Visa types

We have compiled full list of visa types issued by US, Canada, UK, Australia and Schengen countries in one place.  This way you will have a comprehensive understanding of visa types available and will greatly help you to make the right decision.

It is important to note passport holders from citizenship by investment programs can apply for these visas (unless there is a visa waiver) at the nearest embassy or consulate where they live. It is not required to travel to for example St Kitts/Dominica to apply for US visa. Please check with the nearest embassy or consulate for appointments.

1. Europe

Schengen countries issue the following categories of visas for travel. There are 26 schengen states

• A – Airport transit visa
• B – Transit visa valid for 5 days
• C – Uniform short stay less than 90 days (tourist, business, study)
• D – Long stay visas validity more than 90 days (for residence permit reasons)
• LTV – Limited Territorial Visa

2. Canada

The following are the full list of visa categories for Canada.

Temporary Residence

Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)
International Experience Canada
Study Permits (including extensions)
Temporary resident permit
Visitor visa (including super visa) or extend your stay in Canada
Work Permits (including extensions)
Super visas
Diplomatic and official visas (including U.S. government officials)
Courtesy visas
Facilitation visas

Permanent Residence

Business immigration

Quebec business immigration
Self-employed people
Start-up visa

Caregivers

Live-in Caregiver Program
Home Child Care Provider Pilot (without the work permit fee)
Home Support Worker Pilot (without the work permit fee)

Economic immigration (including Express Entry)

Agri-food pilot
Atlantic immigration pilot
Canadian experience class
Federal skilled workers
Federal skilled trades
Provincial nominee
Rural and northern immigration pilot
Quebec-selected skilled workers

Definition and meanings

Express Entry – Immigrate as a skilled worker
Family sponsorship – Sponsor your relatives, including your spouse, partner, children, parents, grandparents, and others to immigrate
Provincial nominees – Immigrate by being nominated by a Canadian province or territory
Quebec-selected skilled workers – Immigrate as a skilled worker in the province of Quebec
Atlantic Immigration Pilot – Immigrate by graduating from a school or working in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, or Newfoundland and Labrador
Caregivers – Immigrate by providing care for children, the elderly or those with medical needs, or work as a live-in caregiver
Start-up Visa – Immigrate by starting a business and creating jobs
Self-employed – Immigrate as a self-employed person in cultural or athletic activities
Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot – Smaller Canadian communities supporting their local economy through immigration. Pilot opens to permanent resident applicants later in 2019.
Agri-Food Pilot – Immigrate by working in specific agri-food industries and occupations
Refugees – Immigrate as a refugee

3. United Kingdom

UK issues visas of the following three categories. There are 5 tiers under the work category.

Visitor 

• Standard Visitor visa
• Marriage Visitor visa
• Permitted Paid Engagement visa
• Parent of a Tier 4 child visa
• Visa to pass through the UK in transit
  • Direct Airside Transit visa
  • Visitor in Transit visa

Work

• Tier 1 visa (high value immigrants)
  • Innovator/Startup (minimum £100,000 investment or £50,000 if qualified)
  • Exceptional Talent (recognised leader in fields of science, humanities, engineering, medicine, digital technology or the arts)
  • General (highly skilled workers, writers, composers or artists and self-employed lawyers)
  • Graduate Entrepreneur
  • Investor (minimum £2,000,000 investment)
• Tier 2 visa (sponsored workers)
  • General
  • Intra-company Transfer (foreign company workers in a UK branch)
  • Minister of Religion
  • Sportsperson
• Tier 5 visa (temporary work for sponsored workers)
  • Charity Worker (unpaid voluntary work)
  • Creative and sporting
  • Government Authorised Exchange
  • International Agreement
  • Religious Worker
  • Youth Mobility Scheme
• Domestic Workers in a Private Household visa (cleaners, chauffeurs, cooks, personal care providers and nannies)
• Representative of an Overseas Business visa (head of a UK branch or a foreign journalist on a long-term posting)
• Turkish Businessperson visa
• Turkish Worker visa
• UK Ancestry visa (Commonwealth citizens with UK born parents or grandparents)
• Croatian national registration certificates

Student

• Short-term study visa
• Tier 4 visa
  • General
  • Child

4. United States

There are two types of visa categories (immigrant and non-immigrant) for entry into United States.

