: Child of U-1.
• U-4: Parent of U-1, if U-1 is under 21 years of age.

• V-1: Spouse of a GC holder. To qualify, the petition must have been filed before December 21, 2000, and the petition must have been pending for at least three years.
• V-2: Child of a GC holder. To qualify, the petition must have been filed before December 21, 2000, and the petition must have been pending for at least three years.
• V-3: Child of a V-1, if it doesn't qualify as V-2.

• NATO-1: Principal Permanent representative and resident members of official staff, and family members.
• NATO-2: Other representative of member state and immediate family.
• NATO-3: Official clerical staff and immediate family member.
• NATO-4: Official of NATO who doesn't qualify as NATO-1, and immediate family.
• NATO-5: Expert other than NATO official, and immediate family.
• NATO-6: Member of civilian component, and dependents.
• NATO-7: Servant or personal employee, and dependents.

• TN: Trade visa for Canadians and Mexicans.
• TD: Spouse or child of TN. A TD can be from any country, as long as the TN is from Canada or Mexico.

This is a special status that you may have if you file a non-frivolous application to change or extend your status, and your old status expires. For instance, let's say you arrived in the US with a tourist visa (B-2) on January 3, 2003. You now hold B-2 status, usually good for six months, until July 2, 2003. On June 25, 2003, you file an application to extend your status with all the proper paperwork, and a good reason for requesting the extension. That means, your application is not frivolous.

In that case, your B-2 status would still expire on July 3. As of July 4, you would be considered to remain in status anyway until USCIS decides your application. Your new status would be "Application pending".

Note: this is a bit simplified; there are some additional restrictions that only a competent attorney can explain in detail.