Visa policy of the United States


The visa policy of the United States deals with the requirements which a foreign national wishing to enter the United States must meet to obtain a visa, which is a permit to travel to, enter, and remain in the United States. Visitors to the United States must obtain a visa from one of the United States diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa-exempt countries or Visa Waiver Program countries. The same rules apply to Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands while different rules apply to Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa.
As of 17 March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, entry has been suspended for visitors who have been to Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom in 14 days prior to arrival to the United States. The restriction does not apply to permanent residents, immediate family members of US citizens and several special categories.

Overview

Entry visas

A foreign national wishing to enter the U.S., Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands must obtain a visa unless he or she satisfies one of the following conditions:
Mexican citizens may travel to the U.S. without a passport under limited circumstances if holding a Border Crossing Card and seeking to enter the U.S. for less than seventy-two hours while remaining in the "border zone".
While there are about 185 different types of visas, there are two main categories of U.S. visas:
In order to immigrate, one should either have an immigrant visa or have a dual intent visa, which is one that is compatible with making a concurrent application for permanent resident status, or having an intention to apply for permanent residence.
Entering the U.S. on an employment visa may be described as a three-step process in most cases. First, the employer files an application with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services requesting a particular type of category visa for a specific individual. If the employer's application is approved, it only authorizes the individual to apply for a visa; the approved application is not actually a visa. The individual then applies for a visa and is usually interviewed at a U.S. embassy or consulate in the native country. If the embassy or consulate grants the visa, the individual is then allowed to travel to the U.S. At the border crossing, airport, or other point of entry into the U.S., the individual speaks with an officer from U.S. Customs and Border Protection to request admission to the U.S. If approved, the individual may then enter the U.S.
Contrary to a popular misconception, a U.S. visa does not authorize the alien's entry into the United States, nor does it authorize the alien's stay in the U.S. in a particular status. A U.S. visa only serves as a preliminary permission given to the alien to travel to the United States and to seek admission to the United States at a designated port of entry. The final admission to the United States in a particular status and for a particular period of time is made at the port of entry by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer. For aliens entering the U.S. in a nonimmigrant visa status, these details are recorded by the CBP officer on the alien's Form I-94, which serves as the official document authorizing the alien's stay in the United States in a particular non-immigrant visa status and for a particular period of time. Fifty thousand additional visas are available each year under the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program.

Exit visas

are not required.
However, the U.S. government has required all foreign and U.S. nationals departing the US by air for Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or countries in the Caribbean other than the French West Indies to hold a valid passport since October 1, 2007. Even though travelers might not require a passport to enter a certain country, they will require a valid passport booklet when attempting to depart the U.S. in order to satisfy the U.S. immigration authorities. Exemptions to this requirement to hold a valid passport booklet include:

Visa exemption

General exemption

Four countries and Bermuda have visa exemption access to the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, including three that are linked with Compacts of Free Association. Citizens of these jurisdictions are generally not required to apply for visas or pre-approval registrations prior to arrival.

Canada

Citizens of Canada do not require a visa to enter the United States under most circumstances, and can work under special simplified procedure. They may use a NEXUS Card instead of a passport to enter the country from Canada, or, if arriving by land or sea, an Enhanced Drivers License.
Historically, Canadian citizens have never needed a visa to gain access to the United States.

Bermuda

Citizens of British Overseas Territories with a connection to Bermuda can enter the United States visa-free under most circumstances if their intended stay is less than six months. They can also enter visa-free in order to study in the United States.
In order to qualify, they must present a Bermudian passport with "Government of Bermuda" printed on the cover; the passport must state the holder's nationality as either "British Overseas Territory Citizen" or "British Dependent Territories Citizen"; and the passport must contain an endorsement stamp of "Holder is registered as a Bermudian", "Holder Possesses Bermudian Status", or "Holder is deemed to possess Bermudian status".

Marshall Islands

Citizens of the Republic of the Marshall Islands have not required a visa to enter, reside, study, and work indefinitely in the United States since * 21 October 1986. These benefits are granted to citizens from birth or independence, and to naturalized citizens who have resided in the Marshall Islands for at least five years, excluding those who acquired citizenship by investment. Although citizens of the Marshall Islands do not need visas at point of entry to the United States, they may still be denied admission based on general immigration disqualifications such as criminal convictions.

Micronesia

Citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia have not required a visa to enter, reside, study, and work indefinitely in the United States since 3 November 1986. These benefits are granted to citizens from birth or independence, and to naturalized citizens who have resided in the Federated States of Micronesia for at least five years, excluding those who acquired citizenship by investment. Although citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia do not need visas at point of entry to the United States, they may still be denied admission based on general immigration disqualifications such as criminal convictions.

Palau

Citizens of the Republic of Palau have not required a visa to enter, reside, study, and work indefinitely in the United States since 1 October 1994. These benefits are granted to citizens from birth or independence, and to naturalized citizens who have resided in Palau for at least five years, excluding those who acquired citizenship by investment. Although citizens of Palau do not need visas at point of entry to the United States, they may still be denied admission based on general immigration disqualifications such as criminal convictions.

Visa Waiver Program

Currently, 39 countries and territories have been selected by the US government for inclusion in the Visa Waiver Program and their citizens do not need to acquire a US visa. However, citizens of these countries are required to obtain an electronic authorization for arrivals by air and sea in order to visit the United States, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands:
;Notes:
  1. – Citizens with Taiwanese national ID number only.
  2. – Only British citizens are eligible to participate in the VWP.
Date of visa changes

