Visas that let you work in the U.S. for a set time. Most are sponsored by an employer, who files a petition for you.
Verified against official sources on 2026-10-25Last verified: 2026-10-25
Core facts, form edition dates, fees and recent notices were checked against the official pages listed below on October 25, 2026. Sections marked 'Our guidance' are our own advice, not official text. Some official pages show older 'last updated' dates.
Temporary (nonimmigrant) work visas let you work in the U.S. for a limited time. In most categories your U.S. employer files Form I-129 with USCIS, and after approval you apply for the visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate if you are outside the U.S. Some categories have yearly limits, and some depend on your nationality. These visas do not give permanent residence, though some people later move to a green card.
Common categories
Descriptions from USCIS pages, checked October 25, 2026.
Category
Code
Notes
Specialty occupation workers (needs a bachelor's degree or higher in a directly related field)
H-1B
Annual cap of 65,000, plus 20,000 for U.S. master's degree holders. Cap petitions need a selected electronic registration. Up to 3 years, extendable to 6.
Employees of a multinational company moved to a U.S. office
L-1A / L-1B
L-1A for managers and executives, L-1B for specialised knowledge. Generally at least one continuous year of employment abroad in the last three years.
Individuals with extraordinary ability or achievement
O-1
Requires sustained acclaim, with evidence. No annual cap.
Citizens of Canada and Mexico in professional occupations
TN
Only for Canadian and Mexican citizens, under USMCA.
Treaty investors
E-2
For nationals of treaty countries who invest a substantial amount in a real U.S. business.
You have a U.S. employer or organization willing to sponsor you, in most categories.
You meet the category's own tests: for H-1B, a degree-level specialty job; for L-1, a qualifying job abroad with the same company group; for O-1, extraordinary ability; for TN, Canadian or Mexican citizenship and a listed profession.
For H-1B, the employer must first get a certified Labor Condition Application and, if cap-subject, a selected registration.
You are admissible to the U.S.
Which route may fit you?
A quick way to narrow it down.
1. Do you already work for a company that has a U.S. office?
Yes: Look at L-1. You generally need one continuous year of employment abroad in the last three years.
No: Look at H-1B, O-1, or TN if you are a Canadian or Mexican citizen.
2. Do you have a degree in a field that matches the job?
Yes: H-1B may fit. Most new H-1B petitions are subject to the cap and a registration selection.
No, but I have extraordinary achievements: O-1 may fit, with evidence of sustained acclaim.
3. Are you investing in a business?
Yes, and my country has a treaty with the U.S.: E-2 may fit. You need to invest a substantial amount in a real, active business.
Employer registers (H-1B cap cases)Registration typically opens in March. Only selected registrations can file a petition.
Employer files the labor documentsFor H-1B, a Labor Condition Application is certified by the Department of Labor first.
Employer files Form I-129With USCIS, with evidence for your category.
USCIS decides the petitionUSCIS may ask for more evidence.
You apply for the visaIf you are outside the U.S., complete the DS-160 and attend a visa interview. If you are inside the U.S., a change of status may be possible.
Enter the U.S. and start workH-1B start dates can be no earlier than October 1 for cap petitions.
Government fees as published by the agencies, checked on Oct 25, 2026. Fees change, so confirm on the official page before you pay. These are not Move to America's prices.
Paid to USCIS (Form I-129, paper · online)
Form
What it is for
Fee
Timing
I-129 H-1B
Specialty occupation petitionSmall employers and nonprofits: $460. Plus an Asylum Program Fee ($600 regular, $300 small, $0 nonprofit) and a $500 Fraud Prevention and Detection fee for initial H-1B petitions.
$780 · $730
Not currently verified
H-1B registration
Electronic registration, per beneficiaryPaid when the employer registers.
$215
Not currently verified
I-129 L
Intracompany transferee petitionSmall employers and nonprofits: $695. Plus an Asylum Program Fee and a $500 Fraud Prevention and Detection fee for initial L petitions.
$1,385 · $1,335
Not currently verified
I-129 O
Extraordinary ability petitionSmall employers and nonprofits: $530. Plus an Asylum Program Fee.
$1,055 · $1,005
Not currently verified
I-129 E, TN, H-3, P, Q
Other categoriesSmall employers and nonprofits: $510. Plus an Asylum Program Fee.
