If the problem involves a visa, it probably involves the Department of State, which is the only federal agency that can issue a visa.

There are two types of visas:

·Nonimmigrant Visa - This visa is identified by a multicolored stamp placed in the passport, allowing the bearer to enter the United States temporarily for a specific purpose.

·Immigrant Visa - This visa is not stamped in a passport, but is a packet of documents surrendered to an immigration officer at the port of entry. The packet includes an approved petition filed by an individual, a business or an organization (such as a religious group) seeking to sponsor an immigrant’s entry into this country.

If the problem involves a petition requesting permission to enter the United States as an immigrant, or under certain circumstances, as a nonimmigrant, such as for employment or as a fiancé, the situation involves the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS).

If the problem involves labor certification, it involves the Department of Labor.

The letters symbolizing nonimmigrant classification, which match the symbols for status granted by the INS and visas issued by the State Department (at U.S. Consulates abroad), are followed by brief descriptions of categories.

 
  A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T  
 
 

A      Officials of Foreign Governments.

A-1 Ambassador, public minister, diplomat, or consular officer, and immediate family members.

A-2 Other foreign government official or employee and immediate family members.

A-3 Attendant, Servant, or personal employee of A-1 or A-2 and immediate family members.  

B      Temporary visitor for business or pleasure (General).

B-1 Temporary visitor for business.

B-2 Temporary visitor for pleasure.  

C      Aliens in Transit (General).

C-1 Alien in Transit.

C-2 Alien in transit to United Nations Headquarters district.

C-3 Foreign government official, immediate family, attendant, servant, or personal employee in transit.  

D      Crewmembers (General) Sea or Air.  

E      Treaty Traders/Investors (General).

E-1 Treaty Trader, spouse & children.

E-2 Treaty Investor, spouse & children.  

F      Academic Students(General).

F-1 Academic Student.

F-2 Spouse or child of F1.  

G      International organization Aliens.

G-1 Principal resident representative of recognized foreign member government to international organization, Staff, and immediate family members.

G-2 Other representative of foreign member government to international organization, Staff, and immediate family members.

G-3 Representative of nonrecognized or nonmember foreign government to internaltional organization and immediate family members.

G-4 International organization officer or employee, and immediate family members.

G-5 Attendant, servent, or personal employee of G-1 through G-4 and immediate family members.  

H      Temporary workers and trainees (General).

H-1A Registered Nurse (Category expired 8/31/95).

H-1B Alien in speciality occupation (profession).

H-2 Temporary worker performing services unavailable in the United States (petitions filed prior to 6/1/87).

H-2A Temporary worker performing agricultural services unavailable in the United States (petition filed on or after 6/1/87).

H-2B Temporary worker performing other services unavailable in the United States (petition filed on or after 6/1/87).

H-3 Trainee.

H-4 Spouse/Child of H-1A/B, H-2A/B and/or  

I      Representatives of foreign information media, spouse, and children.  

J      Exchange Visitors (General).

J-1 Exchange Visitors.

J-2 Spouse or Child of J-1.  

K      Fiance(e) of U.S. Citizens (General).

K-1 Fiance(E) of U.S. Citizen.

K-2 Child of K-1.  

L      Intracompany Transferees (General).

L-1 Intracompany fransferee (executive, managerial and specialized personnel) continuing employment with international firm or corporation.

L-2 Spouse or child of L-1.  

M      Vocational Students (General),

M-1 Vocational or other nonacademic student.

M-2 Spouse or Child of M-1.  

N-8 Parent of SK-3 special immigrant.

N-9 Child of N-8 or of SK-1, SK-2, or SK-4 Special Immigrant.  

O      Aliens with extraordinary ability.

O-1 Aliens with extraordinary ability in science, arts, education, business or athletics.

O-2 Alien accompaning O-1.

O-3 Spouse or child of O-1 or O-2.  

P      Alien athletes, Artists and Entertainers (General).

P-1 Internationally recognized athlete or member of internationally recognized entertainment group.

P-2 Atrist or entertainer on reciprocal exchange program.

P-3 Artist or entertainer in culturally unique program.

P-4 Spouse or child of P-1, P-2, or P-3.  

Q-1 Participants in international cultural exchange program.  

R      Aliens in Religious Occupations.

R-1 Alien in religious occupation.

R-2 Spouse or child of R-1.  

S      Aliens supplying critical information (General).

S-1 Certain aliens supplying ciritical information relating to a criminal organization or enterprise.

S-2 Certain aliens supplying critical information relating to terrorism.  

TN      NAFTA Professionals (General).

TN-1 Canadian NAFTA Professional.

TN-2 Mexican NAFTA Professional.

TN-3 Spouse or child of TN-1 or TN-2.

NATO      NATO Representatives, Officials and Employees (General).

NATO-1 Principanl permanent representative of NATO member state/subsidiary bodies and official staff members resident in U.S.; NATO Secretary General, Assistant Secretary General, and Executive Secretary, permanent NATO officials of similar rank and immediate family members.

NATO-2 Other representatives of NATO member states/subsidiary bodies including representatives, advisors, and technical experts of delegations , and immediate family members; dependents and members (with visas) of a force entering in accordance with NATO Status-of-Forces Agreement or "Protocol on Status of International Military Headquarters".

NATO-3 Official Clerical staff of representative of member state to NATO/subsidiary body and immediate family members.

NATO-4 NATO officials other than NATO-1 and immediate family members.

NATO-5 NATO experts other than NATO-4 employed in NATO missions and immediate family members.

NATO-6 Members and dependents of civilian component accompanying a force entering in accordance with NATO Status-of-Forces Agreement or attached to Allied Headquarters under "Protocol on the Status of International Military Headquarters".

NATO-7 Attendant, Servant, or personal employee of NATO-1 through NATO-4 and immediate family members.