  • July 1, 1988: United Kingdom
  • December 15, 1988: Japan
  • July 1, 1989: France and Switzerland
  • July 15, 1989: Germany and Sweden
  • July 29, 1989: Italy and Netherlands
  • 2July 29, 1991: Monaco
  • October 1, 1991: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, San Marino and Spain
  • July 29, 1993: Brunei
  • April 1, 1995: Ireland
  • July 29, 1996: Australia
  • September 30, 1997: Slovenia
  • August 9, 1999: Portugal and Singapore
  • November 17, 2008: Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Slovakia and South Korea
  • April 5, 2010: Greece
  • November 1, 2012: Taiwan
  • February 28, 2014: Chile
  • November 11, 2019: Poland
Cancelled:
  • Argentina was added to the program on July 8, 1996 and removed from the list from February 21, 2002.
  • Uruguay was added to the program on August 9, 1999 and removed from the list from April 15, 2003.
Visitors may stay for 90 days in the United States which also includes the time spent in Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the islands in the Caribbean if the arrival was through the United States.
The Electronic System for Travel Authorization is not a visa. Rather, obtaining a travel authorization from ESTA is a prerequisite to traveling by air or sea to the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program. ESTA authorization, once obtained, is valid for two years unless during that time the person obtains a new passport or his/her answers to any of the eligibility questions change. ESTA is not needed when entering the U.S. by land or by local ferries. On the other hand, VWP does not apply at all if a person is arriving by air or sea on an unapproved carrier. Such persons need a standard visa. As of December 2018, the ESTA is no longer approved in real-time to qualifying passengers and passengers are required to apply no later than 72 hours before departure.
The United States Department of Homeland Security extended the scope of the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act., visa waivers do not apply where a person has previously traveled to Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen on or after March 1, 2011 or for those who remain nationals of Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Sudan and Syria in addition to the nationality that would otherwise entitle them to a visa waiver. Instead, they are now required to go through the process to obtain a visa. Certain categories such as diplomats, military, journalists, humanitarian workers or legitimate businessmen may have their visa requirement waived by the Secretary of Homeland Security.

Other arrangements

Citizens of the following country can travel without obtaining a visa for the United States only under certain conditions:
British Overseas Territories citizens by virtue of their connection to one of the following territories may elect to travel with their British citizen passports with valid ESTA, or can alternatively use their BOTC passports to enter the U.S. in certain circumstances.
Although the visa policy of the U.S. also applies to the U.S. territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands in general, both territories have additional visa waiver programs for certain nationalities. The Guam–CNMI Visa Waiver Program, first enacted in October 1988 and periodically amended, permits nationals from 12 countries in Asia, Europe and Oceania to enter Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands as tourists for up to 45 days without the need of obtaining a U.S. visa or an ESTA. A parole policy also allows nationals of China visa-free access to the Northern Mariana Islands for up to 14 days.
1 - Up to 14 days, for the Northern Mariana Islands only, under a separate parole policy.
2 - Must present a valid Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card on arrival.
3 - For holders of Taiwanese passports with a National ID number. Must present a valid Taiwanese national identity card on arrival. Must travel on a nonstop flight from Taiwan.
4 - For holders of British Citizen and British National passports only. British Nationals must present a valid Hong Kong permanent identity card on arrival in order to be eligible for the waiver.
Date of visa changes

Started:
  • 1 October 1988: Australia, Brunei, Japan, Malaysia, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, South Korea, United Kingdom
  • 15 July 1993: Taiwan
  • 28 November 2009: China, Hong Kong
  • 23 May 2011: Hong Kong
Cancelled:
  • 10 January 2001: Myanmar
  • 1 June 2009: Indonesia, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu
  • 3 October 2019: Russia
Policy change:
  • 3 October 2019: China
Travelers with B-1/B-2 visa or ESTA are admitted to the territories in accordance with the terms of ESTA or visa.
Travelers utilizing the program or the parole are required to complete an I-736 form, hold a machine-readable passport and nonrefundable return ticket, and are not permitted to travel onwards to the contiguous United States. Because of special visa categories for the Northern Mariana Islands foreign workers, traveling between Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands still requires a full immigration inspection, and all visitors departing Guam or Northern Mariana Islands are inspected regardless of final destination.

American Samoa

U.S. visa policy does not apply to the territory of American Samoa, as it has its own entry requirements and maintains control of its own borders. Hence, neither a U.S. visa nor an ESTA can be used to enter American Samoa. If required, an entry permit or electronic authorization must be obtained from the Department of Legal Affairs of American Samoa.
U.S. nationals may remain indefinitely in American Samoa. To enter, they must present a U.S. passport, or apply online for an electronic authorization providing a copy of their birth certificate, identification card, itinerary and a fee of 50 USD.
Nationals of Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau and countries in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program may visit for up to 30 days without an entry permit. However, if arriving by air, they must apply online for an electronic authorization called "OK to board" or "OK board", at least 48 hours before travel, providing a biometric passport and itinerary. They must also pay a fee of 20 USD, before travel or on arrival.
Nationals of other countries need an entry permit. To apply, they must have a local sponsor, who must appear in person at the Immigration Office of the Department of Legal Affairs and provide either a deed of private land or signatures of the sponsor's sa'o and pulenu'u. Travelers must also provide a copy of their passport and itinerary, clearances from the District Court of American Samoa and Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical Center, consent for a background check by the Department of Homeland Security of American Samoa, police and health clearances from the country of origin, and a fee of 40 USD. The application for an entry permit must be made at least 30 days before travel, and the permit is valid for a stay of up to 30 days. Business travelers may apply for a multiple-entry permit, for a fee of 50 USD per month, up to one year.
Nationals of Samoa may apply for group permits for a stay of up to 7 days, or individual permits for a stay of up to 14 days or 30 days. Their application process requires fewer documents.
Transit travelers of any nationality may apply for an electronic authorization free of charge, allowing a stay of up to 24 hours.

Alaska

Residents of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug in Russia who are members of the indigenous population do not require a visa to visit Alaska if they have relatives in Alaska. Entry points are in Gambell and Nome.
Individuals must be invited by a relative in Alaska, must notify local authorities at least ten days before traveling to Alaska, and must leave Alaska within 90 days.
The agreement establishing this policy was signed by Russia and the United States on September 23, 1989. The United States made it effective as of July 17, 2015.

