The Immigration and Nationality Act establishes the following array of "nonimmigrant" visa categories for aliens seeking to enter the U.S. temporarily to engage in a variety of activities. Several of these categories are suitable for graduating foreign students seeking to work in the U.S.

Foreign Government Officials

• A-1 Visas ambassador, public minister, career, diplomatic or consular officer, and members of immediate family.
• A-2 Visas other foreign government official or employee, and members of immediate family.
• A-3 Visas attendant, servant, or personal employee of A-1 and A-2, and members of immediate family.

Visitors

• B-1 Visas temporary visitors for business which refers to conventions, conferences and other legitimate activities of commercial or professional nature except for local employment or labor for hire
• B-2 Visas temporary visitor for pleasure which refers to recreational activities such as tourism, amusement, visits with friends or relatives, and visits for medical treatment

Aliens in Transit

• C-1 Visas an alien in immediate and continuous transit through the United States
• C-1D Visas aliens in combined transit and crewmen
• C-2 Visas aliens in transit to UN Headquarters
• C-3 Visas aliens related to foreign government officials
• C-4 Visas aliens in transit without visa

Crewmen

• D-1 Visas alien crewmen serving aboard a vessel or aircraft including and departing on the same vessel
• D-2 Visas alien crewmen departing by means other than the vessel of arrival

Treaty Traders and Investors

• E-1 Visas treaty traders in pursuance of the provisions of a treaty of commerce and navigation between the U.S. and a foreign state of which the alien is a citizen
• E-2 Visas treaty investors seeking entry to develop and direct the operations of an enterprise in which the alien has invested or is in a process of investing substantial capital

Academic Students

• F-1 Visas full-time students in a college, university, seminary, conservatory, academic high school, elementary school, or other academic institution or in a language training program in the United States approved by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
• F-2 Visas spouse or child of F-1 visa students

Foreign Government Officials to International Organizations

• G Visas representative of a foreign government assigned to an international organization such as the United Nations or the World Bank; Including, G-1 for principal representatives of recognized foreign member government to international organization ; G-2 for other representatives of recognized international organizations; G-3 for representatives of non-recognized international organizations; G-4 for international organizations officers and employees; and G-5 for attendants or servants to G-1, G-2, G-3, and G-4

Temporary Workers

• H-1B Visas professional workers in a specialty occupation offered temporary employment in the U.S. for up to six years, subject to an annual cap which is currently 65,000 per fiscal year
• H-1C Visas nurses going to work for up to three years in health professional shortage areas
• H-2A Visas temporary agricultural worker
• H-2B Visas skilled and unskilled temporary workers
• H-3 Visas trainees in a structured training program for a limited period of time.
• H-4 Visas spouse or child of H-1, H-2, and H-3 workers

Foreign Media Representatives

• I Visas representative of foreign press, radio, film, or other foreign information media

Exchange Visitors

• J-1 Visas exchange visitors participating in an exchange program approved by the Department of State (formerly the U.S Information Agency) as a student, scholar, trainee, teacher, professor, research assistant, specialist, or leader in a field of specialized knowledge or skill.
• J-2 Visas spouse or child of J-1 exchange visitor

Fiance(e) of U.S. Citizen

• K-1 Visas fianc(e) of a U.S. citizen coming to the U.S. to marry within 90 days of arrival.
• K-2 Visas minor child of K-1
• K-3 Visas spouse of a US citizen (Life Act)
• K-4 Visas child of K-3

Intracompany Transferees

• L-1A Visas intracompany transferee of a multinational organization employed abroad for more than one year coming to the U.S. to work in a capacity that is managerial or executive
• L-1B Visas intracompany transferee that possesses a special knowledge
• L-2 Visas spouse or child of L-1A or L-1B intracompany transferees

Vocational and Language Students

• M-1 Visas a student in a vocational or nonacademic school approved by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
• M-2 Visas spouse or child of M-1 student
• N-8 Visas the parent of an alien accorded the status of special immigrant under paragraph (27)(I)(i), but only if and while the alien is a child"
• N-9 Visas child of N-8

Workers with Extraordinary Abilities

• O-1 Visas an alien of extraordinary ability in the arts, sciences, business, or education coming to the U.S. to perform services requiring such ability.
• O-2 Visas alien supporting or accompanying O-1 worker
• O-3 Visas spouse or child of O-1 or O-2

Athletes and Entertainers

• P-1 Visas individual or team athletes and entertainment groups
• P-2 Visas artists and entertainers in reciprocal exchange programs
• P-3 Visas artists and entertainers in culturally unique programs
• P-4 Visas spouse or child of P-1, P-2 or P-3

International Cultural or Exchange Visitors

• Q-1 Visas participants in international cultural exchange programs approved by the Immigration and Naturalization Service
• Q-2 Visas Irish peace process cultural and training program (Walsh visas)
• Q-3 Visas spouse or child of Q-2

Religious Workers

• R-1 Visas religious workers
• R-2 Visas spouse or child of religious workers

Witness or Informant

• S-5 Visas informant of criminal organization information
• S-6 Visas informant of terrorism information

Victims of Trafficking

• T-1 Visas victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons
• T-2 Visas spouse of a victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons
• T-3 Visas child of victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons
• T-4 Visas parent of victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons if the T-1 victim is under 21 years

North-America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

• TN Visas Canadian citizens offered a professional job in the U.S. which appears on a list of approved occupations under NAFTA (or, Mexican citizens whose employer has an approved Labor Condition Application and INS-approved TN petition)
• TD Visas spouse or child accompanying TN

Transit Without Visas

• TWOV passenger or crew members for transit without visa
• ITI international-to-international passengers

Victims of Certain Crimes

• U-1 Visas victim of certain criminal activity
• U-2 Visas spouse of U-1
• U-3 Visas child of U-1
• U-4 Visas parent of U-1, if U-1 is under 21 years

Second Preference Beneficiaries

• V-1 Visas spouse of a legal permanent resident who is the principal beneficiary of a family-based petition which was filed prior to December 21, 2000, and has been pending for at least three years
• V-2 Visas child of a legal permanent resident who is the principal beneficiary of a family-based visa petition that was filed prior to December 21, 2000, and has been pending for at least three years
• V-3 Visas the derivative child of a V-1 or V-2

Temporary Protected Status (TPS)