Visas Overview

If you are a citizen of a foreign country, in most cases you will need a visa to enter 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 U.S. While having a visa does not guarantee entry to the U.S, 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 U.S., for a specified status and period of time DHS also has responsibility for immigration matters while you are present in the U.S.

There are two categories of U.S. visas: immigrant and non-immigrant.

Immigrant visas are for people who intend to live permanently in the U.S.

Non-immigrant visas are for people with permanent residence outside the U.S. but who wish to be in the U.S. on a temporary basis for tourism, medical treatment, business, temporary work or study.