Nonimmigrant visa is a category of visa that gives the holder rights to study, tour, conduct businesses, attend meetings and participate in events in the United States.
A holder of a nonimmigrant visa has temporarily stayed in the US and will have to leave the country when their visa expires. Whether you are in the United States for studies, events, sports conferences or any of these visa types, you have to depart when you are done with the activities. And overstaying when this visa has expired may attract some kind of fine or deportation.
Nonimmigrant visa categories
These are some types of visa that won’t give you access to permanent residency in the United States.
- B-2 tourist visa: this visa gives the holder access to stay in the United States for some days or months.
- B-1 temporary business visa: mostly for those who want to visit the country for contract negotiation, business meeting seminars and conferences.
- Mexican BCC: this is a border crossing permit that is given to only Mexicans who wish to cross from Mexico to the United States.
- C visa: also known as transit visa is very popular as it caters for people who wish to visit their relatives in the US. Also, if you want to stop in the US then continue to another destination then this is the right visa.
- E visa: E1 for treaty traders and E2 for treaty investor visas. There’s also E3 for Australian nationals.
- F And M: this visa applies to students who want to study in the United States.
- H-1B: perfect visa for employees with high skills there also H-1B1 for Chile Singapore nationals.
- H-2A: for Agricultural workers who are coming from some countries. Also, there’s H-2B for non-agricultural temporary workers.
There are plenty of other nonimmigrant visas that apply for different categories of travelers. Some are for journalists while others are for crime victims.
US Nonimmigrant visa validity
The visa you get determines how many days you will stay in the United States. It is always affixed on your passport, and it shows clearly when the visa will expire.
In some cases, the time you have to leave will not be fixed until you enter the country.
Can I extend my nonimmigrant visa?
The visa gives you time to leave the country and when you eventually want to extend your stay. Well, the visa can be extended if you meet the minimum requirements for it.
Frequently asked questions
Who can apply for a Nonimmigrant visa?
Anyone who has minimum visa requirements can apply for this type of visa.
Is a student visa part of a nonimmigrant visa type?
Students can apply for nonimmigrant visas since that’s the best category for them. Students have to leave the country after studies or they apply for residency permits after meeting other requirements.
How long does it take to get a nonimmigrant visa?
All the visa types have different requirements and processing time. It will take about 90 days while others will be faster.
Conclusion
Nonimmigrant visa is a type visa which the holder doesn’t have right for permanent residence. After the stay time has expired, the holder has to either leave the country or apply for a residence permit.
There are many types of nonimmigrant visas like students visa, tourist visa, visitors, transit, conference, and many others.