The Houston Guide to Immigration Visas
The United States maintains the most strict visa policies in the world. Anyone looking to go to the country either temporarily or permanently usually has to first navigate through the long and challenging visa process first before they become legally allowed into the United States. The process requires one to be keen when filling the numerous forms, provide all the required documents necessary and be patient. Here is a guide on the various immigration visa by RunRex to help you get a better understanding of the visa process.
There are two main visa categories; the permanent visas and the temporary visa.
Permanent Visas
These are visas that grant one legal permanent residence in the United States. The permits in this category include:
Employment-based Immigration Visa
About 140,000 employment-based visas are usually made available every fiscal year. Employment-based visas offer the best chance for applicants to get to the United States since it allows an employer to move the applicant to an office or a job position in the United States. Additionally, having an employment-based visa means that even your spouse and your children can accompany you to the U.S.
Your employer is the one who kicks off the process by filing Form I-140 – the Immigration Petition for Alien Worker – and obtaining a labor certification, if required, from the United States Department of Labor. The five categories of workers are:
• Priority workers: These are persons who possess extraordinary ability, professors who are outstanding in their field, researchers and multinational executives and managers.
• People with exceptional skills.
• Professionals, skilled workers, and unskilled workers.
• Broadcasters, Religion Ministers, and interpreters from Afghan and Iraqi.
• Immigrant Investors.
Family-based Immigration Visas
These are visa that allows a lawfully permanent resident of a foreign country or a naturalized citizen to bring their family members to stay with them in the United States. If you are the one who wants to go to the United States using a family-based visa, then you must have a close family relative who is already a legally residing resident of the United States to act as your sponsor. The U.S government usually takes the aspect of relationships quite seriously. An important thing to note about the family-based immigrant visas is that uncles, aunts, cousins, and in-laws are not regarded as immediate family members hence cannot act as sponsors.
The relative sponsor will start the process by filing form I-130 which is a petition for Alien Relative. Other documentation that shows the legitimacy of your relationship and the ability of the sponsor to support you in the U.S will be required. The process is long and can last for months and even years.
Diversity Visa
It is a visa that enables immigrants from particular countries to get into the U.S. There are 55,000 visas availed annually, and the individuals are usually selected randomly.
Temporary Visas
Student Visa
These are visa granted to students who want to undertake their higher education from educational institutions in the United States. One has to have the intention of going back to their country upon completion of studies. To qualify, a student must have applied and accepted in a higher learning institution. The visa is usually granted after one has been accepted hence one needs to receive an admission confirmation first before applying.
Business Travelers
If you are a business person looking to visit the United States temporarily for business purposes, you need to obtain a B-1 visa to gain entry into the United States.
Tourists and temporary visitors
If you want to visit the United States as a tourist for some days or weeks, you have to apply for a B-2 visa. The visa does not allow you to study or conduct business while in the United States. Violation of these terms could result in you being deported and denied entry into the United States in future. The B2 visa is, also, for persons going to the United States for purposes of receiving treatment. In case the procedure goes beyond the validity period of the permit, one can file for an extension.
Temporary workers
If you are going to the United States temporarily for employment purposes, you will need to have a brief worker visa. The visa in this category include:
H-1B visa: This is a visa category for persons with specialty occupation in a company based in the United States.
H-2B visa: This visa category is for temporary non-agricultural workers – persons going for a seasonal or temporary non-agricultural work.
H-3 visa: The H-3 visa is for a Special Education visitor or a trainer for an activity that is not available in the trainee’s country of origin.
L visa: This is a visa category to apply for in case a company want to do staff transfers. The person being transferred has to have exceptional skills or knowledge.
Q-1 visa: This visa category is for persons who are taking part in an International Cultural Exchange Program.
Please acquire the services of an immigration attorney to help you through the application.