American Indians born in Canada

may enter and remain in the United States indefinitely "for the purpose of employment, study, retirement, investing, and/or immigration" or any other reason by virtue of the Jay Treaty of 1794, as codified in Section 289 of the Immigration and Naturalization Act.
In order to qualify, an individual must possess "at least 50 per centum blood of the American Indian Race". Tribal membership alone does not qualify an individual. The individual bears the burden of proof in establishing eligibility, typically by way of presenting identification based on reliable tribal records, birth certificates, and other documents establishing the percentage of Indian blood. A Canadian Certificate of Indian Status is insufficient proof because it does not indicate the percentage of Indian blood.
A qualifying American Indian's spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 do not have the same rights unless they qualify in their own right. Because a qualifying American Indian residing in the United States is considered to be lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States, a qualifying American Indian residing in the United States may file a petition for a derivative for a spouse and dependent children, subject to statutory numerical limitations and a seven-year backlog of applications.

Summary of visa exemptions

Visa or entry refused to nationals of certain countries

Visa and entry refused

Currently there are several restrictions in place regarding visa issuance as per Executive Order 13780, titled Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States. It was initially adopted on March 6, 2017, and revised by Presidential Proclamation 9645 on September 24, 2017 and Presidential Proclamation 9723 on April 10, 2018 and Presidential Proclamation on January 31, 2020. However court rulings prohibited some of its key provisions from being enforced. The Supreme Court of the United States upheld the most recent version of the travel ban on June 26, 2018. It superseded the previous Executive Order 13769.
CitationCountryRestrictionsStatus
2
  • Entry of Chadian nationals, immigrant or non-immigrant, on:
  • * B-1 visas
  • * B-2 visas
  • * B-1/B-2 visas
  • Entry of all Iranian nationals is suspended.
2
  • Entry of Libyan nationals, immigrant or non-immigrant, on:
  • * B-1 visas
  • * B-2 visas
  • * B-1/B-2 visas is suspended
    • 2
  • Entry of all North Korean nationals is suspended
    • 2
  • Entry of all Syrian nationals, immigrant or non-immigrant, is suspended
    • 2
  • Entry of officials of these Venezuelan government departments:
  • * Ministry of Interior, Justice and Peace
  • * Administrative Service of Identification, Migration, and Immigration
  • * Scientific, Penal, and Criminal Investigation Service Corps
  • * National Intelligence Service
  • * Ministry of the Popular Power for Foreign Relations
    • and their immediate family members as non-immigrants on:
    • * B-1 visas
    • * B-2 visas
    • * B-1/B-2 visas is suspended
    2
  • Entry of Yemeni nationals, immigrant and non-immigrant, on:
  • * B-1 visas
  • * B-2 visas
  • * B-1/B-2 visas is suspended
    • 2
  • Entry of all Somali nationals as immigrants is suspended
  • Decisions about entry and visa adjudications for Somali nationals as non-immigrants will be further scrutinized to see if the person is connected to terrorist groups
  • Entry of all Myanmar nationals as immigrants is suspended
  • Does not apply to Special Immigrants whose eligibility is based on having provided assistance to the United States Government.
  • Entry of all Eritrean nationals as immigrants is suspended
  • Does not apply to Special Immigrants whose eligibility is based on having provided assistance to the United States Government.
  • Entry of all Kyrgyzstani nationals as immigrants is suspended
  • Does not apply to Special Immigrants whose eligibility is based on having provided assistance to the United States Government.
  • Entry of Nigerian nationals as immigrants is suspended
  • Does not apply to Special Immigrants whose eligibility is based on having provided assistance to the United States Government.
  • Entry of Sudanese nationals as Diversity Immigrants is suspended
  • Entry of all Tanzanian nationals as Diversity Immigrants is suspended
    • The order does not apply to international travelers from the named countries who are:
    CitationIndividual Exceptions listed in Executive Order 13780
    3Any foreign national who is inside the United States on the effective date of this order.
    3Any foreign national who had a valid visa at 5:00 p.m., eastern standard time on January 27, 2017.
    3Any foreign national who had a valid visa on the effective date of this order.
    3Any lawful permanent resident of the United States.
    3Any foreign national who is admitted to or paroled into the United States on or after the effective date of this order.
    3Any foreign national who has a document other than a visa, valid on the effective date of this order or issued on any date thereafter, that permits him or her to travel to the United States and seek entry or admission, such as an advance parole document.
    3Any dual national of a country designated under section 2 of this order when the individual is traveling on a passport issued by a non-designated country.
    3Any foreign national traveling on a diplomatic or diplomatic-type visa, North Atlantic Treaty Organization visa, C-2 visa for travel to the United Nations, or G-1, G-2, G-3, or G-4 visa.
    3Any foreign national who has been granted asylum.
    3Any refugee who has already been admitted to the United States.
    3Any individual who has been granted withholding of removal, advance parole, or protection under the Convention Against Torture.

    The order allows exceptions to the entry ban to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis for the DHS and the Department of State to issue waivers or approval of a visa for travelers from the countries of concern stated in the order. The order allows case-by-case waivers if:
    CitationCase-by-Case Exceptions listed in Executive Order 13780
    3The foreign national has previously been admitted to the United States for a continuous period of work, study, or other long-term activity, is outside the United States on the effective date of this order, seeks to reenter the United States to resume that activity, and the denial of reentry during the suspension period would impair that activity.
    3The foreign national has previously established significant contacts with the United States but is outside the United States on the effective date of this order for work, study, or other lawful activity.
    3The foreign national seeks to enter the United States for significant business or professional obligations and the denial of entry during the suspension period would impair those obligations.
    3The foreign national seeks to enter the United States to visit or reside with a close family member who is a United States citizen, lawful permanent resident, or alien lawfully admitted on a valid nonimmigrant visa, and the denial of entry during the suspension period would cause undue hardship.
    3The foreign national is an infant, a young child or adoptee, an individual needing urgent medical care, or someone whose entry is otherwise justified by the special circumstances of the case.
    3The foreign national has been employed by, or on behalf of, the United States Government and the employee can document that he or she has provided faithful and valuable service to the United States Government.
    3The foreign national is traveling for purposes related to an international organization designated under the International Organizations Immunities Act,, traveling for purposes of conducting meetings or business with the United States Government, or traveling to conduct business on behalf of an international organization not designated under the IOIA.
    3The foreign national is a landed immigrant of Canada who applies for a visa at a location within Canada.
    3The foreign national is traveling as a United States Government-sponsored exchange visitor.

