Updated November 12, 2026

US visa info: State Department services, USCIS petitions, and CBP entry rules

Searching for US visa info or visa US info usually points to the U.S. Department of State's US Visa Info service (ais.usvisa-info.com), operated by GDIT to help non-citizens review application instructions, pay visa fees, and submit applications to a U.S. embassy or consulate. Every traveler uses either a temporary nonimmigrant track (including 21 active USCIS worker classifications and 2 student categories) or a permanent immigrant track (such as the 5 employment-based preferences). At the border, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspects every traveler and decides admission.

What the US Visa Info service covers and how to pick your track

Applicants searching for US visa info or visa US info usually need the Department of State's portal at ais.usvisa-info.com or help picking the right visa category. Operated by GDIT for the Department of State, the US Visa Info service handles three tasks for non-citizens: providing general instructions on how to apply for a U.S. visa, collecting required visa application fees, and submitting your application to a U.S. embassy or consulate.

Before creating an account or paying a fee, match your goal to one of the portal's two tracks. Temporary visas cover nonimmigrant stays for a fixed purpose such as business visits, full-time study, or temporary employment. Permanent visas cover immigrant applicants moving to live and work in the United States indefinitely, including through family sponsorship or the five employment-based immigrant visa preferences.

Some visitors do not need a consular visa stamp. Eligible Visa Waiver Program travelers apply through CBP's Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), and certain nationalities are visa-exempt. Check your local U.S. embassy website first so you use the payment and appointment portal assigned to your location.

US travel and visa routing by trip purpose across DOS, USCIS, and CBP

How USCIS petitions, State Department visas, and CBP admission fit together

Three federal agencies handle separate stages of a U.S. travel or immigration case. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), adjudicates employer and family petitions plus status applications filed inside the country. The Department of State runs embassies and consulates abroad, collects visa fees, and issues visas. CBP inspects everyone arriving at a U.S. port of entry and controls legal admission.

If you live outside the United States and want to work here, USCIS guidance requires applying for a Department of State visa unless your country of nationality is visa-exempt. In most employment categories, a prospective U.S. employer must first obtain USCIS approval on a petition, such as Form I-129 for a nonimmigrant worker or Form I-140 for an immigrant worker, before you can apply for a visa or seek admission at a port of entry.

If you are already inside the United States in a lawful nonimmigrant status without work authorization, you file with USCIS rather than a consulate. You may apply for a change of status to a work-authorized nonimmigrant classification, or apply for adjustment of status on Form I-485 concurrently with an immigrant petition or after petition approval.

• Self-petitioning exceptions: USCIS lets applicants in select categories, such as extraordinary ability or nonimmigrant E-1 and E-2 principal treaty traders and investors, apply on their own behalf inside the country.
• Work permit applications: Eligible applicants inside the United States, including pending permanent residence applicants and qualifying nonimmigrant family members, file Form I-765 to request an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).
• Entrepreneur parole: Under the International Entrepreneur Rule, DHS may grant authorized stay to foreign entrepreneurs showing their business venture provides a significant public benefit.
• Status compliance: Violating any DHS employment condition or admission term can lead to removal or denial of future re-entry.

Temporary nonimmigrant worker visas, petition exceptions, and family rules

By our calculation from USCIS's Temporary (Nonimmigrant) Workers classification table (updated August 20, 2026), USCIS lists 22 temporary worker classifications, 21 of which remain active after the H-1C registered nurse category expired on December 20, 2009. Most require a prospective U.S. employer to file a petition with USCIS before you book a consular appointment.

USCIS lists narrow exceptions where no prior employer petition is required: E-1 treaty traders, E-2 treaty investors, E-3 Australian specialty occupation professionals, and TN professionals from Mexico and Canada, alongside specific work options for F-1 and M-1 students and J-1 exchange visitors. Confirm on USCIS's webpage for your class whether separate work authorization is needed before starting work. Generally, only noncitizens with DHS permission to work can apply for a Social Security number, and U.S. employment may create a federal tax obligation with the Internal Revenue Service.

Qualifying spouses and children outside the United States apply directly at a U.S. consulate for a dependent visa unless exempt, while dependents inside the country file Form I-539 to extend or change status. By our calculation from the USCIS worker table, 4 active categories share the H-4 dependent code (H-1B, H-2A, H-2B, and H-3), 4 share P-4 (P-1A, P-1B, P-2, and P-3), and 1 active category (Q-1 cultural exchange) has no dedicated dependent visa, though family members may enter under another eligible classification.

Across 5 categories in the table (E-1, E-2, E-3, L-1A, and L-1B), qualifying dependent spouses are authorized to work incident to status. Since January 30, 2022, USCIS and CBP issue Forms I-94 with Class of Admission codes E-1S, E-2S, E-3S, and L-2S. An unexpired Form I-94 showing one of those four codes serves as List C work authorization proof on Form I-9 without filing Form I-765, though eligible spouses may still file Form I-765 for a Form I-766 EAD card.

Key active temporary worker classifications from USCIS

F-1 and M-1 student visas: the 6 eligibility rules and work limits

Full-time international students enter under one of two nonimmigrant student visa categories: F-1 for academic or language training programs culminating in a degree, diploma, or certificate at a government-authorized school, and M-1 for vocational or other nonacademic programs outside language training. USCIS requires F-1 and M-1 applicants to satisfy all six criteria below:

• Enrollment in an academic educational program, language-training program, or vocational program.
• School approval by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) under Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
• Full-time student enrollment at the institution.
• Proficiency in English, or enrollment in courses leading to English proficiency.
• Sufficient funds available for self-support during the entire proposed course of study.
• Maintenance of a residence abroad that you have no intention of giving up.

