Ambassador, Diplomat or Minister Visas

The A-1 visa is issued to diplomatic personnel.  Included in this classification are public ministers, career diplomatic officers or consular officers, ambassadors and members of their immediate families.  A-1 visa holders usually are foreign government officials coming to the U.S. to perform official duties for their governments. Application is made by submitting Form DS-156 to the U.S. Consular office where you reside.

Who is included in a Diplomatic visa?

Dependents of an A-1 visa include the following: members of the immediate family who reside in your household:

• Spouse;
• Unmarried children under 21; 
• Unmarried sons or daughters under  23 who are full time students at post secondary educational institutions;
• Unmarried sons or daughters who are mentally or physically disabled and cannot adequately take care of themselves and cannot establish and maintain their own households;
• Unmarried sons or daughters under 25 who are full time students at post-secondary educational institutions if a formal bilateral employment agreement permitting their employment in the U.S. was signed prior to November 21, 1998, and such bilateral employment agreement does not specify  23 as the maximum age for employment of such sons and daughters.

Can A-1 dependents be employed?

Spouses and dependent unmarried children of an A-1 visa holder may be employed in the U.S. if they first submit Form I-566 to the Department of State along with:

• A statement by the diplomatic mission certifying the relationship and that the principal A-1
• Visa holder’s assignment will last more than 6 months, and
• A statement from the employer describing the job, salary and that the applicant has the necessary qualifications for the job.

If the following requirements are met, the Department of State and the INS District in Washington D.C. will approve the application:
The principal alien and the applicant are maintaining A-1 or A-2 status;

• The proposed employment is not on the Department of Labor’s Schedule B;
  
• Reciprocal benefits are given by the diplomat’s country to family members of U.S. diplomats in that country, and;
• The proposed employment would not be contrary to the interests of the U.S.

Permission to accept employment is given for up to three year increments.

  

How long is the A-1 visa valid?

The principal A-1 and his or her family that holds A-1 classification are admitted to the U.S. without a time limitation and without the need to apply for an extension of stay, as long as the Secretary of State continues to recognize them as members of the diplomatic category.

The A-2 Visa is issued to foreign government personnel, officials and their immediate families.  Government personnel and officials in the A-2 classification are those not included in the A-1 classification such as full time employees of foreign diplomatic missions or consular posts and aliens coming to perform duties and services for their governments in the U.S. Application may be made by submitting Form DS-156 to the U.S. Consular office where you reside.  The consular office may require additional documents to verify the purpose for obtaining your visa.

Who is included in the A-2 visa?

Dependents of an A-2 visa include the following members of the immediate family who reside in the same household as the principal alien:  

• spouse;
• unmarried children under the age of 21;
• unmarried sons or daughter under the age of 23 who are full time students at a post-secondary educational institution;
• unmarried sons or daughters under the age of 25 who are full time students at post secondary educational institutions if a formal bilateral employment agreement permitting their employment in the U.S. was signed prior to November 21, 1998, and such bilateral employment agreement does not specify 23 as the maximum age for employment for such sons and daughters.
• unmarried sons or daughters who are physically or mentally disabled to the extent that they cannot adequately take care of themselves and cannot establish and maintain their own households.

Can A-2 dependents be employed?

Spouses and dependent unmarried children of an A-2 visa holder may be employed in the U.S. by first submitting Form I-566 to the Department of State along with:

• a statement by the diplomatic mission certifying the relationship and that the principal A-1 visa holder’s assignment will last for more than 6 months, and;
• a statement from the employer describing the position, salary and certifying that the applicant has the necessary qualifications for the position. 

The Department of State and the INS District Director in Washington D.C. will approve the application if the following requirements are met:

• the principal alien and the applicant are maintaining A-2 status;
• the proposed employment is not on the Department of Labor’s Schedule B;
• reciprocal benefits are accorded by the diplomat’s country to family members of U.S. diplomats in that, country and;
• the proposed employment would not be contrary to the interests of the U.S.

Permission to accept employment is given for up to three year increments.

  

How long is the A-2 visa valid?

Who qualifies for an A-3 visa classification?

What are the requirements for an A-3 visa?

The government defines attendants, servants and personal employees of persons holding an A-1 or A-2 Visa as follows:

Attendants are: Persons paid by public funds of a foreign government (or international organization) that are accompanying or following to join and A-1 or A-2 holder and to whom a duty or service is owed. This may include members of the armed forces of the foreign country.

Servants and personal employees are: Persons employed in a personal or domestic capacity by a principal alien who are paid by the principal’s private funds.

Can A-3 dependents be employed?

How long is the A-3 visa valid?

• He/she intends to employ you; and
• A description of the type of work you will perform.