B-1 / B-2
Visitor visa (Business and Tourism)
Short visits to the U.S. for tourism, family, business meetings, or medical treatment.
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The U.S. has more than 20 nonimmigrant visa categories, and the wrong choice can mean a refusal or months of wasted wait time. This 2-minute quiz walks you through the same logic the State Department uses and recommends the right category for your situation. Built for Indian applicants.
What is the primary purpose of your trip to the U.S.?
Pick the closest match. We will ask a follow-up if needed to refine the recommendation.
Every U.S. nonimmigrant visa class, organised by purpose. Tap any class to read the full guide for Indian applicants. Requirements, documents, fees, typical validity, and common pitfalls at the interview.
Student visa (Academic)
Full-time academic study at a SEVIS-approved U.S. school, college, or university.
Student visa (Vocational)
Vocational or non-academic study (e.g. flight school, technical training).
Specialty Occupation worker
Sponsored employment in a specialty occupation requiring a bachelor's degree or higher.
Intra-company Transferee
Transfer from your Indian employer's office to its U.S. office (same company group).
Extraordinary Ability
Top-of-field individuals (sciences, arts, education, business, athletics) with sustained acclaim.
Athletes, Entertainers, Performers
Internationally recognised athletes, entertainment groups, and culturally unique performers.
Temporary Agricultural Worker
Seasonal U.S. agricultural employment.
Temporary Non-Agricultural Worker
Seasonal non-agricultural jobs (hospitality, landscaping, etc.).
Trainee or Special Education Visitor
Training in a U.S. company that's not available in your home country.
Religious Worker
Ministers and religious workers employed by a U.S. religious organisation.
Treaty Trader / Investor
Substantial trade or investment between U.S. and your country.
Australian Specialty Worker
Australian citizens only — specialty occupation work, similar to H-1B.
Transit visa
Travelling through the U.S. en route to another country (no stop except for transit).
Crewmember visa
Service on a sea vessel or international airline operating in the U.S.
Combined Transit + Crew
Combination visa for crew members transiting the U.S. to join a vessel.
Foreign Media Representative
Journalists, media representatives, film crews on assignment.
Diplomatic and Official
Foreign government, international organisation, and NATO personnel.
Victims of Trafficking and Crime
Protection visas for victims of human trafficking (T) or qualifying U.S. crimes (U).
Three rules cover almost every choice:
The most common U.S. visa for Indians is the B-1/B-2 visitor visa, used for tourism, family visits, business meetings, and medical travel. After that, F-1 (student) and H-1B (work) make up the bulk of Indian visa applications.
B-1 is for business activity that does not involve U.S. employment (meetings, conferences, training, contract negotiation). B-2 is for tourism, family visits, and medical treatment. Indian applicants are almost always issued the combined B-1/B-2 visa, which covers both purposes.
F-1 is for full-time academic study at a SEVIS-approved school, college, or university. This covers most Indian master's, PhD, and undergraduate students. J-1 is for government-designated exchange programs: research scholars, medical residents, interns, and au pairs. If you're enrolling in a U.S. degree program, you almost certainly want F-1.
H-1B is for specialty-occupation employment with any U.S. employer that sponsors you (lottery-based, requires bachelor's degree). L-1 is for being transferred from your current Indian employer to its U.S. office, branch, parent, or affiliate. L-1 doesn't have a lottery but requires an established relationship between the Indian and U.S. entities.
Yes, for B-1/B-2 (visitor), C-1 (transit), and certain other categories. Most other visa classes (F-1, J-1, H-1B, L-1, O-1, K-1, etc.) require sponsorship from a U.S. school, employer, exchange program, or U.S. citizen.
Wait times in India are currently among the longest in the world for B-1/B-2 (often more than 6 months at major posts). F-1 and H-1B waits are usually shorter (1-4 months). Petition-based visas have additional pre-application processing time at USCIS. Check our wait-times tool for live data on each consulate.
E-1 and E-2 (treaty trader / investor) are not available to Indian citizens because India does not have a qualifying treaty with the U.S. E-3 is reserved for Australian citizens. H-2A and H-2B are theoretically available but India is generally not on the eligible-country lists.
Use the wizard above. It walks you through the U.S. State Department's visa-class hierarchy by purpose, then refines based on your specific situation. If your case is genuinely unusual (e.g., dual purposes, prior immigration history, complex employment), consult a qualified U.S. immigration attorney before applying.
Dependent visas allow spouses and unmarried children under 21 to accompany or join a primary visa holder. The dependent class matches the primary's class: F-2 for F-1, H-4 for H-1B, L-2 for L-1, J-2 for J-1. Some (H-4 with EAD, L-2, J-2) can apply for work authorisation; F-2 cannot work or study full-time.
As of October 2025, DropBox is only available for B-1/B-2 renewals, H-2A renewals, diplomatic categories, and Mexican Border Crossing Cards. F-1, H-1B, H-4, L-1, L-2, J-1, O-1, P, E-1, and E-2 were removed from the program. Use our DropBox eligibility checker for the full rules.
Once you know your visa
Picking the right visa class is step one. The interview itself decides whether the visa is issued. Practise your category-specific questions in a realistic setting before your appointment.
Sources. U.S. State Department: All visa categories, U.S. Embassy India visa information. This tool is informational, not legal advice. visainterview.in is not affiliated with the U.S. Government.
visainterview.in is an independent preparation platform. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or any agency of the U.S. Government. Practice sessions are provided for preparation purposes only and do not guarantee a visa outcome.
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