    Visa issuance restricted

    Effective September 13, 2017, the Department of Homeland Security announced that the State Department would stop issuing certain visas at its consular offices in the following countries due to the lack of cooperation on removal matters:
    Effective July 9, 2018, similar sanctions were introduced for the following categories:
    Effective January 24, 2020, B visas will not be issued to individuals who intend to visit the United States for the purpose of giving birth. It is permissible for a B-visa applicant to intend to visit the United States in order to obtain other medical treatment as long as the applicant demonstrates their arrangements for medical treatment and sufficiently establishes their ability to pay for the medical treatment.

    Lifted restrictions

    Effective January 31, 2019 similar sanctions were introduced regarding issuance of all non-immigrant visas to domestic employees of Ghanaian diplomats posted in the United States and the validity period and number of entries on new tourist and business visas for all Ghanaian executive and legislative branch employees, their spouses, and their children under 21 to one-month, single-entry visas. These restrictions ended on January 17, 2020.

    Outlying islands

    Visits to the United States Minor Outlying Islands – Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll, Palmyra Atoll, Wake Island and Navassa Island – are severely restricted. Most of the islands are closed off, and prospective visitors require special permits, usually from the US Army.

    Qualification process

    Applicants for visitor visas must show that they qualify under provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The presumption in the law is that every nonimmigrant visa applicant is an intending immigrant unless otherwise proven. Therefore, applicants for most nonimmigrant visas must overcome this presumption by demonstrating that:
    All visit, business, transit, student, and exchange visitor visa applicants must pay a US$160 application fee to a US Consulate in order to be interviewed by a Consular Officer who will determine if the applicant is qualified to receive a visa to travel to the U.S. The application fee is increased to $190 for most work visas and can be even higher for certain categories. If the applicant is rejected, the application fee is not refunded. Amongst the items included in the qualification decision are financial independence, adequate employment, material assets and a lack of a criminal record in the applicant's native country.

    Visitor visa statistics

    In fiscal 2017 most B-1,2 visas were issued to the nationals of the following countries :
    In fiscal 2014 the most common reasons to refuse a visa were cited as "failure to establish entitlement to nonimmigrant status", "incompatible application", "unlawful presence", "misrepresentation", "criminal convictions", "smugglers" and "controlled substance violators". Smaller number of applications were rejected for "physical or mental disorder", "prostitution", "espionage", "terrorist activities", "falsely claiming citizenship" and other grounds for refusal including "presidential proclamation", "money laundering", "communicable disease" and "commission of acts of torture or extrajudicial killings".

    Admission statistics

    The highest number of non-immigrant admissions for tourists and for business purposes into the United States in fiscal year 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 was from the following countries :
    CountryFY 2017FY2016FY2015FY 2014
    18,101,904 18,420,891 19,175,345 18,889,281
    11,616,347 11,366,670 11,671,122 11,289,743
    4,786,421 4,930,593 4,691,874 4,549,934
    3,697,844 3,717,029 3,750,667 3,933,941
    2,630,300 2,587,968 2,309,654 2,001,302
    2,324,707 2,001,417 1,742,422 1,576,328
    2,228,358 2,190,832 2,208,145 2,283,086
    2,011,385 1,866,261 2,383,822 2,275,588
    1,923,414 1,897,398 1,915,725 1,966,335
    1,463,908 1,423,898 1,399,615 1,389,358
    1,282,989 1,262,691 1,229,115 1,282,485
    1,264,598 1,206,225 1,175,153 1,111,738
    1,085,461 943,224 765,576 730,089
    1,037,798 1,012,133 953,969 955,737
    926,855 885,763 928,424 924,916
    796,945 766,691 749,826 766,936
    Total 70,056,257 69,128,433 69,025,896 67,519,113

    Classes of visas

    Nonimmigrant visas

    A visa

    A visas are issued to representatives of a foreign government traveling to the United States to engage in official activities for that government. A visas are granted to foreign government ambassadors, ministers, diplomats, as well as other foreign government officials or employees traveling on official business. Certain foreign officials require an A visa regardless of the purpose of their trip. The A visa is also granted to immediate family members of such foreign government officials, defined as "the principal applicant's spouse and unmarried sons and daughters of any age who are not members of some other household and who will reside regularly in the household of the principal alien" and which "may also include close relatives of the principal alien or spouse who are related by blood, marriage, or adoption who are not members of some other household; who will reside regularly in the household of the principal alien; and who are recognized as dependents by the sending government.

