Nonimmigrant and Immigrant Visa
Categories: Data Brief
Updated January 26, 2021
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
R45938

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Introduction
Congress has expressed interest in the visa categories by which foreign nationals may enter or be
present in the United States. U.S. immigration policy is governed largely by the Immigration and
Nationality Act (INA), which was first codified in 1952 and has been amended significantly
several times since.1 The United States has long distinguished temporary immigration from
permanent immigration. Temporary immigration occurs through the admission of visitors for
specific purposes and limited periods of time, and encompasses two dozen categories (which are
commonly referred to by the letter and numeral that denote their subparagraph in the INA).2
Permanent immigration occurs through family- and employer-sponsored categories, the diversity
immigrant visa lottery, and refugee and asylee admissions.
This brief report provides the following information:
 a list of nonimmigrant (i.e., temporary)3 visa categories and lawful permanent
resident (LPR)4 categories,
 a description of each category,
 the al owed duration of stay in the United States for each nonimmigrant visa
category,
 the annual numeric limit (or “cap”) for each nonimmigrant and LPR category,
and
 the number of visas that were issued/individuals obtaining LPR status for each
category in the most recent year for which data are available.5
This information is provided in two tables: Table 1 contains information for nonimmigrant visa
categories, and Table 2 contains information for LPR categories.

Table 1. Nonimmigrant Visas, FY2020
FY2020
Visa
Initial Duration of
Annual Numeric
Visa
Category
Description
Staya
Limit
Issuances
A-1
Ambassador, public minister,
Duration of
None
7,106
career diplomat, or consul, and
assignment
immediate family
A-2
Other foreign government official
Duration of
None
48,358
or employee, and immediate family
assignment

