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- Different Types of US Visas

# What Are the Different Types of US Visas?

The United States of America offers a variety of opportunities to those who visit for a variety of reasons. There are several types of United States visas available. Determining the right visa for you will depend on your nationality, and the purpose and length of your stay.

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The United States of America offers a variety of opportunities to those who visit for a variety of reasons. There are several types of United States visas available. Determining the right visa for you will depend on your nationality, and the purpose and length of your stay.

Do you want to know your eligibility for a US Visa?

Call us toll-free or take less than a minute to fill our Online Assessment for Your Visa Options.

## **US Visa**

A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler’s passport, a travel document issued by the traveler’s country of citizenship.

Certain international travelers may be eligible to travel to the United States without a visa if they meet the requirements for visa-free travel

## **Do I Need to Apply for a US Visa?**

Canadian citizens generally do not require a visa to enter the US directly from Canada for the purpose of visiting or studying. However, every case is different and it also depends on which country you’re entering from. It is best to consult an immigration expert to find out more information.

## **Can I Enter the US Without a Valid Visa?**

You can go on vacation to the US for a limited period of time with an Electronic Travel Authorization (e TA), but if you want to immigrate to the US you need a valid immigrant or nonimmigrant visa. 

To be eligible to travel to the US under the Visa Waiver Program, you need to be a citizen from one of the following countries: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. 

If you are not from one of the aforementioned countries, you need to fully apply for a US visa.

## **No Travel Visa or Authorization Needed**

There are 40 different countries that you can travel from where you are eligible to travel to the US under the Visa Waiver Program, but although you do not require a visa, you still require an e TA. 

### **B2 Visa for Tourists**

The B-2 Visa is for individuals who wish to travel in the United States for personal reasons like tourism or to receive medical treatment. To be eligible for the B-1 or B-2 visa, applicants must plan to remain in the US for a limited and specified period of time, have sufficient funds to support their stay, and demonstrate sufficient ties to their home country.

### **C1 Visa to Transit Through US Airports**

Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. C Transit visas are nonimmigrant visas for persons traveling in immediate and continuous transit through the United States en route to another country, with few exceptions.

Immediate and continuous transit is defined as a reasonably expeditious departure of the traveler in the normal course of travel as the elements permit and assume a prearranged itinerary without any unreasonable layover privileges. If the traveler seeks layover privileges for purposes other than for transit through the United States, such as to visit friends or engage in sightseeing, the traveler will have to qualify for the type of visa required for that purpose.

### **B1 Visa for Business Visitors**

The B-1 Visa is a visitor visa for individuals who intend to conduct business, attend conferences/conventions, or appear as a witness in court trials in the United States. Applicants are not permitted to perform productive work or accept employment.

## **Visa Types and Visa Policy of the United States**

There are two types of US visas: immigrant and nonimmigrant. Within those two categories are many sub sectors based on your specific needs, situation, and intention of travel/moving. 

It is important to note that if you are a Canadian NAFTA professional worker, a visa is not required. You will need to apply to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the border port of entry.

The visa policy of the United States consists of the requirements for foreign nationals to travel to, enter, and remain in the United States. Visitors to the United States must obtain a visa from one of the U.S. diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa-exempt or Visa Waiver Program countries.

## **Regulations for Canada and Bermuda citizens**

In Canada, the U.S. Government issues visas from its Embassy and six consulates located throughout the country. Canadians typically do not require visas to enter the United States, although there are some exceptions. Citizens of certain other countries also do not require entry visas to visit the United States. 

The purpose of your intended travel and other facts will determine what type of visa is required under U.S. immigration law. As a visa applicant, you will need to establish that you meet all requirements to receive the category of visa for which you are applying.

Citizens of Bermuda traveling to the United States do not require a nonimmigrant visa for travel up to 180 days, except for the travel purposes described below. Additionally, Bermudian citizens do not require a visa unless they are ineligible for a visa under U.S. immigration law, or have previously violated the terms of their immigration status in the U.S.

## **US Visa Application**

The US Visa application process has 8 steps: check if you need a visa, choose the type of US visa you will apply for, fill in the non-immigrant visa application form DS-160, pay your application fee(s), schedule a visa interview, compile the document file, attend the visa interview, and wait for processing.

You need to check if you need a visa first because you could be a citizen of a country that is eligible to travel to the US under the Visa Waiver Program and might not have to go through the application process. 

Once you choose which visa you will apply for, you need to fill out the DS-160 form, which is the online nonimmigrant US visa application form and it can be found online on the website of the US consulate from which you are applying. 

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Country Of Residence: Afghanistan Aland Islands Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Cote D'Ivoire Croatia Cuba Curacao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and Mcdonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Barthelemy Saint Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States United States Minor Outlying Islands Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.s. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe

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## **What is the Difference Between a Nonimmigrant Visa and an Immigrant Visa?**

Immigrant visas and nonimmigrant visas have clearly defined differences in U.S. immigration.