    B-1 and B-2

    The most common non-immigrant visa is the multiple-purpose B-1/B-2 visa, also known as the "visa for temporary visitors for business or pleasure." Visa applicants sometimes receive either a B-1 or a B-2 visa, if their reason for travel is specific enough that the consular officer does not feel they qualify for combined B-1/B-2 status. Holders may also attend short non-credit courses. Mexican citizens are eligible for Border Crossing Cards.
    From November 29, 2016, all holders of Chinese passports who also hold 10-year B visas are required to enroll in the Electronic Visa Update System before traveling to the United States. This requirement may be extended to other nationalities in the future.
    Validity period
    Adjusted visa refusal rate
    The Adjusted Refusal Rate is based on the refusal rate of B visa applications. B visas are adjudicated based on applicant interviews; the interviews generally last between 60 and 90 seconds. Due to time constraints, adjudicators profile applicants. Certain demographics, such as young adults who are single and unemployed, almost never receive visas. Adjudicators are evaluated on how fast they carry out interviews, not the quality of adjudication decisions. The validity of B visa decisions is not evaluated.
    To qualify for the Visa Waiver Program, a country must have had a nonimmigrant visa refusal rate of less than 3% for the previous year or an average of no more than 2% over the past two fiscal years with neither year going above 2.5%. In addition, the country must provide visa-free access to United States citizens and has to be either an independent country or a dependency of a VWP country.
    The Adjusted Visa Refusal Rates for B visas were as follows:
    Country/RegionFiscal Year 2008Fiscal Year 2014Fiscal Year 2015Fiscal Year 2016Fiscal Year 2017Fiscal Year 2018Fiscal Year 2019
    51.00%46.70%61.03%73.80%72.14%71.39%68.42%
    38.70%39.80%36.82%35.95%40.45%41.92%41.45%
    20.30%23.10%25.92%36.00%43.96%39.26%44.22%
    17.10%21.40%26.77%48.52%36.01%51.76%58.26%
    21.70%20.80%20.17%22.11%20.50%19.07%15.25%
    3.10%1.40%2.14%2.14%1.79%1.73%2.07%
    53.30%43.80%47.17%45.88%51.87%53.83%51.65%
    14.00%13.50%12.93%14.83%27.63%28.45%25.43%
    6.60%4.70%3.81%6.26%9.53%6.96%13.55%
    48.20%50.80%59.96%62.82%60.88%40.05%39.78%
    10.10%9.80%9.54%11.24%8.72%7.07%6.76%
    21.10%14.00%12.53%14.87%21.69%23.26%21.93%
    25.40%16.40%30.47%35.21%30.91%34.55%28.63%
    39.10%31.40%35.74%38.01%42.10%47.74%48.48%
    48.30%43.60%54.55%69.78%52.43%59.63%57.13%
    23.60%13.60%13.56%14.36%18.08%22.19%24.17%
    21.30%16.10%20.38%19.70%16.37%23.50%25.27%
    15.60%16.90%16.67%18.97%17.94%18.67%17.54%
    5.50%3.20%5.36%16.70%12.34%12.73%18.48%
    13.30%15.20%17.26%16.86%14.97%11.32%9.75%
    44.40%37.40%50.37%65.35%75.74%71.16%62.32%
    58.80%50.00%58.35%61.33%75.55%74.39%73.16%
    44.30%39.90%48.41%35.62%41.05%54.22%33.65%
    46.70%28.20%29.89%36.84%47.29%32.63%57.97%
    42.70%28.70%36.05%45.89%50.70%52.27%52.66%
    39.60%46.60%32.43%35.12%44.24%36.03%37.45%
    41.40%32.40%33.87%42.53%51.65%60.80%70.16%
    18.20%9.00%10.03%12.35%14.57%17.00%18.22%
    25.60%12.30%15.52%17.79%21.93%35.11%41.93%
    14.00%17.00%54.44%53.73%48.45%69.46%53.02%
    33.20%35.40%40.77%46.55%48.47%52.23%60.49%
    21.20%11.40%9.83%8.39%6.49%9.91%18.66%
    5.10%6.10%5.29%6.78%5.10%5.92%4.02%
    45.20%66.20%76.03%81.85%77.17%50.97%53.40%
    1.70%3.50%3.53%2.03%1.69%2.38%2.78%
    36.20%39.10%45.62%45.63%49.94%50.56%53.80%
    42.50%50.10%52.00%47.09%74.80%82.96%85.35%
    29.50%29.00%33.33%31.63%28.74%37.13%26.83%
    45.60%35.90%33.78%31.88%35.78%49.54%53.21%
    16.70%25.00%12.68%26.67%7.02%8.16%4.23%
    40.00%20.80%31.34%29.18%27.95%31.38%34.05%
    35.30%34.00%33.57%28.61%34.24%32.15%31.83%
    45.70%36.30%45.72%57.12%52.97%51.49%58.18%
    11.10%17.80%19.30%17.75%18.21%21.29%27.79%
    51.10%41.70%55.67%50.49%71.69%69.54%65.39%
    13.00%10.00%12.95%8.03%12.59%8.49%5.73%
    46.70%44.90%48.32%38.13%50.30%41.74%45.46%
    38.00%14.00%14.92%20.23%26.59%41.74%38.96%
    23.00%13.50%15.74%21.29%26.10%40.00%45.41%
    55.70%69.30%75.64%69.87%70.27%64.22%72.30%
    46.60%48.20%50.58%62.82%61.09%62.35%63.85%
    50.10%59.80%63.28%65.70%56.18%49.35%55.60%
    29.90%29.50%32.00%35.71%26.94%26.44%19.49%
    33.80%35.90%45.37%48.68%47.14%53.62%58.64%
    63.80%47.80%59.81%63.53%64.59%66.16%73.29%
    63.40%56.50%65.18%71.88%71.61%76.09%65.33%
    56.60%40.20%37.28%25.76%37.92%70.62%62.96%
    54.40%58.20%60.45%64.52%71.44%67.59%60.81%
    33.60%36.80%39.73%42.76%40.35%60.32%61.71%
    3.30%3.10%4.36%4.61%3.45%4.25%3.23%
    24.70%19.80%23.78%26.02%23.29%26.07%27.75%
    37.00%8.30%8.71%11.19%10.99%12.81%12.46%
    42.50%41.80%38.55%45.02%58.66%87.66%86.58%
    46.30%41.40%52.82%51.71%60.71%56.95%49.94%
