Types of Nonimmigrant Visas
Please click on the relevant links for more information:
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Artists and Entertainers and Their Accompanying Personnel | Click on this link to read information on who are considered professional artists and entertainers for U.S. visa purposes and what types of visas they require. (PDF - 88 kB) |
| Business, Tourism, and other Leisure Trips (B1, B2, B1/B2 visa) | Short term business or leisure trips. You cannot travel to the United States with this visa if your purpose of travel falls under other visa category. Some specific activities not listed below may also constitute business or pleasure for visa issuance purposes. Click on the link for more information or contact the Consular Section. |
| Crewmembers (D1 visa) Crewmembers in Transit to Join a Vessel (C1/D visa) |
Crewmembers working on air or sea carriers. |
|
Domestic/Personal Employees |
Personal/domestic employees of U.S. citizens residing abroad and foreign nationals present in the United States on non-immigrant visas. |
| Employees of International Organizations (G visas) | Official travel of representatives of international organizations (PDF - 76 kB). |
| J1 Exchange Visitor Program participants (J visas) | Participation in a U.S. government or private J1 exchange program (Au-pair, Summer Work Travel, Intern, Trainee, Research Scholar, and other programs). Requires DS-2019 form. |
| Media representatives (I visa) | For informational journalism (also if such activities are only incidental) by professional journalists, free lance media workers, employees of production companies, representatives of state tourism bureaus disseminating information about a foreign state, etc. |
| NATO visas | Foreign military personnel on official travel. Usually, a diplomatic note and/or military orders from the sending state required. |
| Official/Diplomatic Travel (A visas) | Travel of representatives of foreign governments for official duties. Usually, a diplomatic note is required. |
| Religious Workers (R visas) | Petition-based visas for persons engaged in a religious vocation or occupation. |
| Students (F, M visas) | Academic and/or vocational studies in the United States. |
| Temporary Employment (H, L, O, P, R visas) | Petition-based visas for working in the United States. Such visas are required regardless of the length of the employment (even if it is only one day as in cases of some performers). |
| Training / Internship (J visas) | Practical training with a U.S. company for post-secondary students and/or individuals who have a degree from a post secondary educational institution. |
| Transit Visas (C1 visa) | Traveling in transit through the United States to/from another country of destination. For individuals not in possession of B category visas or for those ineligible for travel under the Visa Waiver Program. Click on the link for information on other visas that may be used for transiting the United States. |
| Treaty Trader and Treaty Investor (E visas) | Establishing a company in the United States. |
Please note that visa applicant’s spouse and children (if any) in most cases must apply for the same visa category as the principal applicant if accompanying him/her to the United States.
Additional information about U.S. visas is available on the U.S. Department of State website at www.travel.state.gov.
Please do not hesitate to contact the Consular Section, if you have further questions.
Consult the link "Applying for or Renewing U.S. Visas" on the left for information on the non-immigrant visa application procedure in force at the embassy in Riga.
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