In short, the United States grants an immigrant visa to people that intend to work and live permanently in the United States and issues a nonimmigrant visa to people who are temporarily visiting the U.S. for tourism, medical treatment, temporary work, school and other reasons.

## **What Does a US Visa Look Like?**

Traditional US visas can either be stamped or glued into your passport. If your visa is glued into your passport, it is usually a small document that includes your name, passport number, place of birth, reason for travel and expiration date.

## **Does Having a US Visa Guarantee Entry Into the United States?**

No, having a US Visa does not guarantee entry into the United States. 

Having a U.S. visa allows you to travel to a port of entry, airport or land border crossing, and request permission of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspector to enter the United States.

While having a visa does not guarantee entry to the United States, it does indicate a consular officer at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad has determined you are eligible to seek entry for that specific purpose. DHS/CBP inspectors, guardians of the nation’s borders, are responsible for admission of travelers to the United States, for a specified status and period of time.

## **What Happens if I Do Not Get a US Visa?**

Some reasons for being denied entry into the US include incorrect paperwork, conflicts with travel documentation, health concerns, being previously denied entry, overstaying your visa, insufficient funds to support themselves during their stay, problems with a background check, suspicion of malicious intent, having worked illegally in the US, being convicted of a crime, criminal history, or suspected or known ties to terrorism.

You may request a review of your case before a judge if you arrive in the United States through a visa and are denied entry. Be aware that if you plan to go to the US as a visitor on the visa waiver program, you may not request a judge to review your case if denied entry. 

A nonimmigrant is someone who is not a US citizen and enters the US for a limited time period for a specific reason. Nonimmigrants are those who will stay in the US temporarily and do not qualify for the waiver for the three or ten year bar.

Nonimmigrants may however qualify for a general waiver for inadmissibility. People with medical problems, a history of drug use, criminal or terrorist activities, etc. are considered inadmissible and may never be given a visa, green card, or special entry to the US unless special permission, like the waiver of inadmissibility, is granted.

The I-192 waiver is for inadmissible nonimmigrants who need to apply for advanced permission to enter the US on a temporary basis. A nonimmigrant may be considered inadmissible for various reasons, including health, financial, criminal, and security considerations.

The processing time is generally about six to twelve months.

## **How Long Can I Stay in the United States With a Visa?**

The length of time that you may legally remain in the U.S. starts when you arrive at your destination point of entry. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer who processes your entry upon your arrival in the U.S. will stamp your passport with a date. This marks the day 1 of your stay. Check your Visa Type/Class to know until when you may legally remain in the U.S.

Some visa categories allow the holder to apply for an extension of stay. The extension may or may not be granted depending upon the reason for extension. You must justify to USCIS why you need to extend your stay and that you still intend to return to your country after at the end of your specified visit. This extension of stay is normally applied within 3 months of coming to the U.S. The maximum duration of extension you can ask is 6 months.

In consideration to all the information above, take for example a B2 Visa (visiting U.S. for pleasure, tourism, visiting friends or relatives), the maximum you can stay in the U.S. is 1 year.

## **What to do When my US Visa Expires?**

If your US Visa expires, you can either return to your home country or apply for visa renewal.

You can apply for US visa renewal if you want to renew a visa you previously had, if the US Embassy did not deny a recent visa application from you, if you will renew a US visa with multiple entries, and with a validity of more than 1 year, if you still fulfill the requirements for the visa you are trying to renew, if you are applying for US visa renewal from your home country, and if your visa expired between less than 48 months ago. Sometimes visas that expired more than 48 months ago are also eligible.

When renewing your US visa, you will have to submit similar documents to your initial visa application.

## **Can I Bring my Children to the US?**

Yes, you can bring your children to the US, but in most scenarios they will have to apply for a separate Visa (for example, the spouse and unmarried minor children under age 21 who accompany an F-1 primary visa holder may receive F-2 dependent status) or apply for a visa waiver. 

## **Can I Bring my Parents to the United States?**

The IR5 parent visa allows US citizens to bring foreign-born parents to the United States as permanent residents. However, this visa will have to be granted abroad and issued at the US embassy or consulate in the foreign country where the parent resides. You must also be at least 21 to sponsor the IR-5 visa for a parent.

If you hold a different type of visa, your parents may still be eligible to come to the United States. They will either have to apply for a visa themselves or will receive a visa waiver.

## **How Do I Become a US Citizen With a US Visa?**

If you live in the U.S for a stipulated period of time without violating rules, you can apply for citizenship with a US Visa and other documents. If your application is approved, you will become a US citizen.

Citizenship through Naturalization is the process by which a foreign national voluntarily becomes a US citizen after meeting certain requirements.

As a US Immigrant Visa holder, you are generally eligible for naturalization after five years of being issued a US Immigrant Visa (green card). This is the most common way foreigners become U.S Citizens. 

## Types of US Visas FAQs

### **What Happens if I Do Not Get a US Visa?**

You may request a review of your case before a judge if you arrive in the United States through a visa and are denied entry. Be aware that if you plan to go to the US as a visitor on the visa waiver program, you may not request a judge to review your case if denied entry.

