How long can you stay in the U.S. with a temporary visa?

There are many different types of temporary non-immigrant U.S. visas, such as the:

• B-1 Business Visitor Visa – issued to allow a foreign business person to stay in the U.S. for business purposes (but not to work), such as to negotiate a contract, attend a convention or conference, receive or provide training, etc. The B-1 Visa is normally issued for up to 6 months, but it could be valid for up to 10 years, however, the business visitor would be permitted to stay in the USA for up to 6 months each year during the 10-year period.
• B-2 Visitor Visa – issued to allow tourists to visit the U.S. on vacation and/or to visit family or friends living in the USA or to have medical treatment in the United States. The B-2 Visa is usually issued for up to 6 months, but it could be valid for up to 10 years, however, the visitor would be permitted to stay in the USA for up to 6 months per year during the 10-year period.
• B-1/B-2 Business/Tourism Visa – is a combination temporary U.S. visa that allows a foreign business person to conduct business (but not work) in the USA and also to vacation as a tourist and/or visit family or friends living in the USA. The B-1/B-2 Business/Tourism Visa is normally issued for up to 6 months, but it could be valid for up to 10 years, however, the visitor would be permitted to stay in the USA for up to 6 months each year during the 10-year period.
• E-1 Treaty Trader Visa – is issued initially for up to 2 years and allows a citizen of a country that has a treaty of navigation and commerce with the United States who will engage in substantial trade between the two countries to live in the USA in order to conduct trade. This non-immigrant temporary U.S. visa is renewable.
• E-2 Treaty Investor Visa – is issued for up to 2 years to a citizen of a country that has a treaty of navigation and commerce with the United States who will make a sizeable investment in a genuine business in the United States that provides products or services for a profit. This temporary non-immigrant U.S. visa is renewable.
• F-1 Student Visa – is issued for up to 5 years (depending on the length of the program) to international students who will attend full-time an eligible academic institution in the USA, such as a high school, college or university. The spouse and dependent children of the international student who is applying for the F-1 Student Visa can apply for the F-2 Visa for family members.
• M-1 Student Visa – is issued for up to 1 year to allow an international student to attend a vocational school (for example, to learn a skilled trade). The spouse and dependent children of the international student who is applying for the M-1 Student Visa can apply for the M-2 Visa for family members.
• H-1B Specialty Occupation Work Visa – is a non-immigrant temporary work visa to the U.S. which is issued to skilled foreign workers with specialty occupations that usually require a university degree (such as engineers, information technology professionals, etc.) who have been sponsored by an employer in the United States and it is valid for up to 3 years and can be renewed for up to an additional 3 years (for a total of 6 years). Furthermore, eligible H-1B Visa holders can apply for adjustment of status from temporary legal resident to Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) Green Card holder! The spouse and dependent children of the foreign worker can apply for the H-4 Visa for family members.
• I Work Visa for International Media – is a non-immigrant temporary work visa to the U.S. which is issued to international media professionals (such as members of the foreign press and radio, television or film professionals) who have an office outside of the United States who will be working in the U.S. and this visa is normally valid for the time that they will be working in the USA. Their eligible family can apply for the relevant U.S. visa for I-Visa holder family members.
• L-1 Work Visa for Intracompany Transferees – is a non-immigrant temporary work visa to the U.S. that is issued to foreign professionals of companies with offices outside of the United States who will be transferring to an existing office in the U.S. or who will be opening a branch office in the USA. The L-1A Visa is for managers or executives, while the L-1B Visa is for foreign workers with specialized knowledge. The L-1A Visa and L-1B Visa are issued for up to 1 year for those who are opening a new branch office in the United States, but transferees to an existing branch office in the U.S. can receive the visa for up to 3 years. The L-Visa is renewable to eligible foreign workers.
• O-Visa for Individuals with Extraordinary Abilities – the O-1A U.S. Visa is issued to eligible foreign nationals with extraordinary abilities in athletics, business, education or science, while the O-1B Visa is granted to qualified foreign nationals with extraordinary abilities in the arts or extraordinary achievement in the film and television industry. The O-1A and O-1B visas can be issued for up to 3 years and can be extended for one year at a time if the foreign worker qualifies. The spouse and dependent children of the O-Visa holder can apply for the relevant U.S. visa for family members.

Please note that there are several other temporary non-immigrant U.S. visas available for artists, diplomats, entertainers, exchange visitors, religious workers and other categories of visitors.