A G-4 visa is a nonimmigrant visa for people employed by designated international organizations in the United States, such as the United Nations, the World Bank, or the International Monetary Fund, along with their immediate family members. It has no fixed expiration date: holders remain in status for the duration of their employment, and dependents can live, study, and apply for separate work authorization while they are here.
Which Organizations Qualify
Not every international body counts. Under the International Organizations Immunities Act, the President designates specific organizations by Executive Order, and the organization must be a public international body in which the United States participates under a treaty or an act of Congress.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 22 U.S. Code 288 – International Organization Defined; Authority of President The President can also revoke a designation if an organization abuses its privileges.
Designated institutions include the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Asian Development Bank, the African Development Bank, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the European Central Bank, among others. If your prospective employer is not on the designated list, a different visa category applies.
Who Is Eligible
The principal applicant must hold an appointment at a designated international organization in the United States.2U.S. Department of State. Visas for Employees of International Organizations and NATO The appointment drives everything. Without it, no one in the family can obtain G-4 status.
Spouse and Children
The principal’s spouse and unmarried children qualify for derivative G-4 visas. Children must be under 21, or under 23 if enrolled full-time at a post-secondary school.2U.S. Department of State. Visas for Employees of International Organizations and NATO Dependents must reside regularly in the principal’s household and not belong to another household.
Parents and Parents-in-Law
Some organizations facilitate G-4 visas for a staff member’s parent or parent-in-law, but the requirements are stricter and set by the sponsoring organization rather than by immigration law. At the World Bank, for instance, the sponsor must provide more than 50 percent of the parent’s total financial support, the parent must intend to live permanently in the sponsor’s household, and the parent’s gross worldwide income must fall below roughly $10,700 per year. Thresholds vary from one institution to another.
How to Apply
The process starts with the sponsoring organization, which sends a request to the appropriate U.S. consular office on the applicant’s behalf.
Documents to Prepare
- Form DS-160, the Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, completed electronically, with the confirmation page printed for submission.2U.S. Department of State. Visas for Employees of International Organizations and NATO
- A passport valid for at least six months beyond your intended stay, unless a country-specific agreement provides an exemption.2U.S. Department of State. Visas for Employees of International Organizations and NATO
- Employment documentation, such as an offer letter or assignment details showing your position and expected duration.
- Proof of family relationships for any dependents, including marriage and birth certificates.
- A recent photograph taken within the last six months, meeting State Department requirements.
No Application Fee
G-4 applicants are exempt from the standard nonimmigrant visa application processing fee (the MRV fee), and the exemption covers the principal and qualifying dependents.3Travel.State.Gov. Fees for Visa Services
Interview Waiver
As of October 1, 2025, G-4 applicants are among the categories eligible for an interview waiver at U.S. embassies and consulates.4U.S. Department of State. Interview Waiver Update September 18, 2025 To qualify, you generally must apply in your country of nationality or usual residence, have no prior visa refusals, and have no apparent ineligibility. A consular officer can still require an in-person interview case by case. If interviewed, expect questions about your employment, background, and plans in the United States.
Renewing a G-4 Visa Inside the United States
G-4 holders already in the U.S. who need to renew before traveling use Form DS-1648, the Online Application for A, G, and NATO Visas, not the DS-160.5U.S. Department of State. Renewing A, G, and NATO Visas in the United States The DS-1648 confirmation page must bear your embassy, mission, or organization seal.
Applications go to the State Department’s Diplomatic Liaison Division. You can mail the package (passport, most recent I-94 record, sealed DS-1648 confirmation, a recent photo, and a prepaid return envelope) to the Division in Washington, D.C. Applicants in New York may also submit in person at the Office of Foreign Missions on designated days. To be eligible, you must be registered with the Office of Foreign Missions or with the United Nations and reside within the metropolitan area of your place of employment.5U.S. Department of State. Renewing A, G, and NATO Visas in the United States
Work Authorization for Dependents
The principal’s authorization is tied to their appointment at the international organization. Spouses and qualifying unmarried children are not automatically authorized to work, but they can apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).
The process requires two forms filed together: Form I-566 (Interagency Record of Request) and Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization).6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Interagency Record of Request – A, G, or NATO Dependent Employment Authorization Each dependent files separately. If the request is favorably endorsed, the Department of State or U.S. Mission to the UN forwards the package to USCIS, which issues the EAD if approved.
