b395bcc8_EWU___Glossary_of_Terms__Definition
[Term or Acronym] Visa [Definition] 
If you are a citizen of a foreign country, in most cases you'll need a visa to apply to enter the United States. A visa doesn't permit entry to the United States. A visa simply indicates that a U.S. consular officer at an American embassy or consulate reviewed your application and determined that you are eligible to enter the country for a specific purpose. Consular affairs are the responsibility of the DoS. A visa allows you to travel to the United States as far as the POE. Only the immigration officer has the authority to permit you to enter the United States. (For more information on what to expect at the POE see http://www.ice.gov/doclib/news/library/factsheets/pdf/POEFactSheetUpdate_063004.pdf ) There are two categories of U.S. visas: immigrant and nonimmigrant. Immigrant visas are for people who intend to live permanently in the U.S. Nonimmigrant visas are for people with permanent residence outside the U.S. but who wish to be in the U.S. on a temporary basis for tourism, business, temporary work, study, or medical treatment.
EWU | Glossary of Terms
Definition