    3.00%8.20%3.85%4.09%4.88%5.10%5.33%
    40.90%29.80%28.59%37.38%33.72%33.81%35.73%
    35.50%32.30%37.62%35.64%46.78%54.46%56.59%
    43.20%26.90%37.59%40.34%40.06%42.62%45.26%
    11.70%9.90%12.70%27.55%32.81%39.38%42.58%
    35.60%27.30%27.34%26.60%33.17%41.59%49.86%
    26.20%15.40%16.05%5.81%5.13%25.33%11.69%
    47.90%38.10%44.03%41.48%37.92%35.97%36.76%
    6.50%5.70%5.73%4.56%8.32%2.71%3.27%
    32.10%43.20%55.75%51.68%55.58%58.9%67.75%
    73.40%61.10%66.68%62.37%63.66%64.06%65.60%
    27.90%16.10%27.10%25.41%31.75%25.22%23.85%
    32.10%16.70%13.95%21.20%35.97%21.94%28.24%
    70.70%49.40%62.45%70.23%64.98%64.36%73.93%
    27.10%33.90%43.02%40.58%45.50%73.73%89.05%
    11.90%11.60%11.01%12.12%11.00%11.77%7.69%
    28.90%12.30%10.23%14.52%26.49%28.20%37.05%
    5.60%4.60%3.34%3.65%3.93%4.94%4.91%
    4.70%6.70%15.49%47.56%27.74%9.88%33.65%
    48.10%54.00%52.77%57.58%59.43%50.60%55.89%
    51.00%52.20%61.45%71.45%67.30%61.58%67.79%
    11.60%2.20%5.71%5.53%8.29%6.49%6.59%
    11.40%15.60%20.17%23.49%22.50%24.93%26.66%
    36.70%40.10%41.83%36.35%49.12%61.10%58.03%
    53.60%27.90%34.76%43.63%53.62%56.51%54.60%
    25.60%28.00%31.26%28.69%26.41%35.35%39.10%
    24.00%21.90%20.60%26.77%36.99%42.88%28.48%
    13.80%4.00%4.03%10.29%26.18%10.22%14.24%
    41.90%15.50%16.32%13.02%17.88%23.12%30.91%
    6.80%7.60%7.43%5.56%6.31%8.40%6.60%
    66.70%42.90%5.26%13.33%20.97%21.43%20.83%
    51.20%38.20%42.19%49.54%46.42%51.53%50.70%
    41.80%35.80%41.19%44.54%43.28%46.75%63.52%
    55.70%36.40%31.10%31.14%30.65%43.33%42.76%
    36.00%33.20%32.56%41.44%44.95%57.47%67.20%
    Non-nationality based issuances28.92%35.61%40.27%43.16%
    16.30%55.60%47.67%15.00%54.55%100.00%100%
    33.50%29.80%36.08%33.84%28.69%31.29%36.19%
    2.20%2.10%2.00%1.93%3.46%4.87%5.13%
    46.30%38.00%40.40%46.43%49.40%47.89%48.26%
    55.60%36.70%42.68%40.64%50.98%53.87%52.92%
    19.20%10.00%11.36%12.05%11.61%11.71%18.93%
    3.40%7.40%5.14%10.56%9.34%6.84%1.74%
    14.40%6.10%6.15%7.47%6.83%8.02%12.41%
    37.70%13.80%14.46%28.61%25.97%28.53%25.39%
    31.00%24.60%27.96%27.29%25.54%27.07%24.40%
    4.90%2.10%2.97%3.50%7.48%8.34%10.33%
    25.00%9.80%11.16%11.43%11.76%10.44%9.11%
    7.50%7.80%10.24%9.29%11.61%14.89%15.19%
    50.30%51.10%49.17%43.79%52.17%44.51%53.76%
    25.00%27.50%26.60%28.31%26.66%24.98%21.87%
    26.60%27.60%26.90%27.16%22.34%21.90%16.75%
    26.40%24.10%27.15%27.46%20.38%19.17%14.55%
    32.40%27.20%29.99%28.44%40.32%26.26%27.02%
    28.60%10.70%5.71%24.14%14.81%26.09%34.78%
    6.60%3.30%3.24%4.04%5.26%7.47%6.82%
    55.20%57.50%54.37%52.46%56.85%59.18%55.88%
    11.70%16.00%16.54%18.77%22.33%25.93%30.33%
    18.00%6.80%7.26%9.66%13.14%11.64%10.60%
    50.10%51.90%53.02%61.25%47.30%60.56%57.99%
    6.50%5.40%7.26%4.28%16.79%3.57%2.20%
    54.00%52.00%64.60%63.89%75.50%90.16%80.77%
    4.60%2.60%5.08%6.83%6.44%7.31%6.92%
    43.80%41.77%43.89%47.52%41.29%52.32%
    31.40%19.50%22.07%21.69%26.19%33.61%35.12%
    38.60%42.40%40.45%36.59%51.37%59.83%57.44%
    9.60%13.60%7.78%10.86%11.44%8.57%7.44%
    33.10%60.00%63.43%59.77%59.11%77.31%74.83%
    32.40%49.00%44.44%55.24%51.84%53.39%60.97%
    26.20%21.30%12.02%23.05%18.36%19.87%23.90%
    19.80%10.20%12.35%17.82%20.15%22.17%23.41%
    51.70%35.60%43.42%54.39%59.88%59.61%59.78%
    48.70%25.40%28.09%31.58%32.85%51.33%45.85%
    23.80%21.20%25.16%22.70%22.46%19.28%13.05%
    23.90%17.50%19.69%15.92%19.53%27.67%24.17%
    11.20%7.10%13.88%13.62%17.86%17.49%19.19%
    45.40%18.60%25.41%32.95%40.60%52.93%56.26%
    17.60%27.30%21.05%20.00%15.38%34.78%25.81%
    34.40%37.20%30.63%41.53%42.38%42.29%51.65%
    30.90%27.70%34.03%40.83%34.54%40.97%45.06%
    10.40%4.80%7.10%4.02%5.80%3.75%5.56%
    9.50%1.80%2.70%3.14%3.19%4.11%5.91%
    61.10%52.10%49.59%57.09%50.29%61.76%68.06%
    16.70%20.00%10.53%16.67%13.51%38.30%41.05%
    16.70%7.70%25.00%0.00%36.36%0.00%8.33%
    25.40%15.20%15.57%40.25%42.87%74.28%59.53%
    38.80%14.30%23.43%29.49%24.06%26.20%23.70%
    100.00%0.00%0.00%
    54.70%44.20%54.01%48.85%60.76%82.50%78.45%
    53.30%22.20%20.98%22.26%21.72%22.45%40.64%
    30.30%13.20%21.03%22.88%26.32%26.60%26.92%
    Overstay rate
    A number of visitors overstay the maximum period of allowed stay on their B-1/B-2 status after entered the U.S. on their B-1/B-2 visas. The Department of Homeland Security publishes annual reports that list the number of violations by passengers who arrive via air and sea. The table below excludes statistics on persons who left the United States later than their allowed stay or legalized their status and shows only suspected overstays who remained in the country.
    The top 20 nationalities by the number of suspected in-country B-1/B-2 overstays in 2016 and 2017 were:
    The top 10 nationalities by in-country B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate are:

