More Information on NIV

Temporary Workers Classifications

The Immigration and Nationality Act provides several categories of nonimmigrant visas for a person who wishes to work temporarily in the United States. There are annual numerical limits on some classifications which are shown in parentheses.

H-1B classification applies to persons in a specialty occupation which requires the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge requiring completion of a specific course of higher education. This classification requires a labor attestation issued by the Secretary of Labor (65,000). This classification also applies to Government-to-Government research and development, or coproduction projects administered by the Department of Defense (100);

H-2A classification applies to temporary or seasonal agricultural workers;
H-2B classification applies to temporary or seasonal nonagricultural workers. This classification requires a temporary labor certification issued by the Secretary of Labor (66,000);

H-3 classification applies to trainees other than medical or academic. This classification also applies to practical training in the education of handicapped children (50);

L classification applies to intracompany transferees who, within the three preceding years, have been employed abroad continuously for one year, and who will be employed by a branch, parent, affiliate, or subsidiary of that same employer in the U.S. in a managerial, executive, or specialized knowledge capacity;

O-1 classification applies to persons who have extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, or extraordinary achievements in the motion picture and television field;

O-2 classification applies to persons accompanying an O-1 alien to assist in an artistic or athletic performance for a specific event or performance;

P-1 classification applies to individual or team athletes, or members of an entertainment group that are internationally recognized (25,000);

P-2 classification applies to artists or entertainers who will perform under a reciprocal exchange program;

P-3 classification applies to artists or entertainers who perform under a program that is culturally unique (same as P-1); and

Q-1 classification applies to participants in an international cultural exchange program for the purpose of providing practical training, employment, and the sharing of the history, culture, and traditions of the alien's home country.

All applicants for work visas are scheduled for appointments Monday through Friday beginning 7:30 a.m., except Polish and American holidays and the last working Friday of the month. They can make this appointment by following the procedures outlined in the How to Apply section of this site.

They must submit the electronic application form DS-156 with a bar-code and present all the documents described in Basic documents and photographs along with their valid petition (form I-129 or form I-797) completed and issued by DHS.


Applicants must present the documents described in Basic documents and photographs as well as their valid petition (form I-129 or form I-797) completed and issued by DHS.

Spouses and unmarried children under 21 can apply for an appropriate derivative visa, H-4, L-2, O-3, P-4, and Q-3. They must present the documents described in Basic documents and photographs as well as the principal applicant’s valid petition.

Applicants for L-1 visas with "blanket" petitions must pay a $500 "fraud prevention and detection fee" with cash or by credit card before their application can be processed.