1 T he INA is T itle 8 of the U.S. Code. For an overview of U.S. immigration policy, see CRS Report R45020, A Primer
on U.S. Im m igration Policy.
2 T hese categories are found in INA §101(a)(15), 8 U.S.C. §1101(a)(15).
3 Nonimmigrants are foreign nationals lawfully admitted to the United Stat es for a specific purpose and period of time,
including tourists, diplomats, students, temporary workers, and exchange visitors, among others. For more information,
see CRS Report R45040, Im m igration: Nonim migrant (Tem porary) Admissions to the United States.
4 Lawful permanent residents (LPRs) are foreign nationals lawfully admitted to the United States to live permanently.
For more information, see CRS Report R42866, Perm anent Legal Im m igration to the United States: Policy Overview.
5 In this report, data on nonimmigrant visa issuances come from the Department of State, which has published data for
FY2020. Data on persons obtaining LPR status come from t he Department of Homeland Security, which has not yet
published FY2020 data; thus, LPR data in this report are for FY2019.
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FY2020
Visa
Initial Duration of
Annual Numeric
Visa
Category
Description
Staya
Limit
Issuances
A-3
Attendant or personal employee of
Up to three years
None
415
A-1/A-2, and immediate family
B-1
Visitor for business
Six months to one
None
17,919
year
B-2
Visitor for pleasure
Six months to one
None
5,276
year
B-1/B-2
Visitor for business and pleasure
Six months to one
None
2,164,021
year
B-1/B-2/
Border crossing cards for Mexicans
Up to 30 days (or
None
625,726
BCC
longer if coupled with
B-1 or B-2)
B-1/B-2/
Mexican Lincoln Border Crossing
Up to 30 days (or
None
36,810
BCV
Visa
longer if coupled with
B-1 or B-2)
C-1
Alien in transit
Up to 29 days
None
5,228
C-1/D
Alien in transit/crew member
Up to 29 days
None
161,076
C-2
Alien in transit to United Nations
Up to 29 days
None
1
Headquarters
C-3
Foreign government official and
Up to 29 days
None
2,355
immediate family, attendant, or
personal employee in transit
CW-1
Commonwealth of the Northern
Up to one year
For FY2020: 12,000
975
Marianas (CNMI) transitional
plus 3,000 for
worker
construction/extraction
occupations
CW-2
Spouse or child of CW-1
Up to one year
None
140
D
Crew member
Up to 29 days
None
6,597
E-1
Treaty trader, spouse and child,
Up to two years
None
3,278
and employee
E-2
Treaty investor, spouse and child,
Up to two years
None
23,493
and employee
E-2C
CNMI treaty investor, spouse, and
Up to two years
None
27
child
E-3
Australian specialty occupation
Up to two years
10,500
3,144
professional
E-3D
Spouse or child of E-3
Up to two years
None
2,267
E-3R
Returning E-3
Up to two years
None
1,775
F-1
Foreign student (academic or
Duration of study
None
111,387
language training program)
(limited to 12 months
for secondary school
students)
F-2
Spouse or child of F-1
Duration of study
None
9,818
F-3
Border commuter academic or
Duration of study
None
0
language student
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FY2020
Visa
Initial Duration of
Annual Numeric
Visa
Category
Description
Staya
Limit
Issuances
G-1
Principal resident representative of
Duration of
None
3,754
recognized foreign member
assignment
government to international
organization, staff, and immediate
family
G-2
Other representative of recognized
Duration of
None
5,026
foreign member government to
assignment
international organization, staff, and
immediate family
G-3
Representative of nonrecognized
Duration of
None
162
or nonmember foreign member
assignment
government to international
organization, staff, and immediate
family
G-4
International organization officer or
Duration of
None
13,749
employee, and immediate family
assignment
G-5
Attendant or personal employee of
Up to three years
None
149
G-1 through G-4, and immediate
family
H-1B
Temporary worker—professional
Specialty occupation:
Specialty occupation or
124,983
specialty occupation
up to three years;
fashion model: 65,000,
Department of
plus 20,000 for those
Defense (DOD)
with U.S. advanced
research &
degrees; renewals and
development: up to
certain
five years
research/educational
employers are not
counted against cap;
DOD research &
development: 100 at
any time
H-1 B-1
Free trade agreement professional
Up to one year
1,400 for Chile; 5,400
Chile: 546
from Chile or Singapore
for Singapore
Singapore:
537
H-2A
Temporary worker—agricultural
Up to one year
None
213,394
workers
H-2B
Temporary worker—
Up to one year (up to 66,000
61,865
nonagricultural workers
three years in the
case of a one-time
event)
H-3
Temporary worker—trainee
Alien trainee: up to
Alien trainee: none
475
two years
Special education
Special education
exchange visitor
exchange visitor
program: 50
program: up to 18
months
H-4
Spouse or child of H-1B, H-1B-1,
Same as H-1, H-2, or
None
66,323
H-2A, H-2B, or H-3
H-3 spouse/parent
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FY2020
Visa
Initial Duration of
Annual Numeric
Visa
Category
Description
Staya
Limit
Issuances
I
Representative of foreign
Duration of
None
