Reading and understanding your visa is something that you will want to do, after going through the immigration application process. The nonimmigrant visa has specific items on it that is important to ensure are correct. These include:

• Your name
• Your country, where your visa was issued
• Your date of birth
• Visa type class
• Your passport number
• Entrance , which if marked with an M, you can seek entry into the United States multiple times.
• Annotation, which may include additional information about your visa. As an example a student visa will have a SEVIS number and the name of the school.
• Expiration Date, this is the last date that you will be able to use the visa to seek entry into the United States. It does not determine the amount of time you will be permitted to stay in the U.S.

Visa Types

There are two main visas, the non-immigrant visa and the immigrant visa, with each having different classifications. The information will be somewhat singular on the actual visa and important to read over for accuracy. Having any wrong information, even a birth date should be corrected. Any mistakes could result in not being permitted to enter the United States with the visa. Once the visa has been issued, it is important to read it over immediately, in order to have any errors corrected, before traveling.
The information contained on the visa is a combination of personal information that was placed on the visa application, and the special codes used by the USCIS for the classification of the visa and other information that is determined by them. This information or codes used, will tell the port of entry immigration official what they will need to know, in determining the amount of time you are legally able to remain in the United States and the date you must leave the U.S.

The non-immigrant visa classifications are temporary types of visas and will require the individual to return to their country of origin within a specific amount of time. These are work, visitors, religious, student and medical types of classifications.

The immigration visa is one that will permit the individual to remain within the United States for an extended amount of time, or become a permanent resident. This is a type of visa holder, who can apply to become a naturalized citizen.

The person that has a non-immigration visa is not permitted to become a permanent resident, without returning to their home country for a specified period of time and then reapplying for an immigration visa. Normally, they will not be permitted to apply to become a permanent resident nor apply to become a naturalized citizen, while holding the non-immigrant visa.
Each of the visa classifications have rules and regulations that must be followed, in order to remain in the U.S. legally. The South Dakota immigration lawyer can explain the differences and the regulations, which apply.