Non-Immigrant

Purpose of Travel	Visa Category	Required: Before applying for visa*
Athlete, amateur or professional (competing for prize money only)	B-1	(NA)
Au pair (exchange visitor)	J	SEVIS
Australian professional specialty	E-3	DOL
Border Crossing Card: Mexico	BCC	(NA)
Business visitor	B-1	(NA)
CNMI-only transitional worker	CW-1	(USCIS)
Crewmember	D	(NA)
Diplomat or foreign government official	A	(NA)
Domestic employee or nanny – must be accompanying a foreign national employer	B-1	(NA)
Employee of a designated international organization or NATO	G1-G5, NATO	(NA)
Exchange visitor	J	SEVIS
Foreign military personnel stationed in the United States	A-2 NATO1-6	(NA)
Foreign national with extraordinary ability in Sciences, Arts, Education, Business or Athletics	O	USCIS
Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Professional: Chile, Singapore	H-1B1 – Chile H-1B1 – Singapore	DOL
International cultural exchange visitor	Q	USCIS
Intra-company transferee	L	USCIS
Medical treatment, visitor for	B-2	(NA)
Media, journalist	I	(NA)
NAFTA professional worker: Mexico, Canada	TN/TD	(NA)
Performing athlete, artist, entertainer	P	USCIS
Physician	J , H-1B	SEVIS
Professor, scholar, teacher (exchange visitor)	J	SEVIS
Religious worker	R	USCIS
Specialty occupations in fields requiring highly specialized knowledge	H-1B	DOL then USCIS
Student: academic, vocational	F, M	SEVIS
Temporary agricultural worker	H-2A	DOL then USCIS
Temporary worker performing other services or labor of a temporary or seasonal nature.	H-2B	DOL then USCIS
Tourism, vacation, pleasure visitor	B-2	(NA)
Training in a program not primarily for employment	H-3	USCIS
Treaty trader/treaty investor	E	(NA)
Transiting the United States	C	(NA)
Victim of Criminal Activity	U	USCIS
Victim of Human Trafficking	T	USCIS
Nonimmigrant (V) Visa for Spouse and Children of a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR)	V	(NA)

Abbreviations

• DOL = The U.S. employer must obtain foreign labor certification from the U.S. Department of Labor, prior to filing a petition with USCIS.
• USCIS = U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approval of a petition or application (The required petition or application depends on the visa category you plan to apply for.)
• SEVIS = Program approval entered in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS)
• (NA) = Not Applicable – Additional approval by another U.S. government agency is not required prior to applying for a visa

Immigrant

Immediate Relative & Family Sponsored	Visa Category
Spouse of a U.S. Citizen	IR1, CR1
Spouse of a U.S. Citizen awaiting approval of an I-130 immigrant petition	K-3 *
Fiancé(e) to marry U.S. Citizen & live in U.S.	K-1 *
Intercountry Adoption of Orphan Children by U.S. Citizens	IR3, IH3, IR4, IH4
Certain Family Members of U.S. Citizens	IR2, CR2, IR5, F1, F3, F4
Certain Family Members of Lawful Permanent Residents	F2A, F2B
Employer Sponsored – Employment
Employment-Based Immigrants, including  (preference group): Priority workers [First] Professionals Holding Advanced Degrees and Persons of Exceptional Ability [Second] Professionals and Other Workers [Third] Employment Creation/Investors [Fifth] Certain Special Immigrants: [Fourth]	E1 E2 E3, EW3 C5, T5, R5, I5 S (many**)
Religious Workers	SD, SR
Iraqi and Afghan Translators/Interpreters	SI
Iraqis Who Worked for/on Behalf of the U.S. Government	SQ
Afghans Who Worked for/on Behalf of the U.S. Government	SQ
Other Immigrants
Diversity Immigrant Visa	DV
Returning Resident	SB

5. Australia