    Use for other countries

    US tourist visas that are valid for further travel are accepted as substitute visas for national visas in the following territories:
    The C-1 visa is a transit visa issued to individuals who are traveling in "immediate and continuous transit through the United States en-route to another country". The only reason to enter the United States must be for transit purposes. A subtype C-2 visa is issued to diplomats transiting to and from the Headquarters of the United Nations and is limited to the vicinity of New York City. A subtype C-3 visa is issued to diplomats and their dependents transiting to and from their posted country.

    D visa

    is issued to crew members of sea-vessels and international airlines in the United States. This includes commercial airline pilots and flight attendants, captain, engineer, or deckhand of a sea vessel, service staff on a cruise ship and trainees on board a training vessel. Usually a combination of a C-1 visa and D visa is required.

    E visa

    Treaty Trader and Treaty Investor visas are issued to citizens of countries that have signed treaties of commerce and navigation with the United States. They are issued to individuals working in businesses engaged in substantial international trade or to investors who have made a 'substantial investment' in a business in the United States. The variant visa issued only to citizens of Australia is the E-3 visa.

    F visa

    These visas are issued for foreign students enrolled at accredited US institutions. F-1 visas are for full-time students, F2 visas are for spouses and children of F-1 visa holders and F-3 visas are for "border commuters" who reside in their country of origin while attending school in the United States. They are managed through SEVIS.

    G visa

    G visas are issued to diplomats, government officials, and employees who will work for international organizations in the United States. The international organization must be officially designated as such. The G-1 visa is issued to permanent mission members; the G-2 visa is issued to representatives of a recognized government traveling temporarily to attend meetings of a designated international organization; the G-3 visa is issued to persons who represent a non-recognized government; the G-4 visa is for those who are taking up an appointment; and the G-5 visa is issued to personal employees or domestic workers of G1–G4 visa holders. G1–G4 visas are also issued to immediate family members of the principal visa holder, if they meet certain criteria.

    NATO visa

    Officials who work for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization require a NATO visa. The NATO-1 visa is issued to permanent representatives of NATO and their staff members, NATO-2 visa is issued to a representative of member state to NATO or its subsidiary bodies, advisor or technical expert of the NATO delegation visiting the United States, a member of the NATO military forces component or a staff member of the NATO representative, NATO-3 visa is issued to official clerical staff accompanying the representative of a NATO member state, NATO-4 visa is issued to foreign national recognized as a NATO official, NATO-5 visa is issued to a foreign national recognized as a NATO expert and NATO-6 visa is issued to a member of the civilian component of the NATO. All NATO visas are issued to immediate family members as well. NATO-7 visas are issued to personal employees or domestic workers of a NATO-1 – NATO-6 visa holders.

    H visa

    H visas are issued to temporary workers in the United States.
    ;Specialty occupations, DOD Cooperative Research and Development Project Workers, and fashion models
    The discontinued H-1A and H-1C visas existed during periods when the US experienced a shortage of nurses from 1989. The H-1A classification was created by the Nursing Relief Act of 1989 and ended in 1995. The H-1C visa was created by the Nursing Relief for Disadvantaged Area Act of 1999 and expired in 2005. Currently nurses must apply for H-1B visas.
    The H-1B classification is for professional-level jobs that require a minimum of a bachelor's degree in a specific academic field. In addition, the employee must have the degree or the equivalence of such a degree through education and experience. There is a required wage, which is at least equal to the wage paid by the employer to similarly qualified workers or a prevailing wage for such positions in the geographic regions where the jobs are located. This visa also covers fashion models of distinguished merit and ability. The H-1B1 visa is the variant issued to citizens of Singapore and Chile.
    ;Temporary agricultural workers
    The H-2A visa allows a foreign national entry into the US for temporary or seasonal agricultural work for eligible employers under certain conditions.
    ;Temporary nonagricultural workers
    The H-2B visa allows a foreign national entry into the US for temporary or seasonal non-agricultural work for eligible employers under certain conditions.
    ;Nonimmigrant trainee or special education exchange Visitor
    The H-3 visa is available to those foreign nationals looking to "receive training in any field of endeavor, other than graduate medical education or training, that is not available in the foreign national's home country" or " 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".
    ;Family members
    H-4 visa is issued to immediate family members of H visa holders. In some cases, they are eligible for employment.

    I visa

    The I-1 visa is issued to representatives of the foreign media, including members of the press, radio, film, and print industries travelling to temporarily work in the United States in the profession.

    J visa

    The J-1 visa is issued to participants of work-and study-based exchange visitor programs. The Exchange Visitor Program is carried out under the provisions of the Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961, officially known as the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961. The purpose of the act is to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural exchanges. The Exchange Visitor Program is administered by the Office of Exchange Coordination and Designation in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. In carrying out the responsibilities of the Exchange Visitor Program, the Department designates public and private entities to act as exchange sponsors. Spouses and dependents of J-1 exchange visitors are issued a J-2 visa.
    Exchange visa categories are:
    Exchange Visitor Pilot Programs exist for citizens of Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and South Korea.

    K visa

    A K-1 visa is a visa issued to the fiancé or fiancée of a United States citizen to enter the United States. A K-1 visa requires a foreigner to marry his or her U.S. citizen petitioner within 90 days of entry, or depart the United States. Once the couple marries, the foreign citizen can adjust status to become a lawful permanent resident of the United States. A K-2 visa is issued to unmarried children under the age of 21. Foreign same-sex partners of United States citizens are currently recognized by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and accordingly can be sponsored for K-1 visas and for permanent resident status.
    K-3/K-4 visas are issued to foreign spouses and children of US citizens.

