THE ADA PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR INTERNATIONAL DENTISTS U.S. DENTAL LICENSURE AND TESTING REQUIREMENTS. 2 Admission to the United States . Immigration laws establish standards for admission to the United States. The basic standard is to obtain a visa. The type of visa required depends on one’s purpose for entering the country. The most basic difference in visa types is between immigrant and nonimmigrant. A nonimmigrant is a person who enters the U.S. for a specific purpose with the intention of returning to his or her home country when that purpose is completed. An immigrant is a person who enters the U.S. with the intention of remaining indefinitely or permanently. The visa classifications most likely . to be of interest to international dentists are: • Non-immigrant Academic Student • Non-immigrant H-1B Professional • Immigrant More specific information may be obtained from a United States embassy or consulate. Information also may be requested from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security at www.dhs.gov or 202.282.8000. Information concerning immigration classifications and requirements or refugee status is available at http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english.html and www.uscis.gov.