4,888
information media, spouse and
employment
child
J-1
Cultural exchange visitor
Duration of program
None
108,510
J-2
Spouse or child of J-1
Duration of program
None
15,232
K-1
Fiancé(e) of U.S. citizen
Valid for four months; None
16,849
must marry within 90
days of entry to
adjust to LPR status
K-2
Child of K-1
Same as parent
None
2,460
K-3
Spouse of U.S. citizen awaiting
Up to two years
None
2
lawful permanent resident visa
K-4
Child of K-3
Up to two years or
None
4
until 21st birthday
L-1
Intracompany transferee
Up to three years; up
None
35,942
(executive, managerial, and
to one year when
specialized knowledge personnel
beneficiary is coming
continuing employment with
to open or be
international firm or corporation)
employed in a new
office
L-2
Spouse or child of L-1
Same as
None
35,710
spouse/parent
M-1
Vocational student
Duration of study
None
3,928
M-2
Spouse or child of M-1
Same as
None
119
spouse/parent
M-3
Border commuter vocational or
Duration of study
None
0
nonacademic student
NATO-1
Principal permanent representative
Tour of duty
None
6
of member nations to North
Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO), high ranking NATO
officials, and immediate family
members
NATO-2
Other representatives of member
Tour of duty
None
5,199
states to NATO (including any of
its subsidiary bodies) and
immediate family members;
dependents of member of a force
entering in accordance with
provisions of NATO agreements,
members of such force
NATO-3
Official clerical staff accompanying a Tour of duty
None
0
representative of a member state
to NATO, and immediate family
NATO-4
Officials of NATO (other than
Tour of duty
None
110
those classifiable as NATO-1), and
immediate family
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FY2020
Visa
Initial Duration of
Annual Numeric
Visa
Category
Description
Staya
Limit
Issuances
NATO-5
Experts employed in missions on
Tour of duty
None
14
behalf of NATO (other than
NATO-4 officials), and their
dependents
NATO-6
Civilian employees of a force
Tour of duty
None
437
entering in accordance with the
provisions of NATO agreements
or attached to NATO
headquarters, and immediate family
NATO-7
Attendant or personal employee of
Up to three years
None
1
NATO-1 through NATO-6, and
immediate family
N-8
Parent of certain special immigrants
Up to three years, as
None
8
(pertaining to international
long as special
organizations)
immigrant remains a
child
N-9
Child of N-8 or of certain special
Up to three years, or
None
2
immigrants (pertaining to
until no longer a
international organizations)
child, whichever is
shorter
O-1
Person with extraordinary ability in
Up to three years
None
8,838
the sciences, arts, education,
business, or athletics
O-2
Person accompanying and assisting
Up to three years
None
3,919
in the artistic or athletic
performance by O-1
O-3
Spouse or child of O-1 or O-2
Up to three years
None
2,658
P-1
International y recognized athlete
Up to five years for
None
11,710
or member of an international y
individual, up to one
recognized entertainment group
year for group or
and essential support
team
P-2
Artist or entertainer in a reciprocal
Up to one year
None
48
exchange program and essential
support
P-3
Artist or entertainer in a cultural y
Up to one year
None
3,585
unique program and essential
support
P-4
Spouse or child of P-1, P-2, or P-3
Same as
None
968
spouse/parent
Q-1
International cultural exchange
Up to 15 months
None
755
program participant
R-1
Religious worker
Up to 30 months
None
1,732
R-2
Spouse or child of R-1
Up to 30 months
None
667
S-5
Witness or informant in criminal
Up to three years
200
0
matter
S-6
Witness or informant in terrorism
Up to three years
50
0
matter
S-7
Spouse or child of S-5 and S-6
Up to three years
None
0
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FY2020
Visa
Initial Duration of
Annual Numeric
Visa
Category
Description
Staya
Limit
Issuances
T-1
Victim of human trafficking
Up to four years; may 5,000
0
adjust to LPR status if
conditions are met
T-2
Spouse of T-1
Same as T-1
None
33
T-3
Child of T-1
Same as T-1
None
131
T-4
Parent of T-1
Same as T-1
None
18
T-5
Unmarried sibling under age 18 of
Same as T-1
None
14
T-1
T-6
Adult or minor child of T-2, T-3, T-
Same as T-1
None
24
4, or T-5
TN
NAFTA professional
Up to three years
None
13,771
TD
Spouse or child of TN
Up to three years
None
6,055
U-1
Victim or informant of criminal
Up to four years; may 10,000
79
activity
adjust to LPR status if
conditions are met.
U-2
Spouse of U-1
Same as U-1
None
71
U-3
Child of U-1
Same as U-1
None
544
U-4
Parent of U-1 under age 21
Same as U-1
None
6
U-5
Unmarried sibling under age 18 of
Same as U-1
None
8
U-1 under age 21
V-1
Spouse of LPR who has had
Up to two years
None
0
immigrant visa petition pending for
three years or longer; transitional
visa that leads to LPR status when
visa becomes available
V-2
Child of LPR who has had
Up to two years, or
None
0
immigrant visa petition pending for
until 21st birthday
three years or longer
V-3
Child of V-1 or V-2
Up to two years, or
None
0
until 21st birthday