$1,015 · $965
Not currently verified
H-1B payment
Presidential proclamation paymentThe fee schedule lists it. A court order is in effect and DHS says it will comply while it considers next steps. Check the H-1B page.
USCIS says a request without the correct fee will be rejected, and cash can never be used for a filing or biometric fee.
Some applicants can ask USCIS for a fee waiver using Form I-912, but not for fees required under Public Law 119-21.
Medical exams, translations, passport photos and document copies cost extra.
Move to America's own charges ($2 per eligibility assessment, and optional community membership) are separate from every fee above.
Employers may also owe other fees, including the 9-11 Response and Biometric Entry-Exit Fee, and a Public Law 114-113 fee for some H-1B and L-1 petitions. Check the fee schedule.
Processing times
Processing times depend on the category, the USCIS service center and the consulate. We have not verified any current figures for Form I-129, so we show none. For H-1B, the timing also depends on the registration selection.
Official notices that may affect temporary work cases. Checked on October 25, 2026. Rules change often, so open the source before you act.
Sep 21, 2026 · USCIS
H-1B $100,000 payment: court order in effect, case continues
USCIS says a September 19, 2025 proclamation requires an additional $100,000 payment for certain H-1B petitions filed on or after September 21, 2025. On June 8, 2026 a federal court in Massachusetts vacated the agency guidance, and on July 24, 2026 the First Circuit denied the government's request for a stay. DHS says it will comply while it considers next steps, and that it still plans to collect the payment if the order is lifted. The USCIS fee schedule still lists the payment, so read the H-1B page for the current position.
New 9-11 Response and Biometric Entry-Exit Fee for some H-1B and L-1 petitions
A final rule effective September 9, 2026 requires covered employers to pay this fee on H-1B and L-1 petitions. USCIS describes covered employers as those with 50 or more U.S. employees where more than half are in H-1B or L-1 status, with some exceptions.
USCIS says the mailing location for several forms changed on October 7, 2026, with a grace period for forms postmarked on or before November 9, 2026. Check the form's page for the correct address before you mail anything.
Entry restrictions for nationals of listed countries
A presidential proclamation effective January 1, 2026 suspends entry and visa issuance for nationals of 19 countries in full, and limits visas for nationals of 20 more. Use the lookup in the 'Entry restrictions by nationality' box below to check your nationality. The proclamation lists a small number of exceptions, and its text does not list one for immediate-relative or adoption immigrant visas.
Check whether the January 2026 proclamation affects your nationality.
Full restriction
Afghanistan
Burma
Burkina Faso
Chad
Republic of the Congo
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Haiti
Iran
Laos
Libya
Mali
Niger
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Sudan
Sudan
Syria
Yemen
Travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority are also covered by the full restriction.
Partial restriction (immigrant visas, and B, F, M and J visas)
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Benin
Burundi
Cuba
Côte d'Ivoire
Dominica
Gabon
The Gambia
Malawi
Mauritania
Nigeria
Senegal
Tanzania
Togo
Tonga
Venezuela
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Immigrant visas only
Turkmenistan
Exceptions in the proclamation text
Lawful permanent residents of the United States.
Dual nationals travelling on a passport from a country that is not on the lists.
Holders of certain diplomatic and international organization nonimmigrant visas (A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3, G-1 to G-4, NATO-1 to NATO-6).
Certain athletes and teams, with support staff and immediate relatives, travelling for major sporting events as determined by the Secretary of State.
Special Immigrant Visas for U.S. government employees, and immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran.
People who already held a valid visa on January 1, 2026. The proclamation says those visas are not revoked.
People already granted asylum in the U.S., and refugees already admitted.
Case-by-case national-interest exceptions can be granted by the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security.
The proclamation text we read lists no exception for immediate-relative or adoption immigrant visas.
For Burundi, Cuba, Togo and Venezuela the text says entry stays limited as set out in an earlier proclamation (10949) and in this one, so check the State Department page for the exact visa categories.
We read the proclamation as published. It may have been amended since. Check the State Department page before you plan or pay for anything.
Ticking items is just a way to keep track. It does not mean your application is ready or will be approved.
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Move to America is an independent information and preparation service. We are not a government agency, not affiliated with USCIS or the U.S. government, and not a law firm. Nothing here is legal advice, and we cannot guarantee any visa or immigration outcome.