Work authorization can only be requested after the dependent has an active G-4 visa and the principal has started work. An approved EAD is typically valid for three years and can be renewed for as long as the dependent maintains G-4 status. Dependents working under an EAD are not limited to international organizations and may work for any U.S. employer. Their wages, unlike the principal’s official wages, are subject to Social Security and Medicare withholding.7Internal Revenue Service. Aliens Employed in the U.S. – Social Security Taxes
Taxes at a Glance
G-4 holders are generally classified as nonresident aliens for federal income tax purposes. Days spent in the U.S. under a G visa do not count toward the substantial presence test, which is the main way most foreign nationals become resident aliens for tax purposes.8Internal Revenue Service. Topic No. 851, Resident and Nonresident Aliens Nonresident aliens file Form 1040-NR rather than the standard Form 1040, and each spouse or dependent with a filing obligation files separately; joint filing is not available.9Internal Revenue Service. About Form 1040-NR, U.S. Nonresident Alien Income Tax Return
Employees of international organizations holding G visas are exempt from Social Security and Medicare taxes on wages paid for services performed in their official capacity.7Internal Revenue Service. Aliens Employed in the U.S. – Social Security Taxes The exemption applies only to the principal’s work at the organization. State and local income tax treatment varies by jurisdiction, and the details are worth confirming with a tax professional familiar with international organization employees.
Keeping G-4 Status
Your I-94 record is stamped “D/S” (Duration of Status), meaning there is no fixed end date; you remain in status as long as you are employed by the sponsoring organization.10U.S. Customs and Border Protection. I-94/I-95 Frequently Asked Questions That open-ended authorization is a real advantage, but the status is directly tied to the job.
Most noncitizens must file Form AR-11 with USCIS within 10 days of moving. G-4 holders are specifically exempt from this requirement.11U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Alien’s Change of Address Card Your organization may still expect internal reporting.
When Employment Ends
If the principal’s appointment ends, G-4 status ends for the whole family. There is no automatic 30- or 60-day grace period built into G-4 status. A local USCIS Director may grant a 30-day “Satisfactory Departure” period, but only under limited, extreme, or emergency circumstances.10U.S. Customs and Border Protection. I-94/I-95 Frequently Asked Questions If you know an assignment is winding down, plan departure or a change of status early rather than counting on extra time.
When Children Age Out
Unmarried children lose derivative G-4 eligibility at 21, or at 23 if enrolled full-time at a post-secondary institution. Once a child ages out, they must change to another status such as F-1, or, if eligible, pursue adjustment of status. Children who have lived in the United States for at least seven years between the ages of 5 and 21 may be able to adjust to permanent residence before their 25th birthday through the special immigrant pathway below.12U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Chapter 6 – Certain G-4 or NATO-6 Employees and their Family Members
Path to a Green Card
Long-serving G-4 employees and their family members can adjust to lawful permanent resident status through the fourth-preference employment-based (EB-4) special immigrant category. The residence and physical presence requirements are stricter than most people expect, and the applicant must have maintained G-4 status throughout the qualifying period.12U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Chapter 6 – Certain G-4 or NATO-6 Employees and their Family Members
- Retired employees must have resided in the U.S. for 15 years before retirement, been physically present for at least half of the seven years before the application, and filed Form I-360 no later than six months after retirement.
- Surviving spouses must have resided in the U.S. for 15 years before the employee’s death, met the same physical presence threshold, and filed within six months of the spouse’s death.
- Unmarried sons and daughters must have resided in the U.S. for seven years between the ages of 5 and 21, met the physical presence requirement, and filed before turning 25. Time spent outside the U.S. to attend school does not count toward physical presence.12U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Chapter 6 – Certain G-4 or NATO-6 Employees and their Family Members
The application typically requires Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status), Form I-360 (Petition for Special Immigrant), Form I-566 (Interagency Record of Request), Form I-508 (Request for Waiver of Certain Rights, Privileges, Exemptions, and Immunities), and Form I-693 (Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record), along with copies of every page of your passport and documentation showing maintained G-4 status and satisfied residence and presence requirements.
One boundary worth noting: Section 13 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which provides a green card pathway for certain diplomats who can no longer return home, applies only to A-1, A-2, G-1, and G-2 holders, not to G-4 holders.13U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Section 13 (Diplomat) For G-4 holders, the EB-4 special immigrant route is the primary path.
Sponsoring a Domestic Employee
G-4 holders can sponsor personal domestic employees, such as housekeepers, nannies, cooks, or caregivers, for G-5 visas. The sponsoring staff member must generally have at least one year remaining on their headquarters assignment, and the prospective employee cannot be related by blood, adoption, or marriage. The employee must be at least 18, have relevant experience, and demonstrate ties to their home country indicating they will return when the contract ends.
G-5 employment carries strict payroll requirements. Cash payments are not accepted, employers must use a designated payroll provider, and pay must meet at least the highest applicable wage for the area of residence. All G-5 visas, whether for new hires or transfers, must be requested at a U.S. embassy outside the United States.