"Nonimmigrants" are persons who may be admitted into the U.S. for temporary periods. Upon arrival in the U.S., nonimmigrants (other than Canadian visitors for business or pleasure) usually receive white or green cards (referred to as "I-94" forms) which are stapled into their passports (no Canadians are required to present passports when entering the U.S.) By U.S. Immigration Inspectors. The I-94 forms reflect a date by which the person is required to depart the U.S.
Nonimmigrants from certain countries are not required to have U.S. visas when entering the U.S. as visitors for business or pleasure. Such persons, who must nonetheless still present unexpired passports, are called "visa waivers" shown below as "W.B." and "W.T."
Nonimmigrants, other than persons who enter as "visa waivers", may file applications at the Immigration and Naturalization Service, prior to the departing date, requesting an extension of their nonimmigrant status, or requesting a change to another nonimmigrant status, or requesting adjustment of their status to permanent resident.
The list of nonimmigrant visas below does not reflect the visa designation of accompanying spouses or dependent children under twenty-one.
Visa Descriptions
| A-1 | Diplomatic Personnel | I | Media Representatives |
| B-1 | Temporary Visitors for Business | J-1 | Exchange Vistiors |
| B-2 | Temporary Visitors for Pleasure (Tourists) | K-1 | Fiancé(e) of U.S. Citizen |
| C-1 | Persons in transit through the U.S. | L-1A | Intracompany Transferees (Executives and Managers) |
| D-1 | Aircraft/Ship Crewmembers | L-1B | Intracompany Transferees (Persons of Specialized Knowledge) |
| E-1 | Treaty Traders | M-1 | Vocational Students |
| E-2 | Treaty Investors | NATO | NATO Military Personnel |
| F-1 | Academic Students | O-1 | Persons of Extraordinary ability in sciences, art, education, business, athletics or movies/T.V. |
| G-1 | International Organization Representatives | P-1 | Artists/Entertainers for reciprocal exchange programs |
| H-1B | Workers in Specialty Occupations | Q-1 | International Cultural Exchange Persons |
| H-2A | Agricultural Workers | R-1 | Religious Workers |
| H-2B | Workers Performing Temporary Services | T.N. | Treaty - NAFTA (Canadian/Mexican Qualifying Personnel) |
| H-3 | Trainees | W.B. | Waiver - Business (Waiver of B-1 visa) |
| W.T. | Waiver - Tourist (Waiver of B-2 visa) |