    L visa

    The L-1 classification is for international transferees who have worked for a related organization abroad for at least one continuous year in the past three years and who will be coming to the United States to work in an executive or managerial or specialized knowledge capacity. The L-2 visa is issued to dependent spouse and unmarried children under 21 years of age of qualified L-1 visa holders.

    M visa

    The M-1 visa is a type of student visa reserved for vocational and technical schools. Students in M-1 status may not work on or off campus while studying, and they may not change their status to F-1. The M-2 visa permits the spouse and minor children of an M-1 vocational student to accompany him or her to the United States.

    O visa

    The O visa is a classification of non-immigrant temporary worker visa granted to an alien "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," and to certain assistants and immediate family members of such aliens.

    P visa

    P visas are issued to individuals or team athletes, or member of an entertainment group including persons providing essential support services, artists or entertainers under a reciprocal exchange program and artists or entertainers visiting to perform, teach or coach under a program that is culturally unique. P-4 visas are issued to spouses, or children under the age of 21, of a P-1, P-2, or P-3 alien and who is accompanying, or following to join.

    Q visa

    The Q visa is issued to participants in an international cultural exchange program.

    R visa

    The R-1 visa is issued to temporary religious workers. They must have been a member of a religious denomination having a bona fide non-profit religious organization in the United States for at least 2 years. R-2 visa is issued to dependent family members.

    S visa

    s are nonimmigrant visas issued to individuals who have assisted law enforcement as a witness or informant. There is a limit of 200 S visas a year. A law enforcement agency can then submit an application for resident alien status, i.e. a green card on behalf of the witness or informant once the individual has completed the terms and conditions of his or her S visa.

    TN visa

    Professional visa allows citizens of Canada and Mexico whose profession is on the NAFTA list and who must hold a bachelor's degree to work in the United States on a prearranged job. Canadian citizens usually do not require a visa to work under the TN status while Mexican citizens require a TN visa. Spouse and dependent children of a TN professional can be admitted into the United States in the TD status.

    U and T visas

    The U-1 visa is a nonimmigrant visa which is set aside for victims of crimes who have suffered substantial mental or physical abuse and are willing to assist law enforcement and government officials in the investigation or prosecution of the criminal activity. Subtypes of this visa are U-2 issued to spouses of U-1, U-3 issued to children of U-1, U-4 issued to parents of U-1 under the age of 21 and U-5 issued to unmarried siblings under the age of 18 of U-1 who is under 21.
    The T-1 visa is issued to victims of severe forms of human trafficking. Holders may adjust their status to permanent resident status. Subtypes of this visa are T-2, T-3, T-4, and T-5.

    V visa

    The V visa is a temporary visa available to spouses and minor children of U.S. lawful permanent residents. It allows permanent residents to achieve family unity with their spouses and children while the immigration process takes its course. It was created by the Legal Immigration Family Equity Act of 2000. The Act is to relieve those who applied for immigrant visas on or before December 21, 2000. Practically, the V visa is currently not available to spouses and minor children of LPRs who have applied after December 21, 2000.

    List of US visa types

    All US visa types and subtypes are listed below:

    Immigrant visas

    The Trump administration issued new rules on August 12, 2019, that will reject applicants for temporary or permanent visas for failing to meet income standards or for receiving public assistance such as welfare, food stamps, public housing or Medicaid. Critics fear the new law, which is set to go into effect in October, could negatively impact the lives of children who are U.S. citizens.

    Nonimmigrant visas

    Dual-intent visas

    The concept of the dual intent visa is to grant legal status to certain types of visa applicants when they are in the process of applying for a visa with the intent to obtain a permanent residency/green card. There are a certain number of U.S. visa categories that grant permission for dual intent, or to get a temporary visa status while having an intention to get a green card and stay permanently in the United States of America.
    Most visas are named after the paragraph of the Code of Federal Regulations that established the visa.

    Visa denial

    Section 221 of the Immigration and Nationality Act defined several classes of aliens ineligible to receive visas.
    Grounds for denial may include, but are not limited to:
    Section 214 of the Immigration and Nationality Act states that most aliens must be presumed to be intending to remain in the U.S., until and unless they are able to show that they are entitled to non-immigrant status. This means there are two sides to a 214 denial. Either
    1. The applicant did not convince the consular officer that he / she did not intend to stay in the U.S. permanently, or
    2. The applicant did not convince the consular officer that he / she was qualified for the visa for which he / she had applied.
    An example of a denial based upon the first ground would be an applicant for an F-1 student visa who the consular officer felt was secretly intending to remain in the U.S. permanently.
    An example of a denial based upon the second ground would be an H-1B applicant who couldn't prove he possessed the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree in a specialty field—such an equivalency being a requirement for obtaining an H-1B visa.
    In order to thereafter obtain a visa applicants are recommended to objectively evaluate their situation, see in what way they fell short of the visa requirements, and then reapply.
    In 2005, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was denied a diplomatic visa to the United States. The B-1/B-2 visa that had previously been granted to him was also revoked, under a section of the Immigration and Nationality Act which makes any foreign government official who was responsible or "directly carried out, at any time, particularly severe violations of religious freedom" ineligible for the visa. Modi is the only person ever denied a visa to the U.S. under this provision. In 2014, after Modi's BJP political party won the 2014 Indian general election, U.S. President Barack Obama ended the visa issue by calling Modi to congratulate him on his victory, and invited him to the White House. On June 8, 2016 Modi addressed a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress.

    Exceptions

    There are cases when a U.S. visa has been granted to aliens who were technically ineligible. Japanese mafia leader Tadamasa Goto and three others were issued visas for travel between 2000 and 2004 to undergo liver transplant surgery at UCLA Medical Center. The FBI had aided the men in the visa application process hoping that they would provide information regarding yakuza activities in the U.S.