Temporary Visas

Q. International Cultural Exchange

This category was created to allow employer’s like Disney to bring foreigners to the U.S. for temporary periods to work in places such as Epcot in Florida. This visa category applies to aliens coming to the U.S. for no more than fifteen months to participate in an international cultural exchange program. To qualify, the prospective employer must have been conducting business in the U.S. for at least two years, have at least five full-time U.S. workers, and offer working conditions and wages that are the same as those given to local workers.

The “Q” applicant must be at least eighteen years old and be able to communicate about their home country. Application is made on Form I-129.

R. Religious Workers

This category was created for religious workers coming to the U.S. to perform temporary services. The alien must have been a member of a religious organization for at least the immediately preceding two years. Three groups of religious workers can qualify: ministers of religion, professional workers in religious vocations and occupations, and other religious workers who are employed by a religious nonprofit organization, or a related tax exempt entity, under IRS definition. Religious workers can be admitted to the U.S. for an initial period of three years. Total stay is limited to five years. Aliens can apply directly at the American Consulate for the R-1 visa. They must present:

1. Proof that the sponsoring organization is non-profit
2. A letter from the sponsoring organization including the salary for the position; the required two years of membership in the denomination; qualifications as a minister, religious professional, or as an alien in a religious vocation; the affiliation between the religious organization in the U.S. and abroad, and the location where the alien would be working.

The spouse and minor children of religious workers are eligible for R-2 classification, which does not allow for employment.

S. Alien Informants

This classification was created for aliens who assist law enforcement agencies in supplying critical information about criminal enterprises and terrorism. It is not covered in this book.

T. NAFTA Professionals

This category is covered in Chapter 5.

NONIMMIGRANT VISA REFERENCE CHART

• A-1, A-2, A-3 Ambassadors, public ministers, diplomats or consular officers assigned to represent their country in the U.S., their immediate families and servants
• B-1 Temporary business visitors
• B-2 Temporary visitors for pleasure
• C-1 Aliens in transit through the U.S. to a third country
• D Crewmen of aircraft or sea vessels
• E-1 Treaty trader, spouse and minor children
• E-2 Treaty investor, spouse and minor children
• F-1 Students pursing academic courses of study
• F-2 Spouse and minor children of F-1
• G-1 thru 5 Representatives of international organizations like the United Nations and the World Bank, their family, staff and servants
• H-1B Specialty occupations
• H-2A Agricultural temporary workers
• H-2B Non-agricultural temporary workers
• H-3 Temporary trainees, special education
• H-4 Spouse and minor children of H-1, H- 2 and H-3 visa holders
• I Representatives of foreign information media, and their family
• J-1 Exchange visitors
• J-2 Spouse and minor children of J-1 visa holders
• K-1 Alien fiancé or fiancee of U.S. citizen and minor children
• L-1 Temporary intracompany transferees
• L-2 Spouse and minor children of L-1 visa holder
• M-1 Students enrolled in vocational educational programs
• M-2 Spouse and minor children of M-1 visa holders
• N-1 thru 7 NATO visa holders
• O-1, O-2, O-3 Extraordinary aliens, essential support and family
• P-1, P-2, P-3 Artists, Athletes, Entertainers
• Q Cultural exchange
• R-1 Religious workers
• R-2 Spouse and minor children of religious workers
• S-1 Informants relating to criminal enterprises
• S-2 Informants related to terrorism
• TN NAFTA Professionals
• TD Dependents of NAFTA Professionals

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