F-1 academic vs M-1 vocational student work rules from USCIS

Visa Waiver Program, ESTA, and CBP inspection at the port of entry

Holding a valid visa foil or an approved ESTA does not guarantee entry into the United States. As CBP's international visitor guidance (updated October 14, 2026) explains, ESTA determines whether a visitor is eligible to travel under the Visa Waiver Program, while CBP officers determine admissibility upon arrival.

Every person arriving at a U.S. port of entry undergoes mandatory CBP inspection covering Immigration, Customs, and Agriculture. You must present yourself to a CBP officer and receive permission both to enter and to engage in your proposed activity. CBP offers digital tools to manage admission records and departure compliance:

• Form I-94 arrival record: International travelers can apply for a provisional I-94 or retrieve their I-94 or I-95 admission record (proof of legal visitor status) and limited arrival and departure history on cbp.gov.
• Verify My Exit (VME): Non-U.S. citizen travelers can use CBP's mobile VME capability to biometrically record their departure from the United States.
• Trusted Traveler Programs: Pre-approved travelers speed up port-of-entry processing through Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, SENTRI, NEXUS, and FAST.
• Other CBP pre-travel tools: Depending on nationality and admissibility history, CBP also administers the Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS), Electronic Secured Adjudication Forms Environment (e-SAFE), and Form I-192 for advance nonimmigrant entry permission.

2025 and 2026 vetting updates: commercial drivers and USCIS photo rules

On April 28, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14286 directing federal agencies to ensure commercial motor vehicle operators are qualified and proficient in English. Under Department of Labor guidance, employers seeking permanent or temporary labor certification for commercial motor vehicle roles must include an English proficiency standard. Where DHS rules require proof of labor certification standards, petitioners (plus E-2 commercial driving applicants) must submit proof of a passed standardized English exam or a signed petitioner attestation.

The Department of State also expanded consular screening to verify English proficiency for commercial motor vehicle visa applicants. Under Department of Labor guidance effective June 15, 2026, USCIS generally accepts a visa issued after June 15, 2026 for a commercial driving role as proof of English proficiency.

Separately, USCIS's November 20, 2025 student and employment guidance reminds applicants that all USCIS photos must be unmounted and unretouched, meaning zero digital editing or enhancement. Submitting mounted or retouched images delays processing and may prompt USCIS to require an in-person identity check at an Applicant Support Center.

Questions consular and CBP officers ask and how to prepare

At both the embassy interview window and the port-of-entry booth, officers check whether your plans match the legal limits of your visa class or ESTA authorization. Prepare exact facts and records for these four core questions:

• What is the purpose of your trip and planned activity? Officers confirm that business or tourist visitors will not take unauthorized U.S. jobs and that your dates, host, and visa class match your forms.
• Did your employer get USCIS petition approval, and what are your duties? Petition-based workers in H, L, O, P, or R classes should know their approved role, and commercial vehicle drivers without a post-June 15, 2026 visa should carry English exam or employer attestation proof.
• How will you support yourself during your entire course of study, and where do you live abroad? F-1 and M-1 students must show SEVP school enrollment, full-program funds without unauthorized work, and an unabandoned home residence.
• Do you understand your work and stay limits? Officers verify that students know off-campus work is barred in year one and that dependents know whether their Form I-94 allows work (E-1S, E-2S, E-3S, or L-2S) or restricts it.

A 6-step US visa preparation checklist before you book flights

Use this 6-step checklist from our team, built from USCIS, Department of State, and CBP procedures, before booking travel:

• Step 1: Confirm petition rules first. Check whether your work or immigrant path requires an approved USCIS petition first, or qualifies for E-1, E-2, E-3, TN, ESTA, or student processing.
• Step 2: Clear special category rules early. Confirm SEVP school approval and full-program student funding, or gather English proficiency proof for commercial driving roles.
• Step 3: Check USCIS photo rules. Submit only unmounted, completely unretouched photos so you avoid delays or an Applicant Support Center appearance.
• Step 4: Complete consular portal steps. Follow your local U.S. embassy's instructions, pay required visa fees, and submit your application through its designated Department of State service.
• Step 5: Align spoken answers with your forms. Review your petition, funding numbers, and foreign residence details before your interview.
• Step 6: Check Form I-94 after arrival. Retrieve your Form I-94 on cbp.gov right after entry to confirm your admission class and track timely departure.

Practice example

How will you fund your studies in the United States, and where will you live after you finish your program?

Start by stating the cost of your academic or vocational program and naming the exact funding sources that cover your entire proposed course of study, since USCIS student rules require sufficient self-support funds across the full program without unauthorized work. Keep your SEVP-certified school paperwork and financial records organized so you can state exact figures calmly if asked. Never suggest covering first-year costs with off-campus jobs, because F-1 students cannot work off campus during their first academic year and M-1 students can only undertake practical training after completing studies. Next, name the residence you maintain outside the United States and explain the concrete career, family, or academic plan waiting for you there after graduation. Keep both parts brief, factual, and consistent with your forms.

F-1 and M-1 eligibility requires proving both sufficient self-support funds for your entire course of study and a foreign residence that you have no intention of giving up. Addressing full-program funding and return plans with concrete facts directly answers what the officer checks.

This is interview practice, not legal advice. For questions about your own case, talk to an immigration attorney. Visaful is not affiliated with the U.S. government or the Department of State.