---

### **How to Apply Online for a Business or Tourism Visitor Visa to the US?**

You can apply for a Business or Tourism Visitor Visa to the US through the United States Government website. 

---

### **Which Visa is Best for USA?**

For those planning a visit to the US, the B-2 visa is the best option. This visa will also apply to those wishing to seek medical treatment in the country. For IT workers and most other professionals, the H-1B has been the visa of choice.

However, the "best" visa will be whichever visa fits your situation and will be the best for you to obtain to benefit your life and goals.

---

### **Which US Visa is Easy to Get?**

The H-1B Visa is the easiest work visa to get, if you are lucky and qualified for it. Every year, 65,000 visas are given to technically skilled foreign nationals.

However, every US Visa application process can be easy if you have the required documentation, pay attention to deadlines, and consult an immigration professional.

---

## **Why Start with My Visa Source with a Free Online Assessment?**

Congratulations on taking your first step towards obtaining your United States Visa!

**My Visa Source's **immigration lawyers dedicate themselves to your immigration case, providing legal representation tailored to your personal situation.

Our expertise focuses on immigration and visa programs for Canada and the United States, including global immigration.

Partnering with an award-winning immigration team greatly increases the likelihood of achieving your specific immigration or visa goals.

Immigration is a complex process that requires strong legal strategy, precise paperwork, and perfect attention to detail and experience dealing with immigration officials and government departments, reducing the risk of wasted time, money, or permanent rejection.

## **Begin Your Application for This US Visa Today!**

Securing personalized legal help is quick and simple. Begin with our one-minute [online assessment](https://www.myvisasource.com/free-assessment?__hstc=233546881.12286ae2e54eec745eb870c0ca0a5f66.1564598460723.1580492108401.1589306762320.6&__hssc=233546881.1.1589306762320&__hsfp=1075802672) or **call us toll-free at 1-888-509-1987.**

We have a dedicated team of licensed professionals standing by, ready to answer your immigration and visa questions. We’ve been helping people from over 120 countries for over a decade and can help you too.

Book a personal consultation to speak with an award-winning immigration lawyer either in-person, over the telephone, or through a video conference.

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## See What Our Clients Are Experiencing

**My Visa Source** made the process of my partner’s PR a breeze. We did run into an issue in the beginning as my partner initially started his PR progress with the intent of going through his work to get his PR. There were some difficulties that ended up leading us into doing his **PR through common-law sponsorship**, which ended up being a blessing in disguise as we were appointed a new Lawyer & team.

Harley Jensen was very much on top of everything from quick replies to our emails and if we ran into any difficulties she would always set up a phone call to ease us through the process. There was another lovely lawyer by the name Natasha who was also helping us through some difficulties.

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 5 out of 5 » Rating by: Emily N.

Sharing my experience with **MVS**. This firm has truly reliable and dependable professionals, no wonder it has won so many awards and accolades. After my initial spouse work permit rejection, I approached MVS and I was assured they’d handle my case sensitively. Bara was very calm and informative, he initiated my process. My wife’s permit case was assigned to Sharon and Marc. ‘Sharon’ is very knowledgeable and precise, she was always reachable and was prompt on her responses during the process. Her follow ups on every step was phenomenal. Such a gem! I blindly recommend her.

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I wish to personally meet you all one day to thank for what you’ve done. You’ve changed my life.

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 5 out of 5 » Rating by: Vinayak B.

I've had a very bad experience with an immigration lawyer at another firm in the past, and I was very scare to experience that again. I found **My Visa Source** online and decided to give them a try because of their great reviews, and I don't regret it for a second!. Amazing experience, they really treated me like a human being and were very upfront and organized with all information.

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Because we were **applying through common-in-law sponsorship**, my team was Harley and Natasha, an amazing team! We worked for about 4-5 month on the file to make sure everything needed was there. And even though they usually respond within 2-3 business days, by the last portion before submission, our emails were responded by the minute, which we really appreciate as it helped to speed up the process significantly.

Even though our contract with the firm ended with the submission of our application, they left the door open for further questions we may have about what's coming next with our application, which is a big support for us, and we really appreciate (as now we have a long road ahead before a final answer from IRCC comes).

Thanks Team! :)

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 5 out of 5 » Rating by: Kate T.

At first I was a bit wary because we had some challenges with **our spousal sponsorship case** and all correspondence was done over the phone or email, but now that my husband has been approved, I can say with confidence I would hire **My Visa ****Source** again for any immigration needs. My husband was not even asked for an interview in the end. This firm works many different nationalities and passport holders and there experience is vast.

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 5 out of 5 » Rating by: Julia C.

After previously going to another immigration service it became glaringly obvious how great this service was. Angel was able to answer all my questions and share with me some options that I had not been told of by the other lawyer. I highly recommend this service.

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 5 out of 5 » Rating by: David Andrews B.

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 5 out of 5 » Rating by: W M.

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### Overall Planned Canadian Permanent Resident Admissions

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 2025 Target Admissions:

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 Experience

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