Total

4,013,210
Source: Visa Category, Description, Duration of Stay, and Annual Numeric Limit: §101(a)(15), §212, and §214 of
the Immigration and Nationality Act; and §214 of 8 C.F.R. FY2020 Visa Issuances: U.S. Department of State,
Report of the Visa Office 2020, Table XV (B).
a. Some visas are renewable. For more information, see Appendix in CRS Report R45040, Immigration:
Nonimmigrant (Temporary) Admissions to the United States.

Table 2. LPR Categories, FY2019
LPR
Annual
FY2019 LPR
Category
Description
Numeric Limit
Recipientsa
Employment-Based Preference Immigrants
EB-1
Priority workers
40,040
39,471
EB-2
Professionals with advanced degrees or aliens of exceptional ability
40,040
39,506
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LPR
Annual
FY2019 LPR
Category
Description
Numeric Limit
Recipientsa
EB-3
Skil ed workers, professionals, and needed unskil ed workers
40,040b
41,787
(including up to
10,000 for
unskil ed “other
workers”)
EB-4
Special immigrants (including religious workers, employees of U.S.
9,940
9,609
government abroad, and juvenile court dependents)
(including up to
5,000 religious
workers)
EB-5
Investors/employment creation
9,940
9,085
Family-Based Immigrants

IR-1
Spouses of U.S. citizens
No annual limit
304,334
IR-2
Children of U.S. citizens (includes orphans and adoptees)
No annual limit
61,303
IR-3
Parents of U.S. citizens
No annual limit
140,128
F-1
Unmarried sons/daughters of U.S. citizens and their children
23,400
24,497
F-2
Spouses, children, and unmarried sons/daughters of LPRs
114,200
93,398
F-3
Married sons/daughters of U.S. citizens and their spouses and
23,400
25,213
children
F-4
Brothers/sisters of U.S. citizens (age 21 or older) and their spouses
65,000
61,031
and children
Diversity
Individuals from countries that send relatively few immigrants to the
55,000c
43,463
United States
Refugees
Aliens admitted to the United States as refugees based on
No annual limit
80,908
persecution claims who have been physical y present in the United
States for at least one year
Asylees
Aliens granted asylum based on persecution claims who have been
No annual limit
26,003
physical y present in the United States for at least one year
Other
Includes parolees, children born abroad to alien residents, certain
Various limitsa
32,029
Iraqis and Afghans employed by the U.S. government, cancel ation of
removal, victims of human trafficking, and victims of crime
Total

1,031,765
Source: LPR Category, Description, and Annual Numeric Limit: CRS summary of INA §§203(a), 203(b), and 204
(8 U.S.C. §§1153(a) 1153(b), and 1154). FY2019 Recipients: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Yearbook of
Immigration Statistics FY2019, Table 6.
a. Categories in which the number of LPR recipients exceeds the statutory annual numeric limit are largely
due to timing differences between when LPR status is official y granted, and when immigrants actual y arrive
in the United States and are counted by DHS as green card recipients. These differences also result from
the “rol -downs” of unused visa numbers from higher-priority categories. For more information, see Table 1
in CRS Report R42866, Permanent Legal Immigration to the United States: Policy Overview.
b. The Immigration and Nationality Act provides 40,040 EB-3 immigrant visas each year. From FY2002 through
FY2019, that annual ceiling was reduced by up to 5,000 each year to accommodate adjustments made under
the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA, Title II of P.L. 105-100, as
amended by P.L. 105-139, Section 1(e)). For FY2020, this reduction was limited to approximately 350, and
for FY2021, this reduction wil be limited to approximately 150.
c. The Immigration and Nationality Act provides for 55,000 diversity immigrant visas each year. From FY1999
through FY2020, that annual ceiling was reduced by up to 5,000 each year to accommodate adjustments
made under the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA, Title II of P.L. 105-100
as amended by P.L. 105-139, Section 1(e)). For FY2020, this reduction was limited to approximately 350,
and for FY2021, this reduction wil be limited to approximately 150.
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Nonimmigrant and Immigrant Visa Categories: Data Brief

d. For more information on these categories, see CRS Report R42866, Permanent Legal Immigration to the
United States: Policy Overview.

Author Information

Jill H. Wilson

Analyst in Immigration Policy

Disclaimer
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R45938 · VERSION 4 · UPDATED
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