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US Nonimmigrant visas

There are two broad categories of US visas:
Non-immigrant visas: This is for applicants with permanent residence outside the US but who wish to be in the US for a short duration only.  It is a Visa for visiting United States temporarily and the reasons could be Tourism or medical treatment, business purpose, Students, Participants in exchange programs, Performing artists, Professional journalists, and Government representatives and Temporary workers etc. There are several categories of temporary worker visa that can be applied under non-immigrant visa. All applicants for such visas must have a petition approved by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) before applying for the visa.

Temporary visas are issued to applicants, who want to spend a limited amount of time in the U.S. They are available for a variety of purposes, such as working, studying, or visiting the U.S. as a tourist. 
Temporary visas are identified by letters ranging from A to V. Depending on the type of temporary visa you have, you can stay in the U.S. for a period ranging from several months to several years. However, your activities in the U.S. are limited to those defined by the visa category. For all temporary visas, except for an E visa, an H-1B visa, L visa, or an O-1 visa, you must show that you intend to return to your country of residence once the visa expires.
Two temporary visas, the K visa and the V visa, are really not temporary in nature at all but rather are for individuals who plan to immigrate permanently to the U.S. A K visa allows you to come to the U.S. to join a fiancé/fiancée or spouse who is a U.S. citizen. 
A V visa allows you to come to the U.S. to join a spouse or a parent who is a Lawful Permanent Resident. For additional information on some of the more common temporary visa categories, please click on the appropriate link:
Immigrant visas: For applicants who intend to reside permanently in the United States in order to be eligible to apply for an immigrant visa, a foreign citizen must be sponsored by a U.S. citizen relative(s) or by a prospective employer. 
To apply under this category all supporting documents and an Affidavit of Support form is required for most family-based and some employment based immigrants to show there is adequate means of financial support in the U.S., by the petitioner or other sponsor(s) for the immigrant.
Additionally the Diversity Visa Program provides a certain number of permanent resident visas annually is announced. These visas are drawn from countries with low rates of immigration to the U.S.

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