VISAS
When a citizen of a foreign country travels to the U.S. they generally must obtain a visa for a temporary stay or an immigration visa for permanent residency. The type of visa you need depends on the purpose of your visit. To help you find the visa type you will need, we have summarized the various types of visas below.
The visitor visa is a type of nonimmigrant visa for persons desiring to enter the United States temporarily for business (B-1) or for pleasure, tourism or medical treatment (B-2). International travelers with visitor visas comprise a large portion of temporary visitor travel to the United States every year. For how-to-apply information, documentation requirements and more, visit:
Business Visitors and Tourism
Foreign citizens may come to the U.S. to participate in a study or exchange program. Before applying for a visa, all student and exchange visitor applicants are required to be accepted and approved for their program. When accepted, educational institutions and program sponsors will provide each applicant the necessary approval documentation, to be submitted when applying for a visa. Find the appropriate visa for your program:
Student and Exchange
If you want to work in the U.S. temporarily as a nonimmigrant, under U.S. immigration law, you need a specific visa, based on the type of work you will be doing. Most temporary worker categories require that the applicant's prospective employer or agent to file a petition which must be approved by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) before you can apply for a visa.
Temporary Workers
Immigrating to the United States to live here permanently is an important and complex decision. This section provides information to help foreign citizens desiring to permanently immigrate to determine the visas, requirements, and related materials they will need to apply to immigrate to the United States.
Immigrants to the U.S.
The Schengen Agreement eliminates all internal border controls between countries that have joined in the agreement. To enter one Schengen country is to gain up to 90 days of continuous travel between the member states. 25 European countries are party to the Schengen agreement. To obtain a visa you must apply at the appropriate embassy.
For a list of the Schengen countries, their embassies, and country specific information, please visit:
Schengen Fact Sheet
U.S. citizens traveling outside their home country may need visas, passports, immunizations, or may have to meet other specific entry requirements for the country they are visiting. The following section contains information for every country worldwide, on safety and alerts, embassy and consulate contacts, and entry / exit requirements:
Country Specific Information