The first and the foremost thing to be kept in mind while planning to go to the US, is the Visa. US visa is the ticket which makes a person eligible; to request admission to the US at any US Port of Entry. Without a visa, it is impossible to enter the US. (There are specific exemptions to this).Applicants should know what visa to choose and when to file to it.
Types of US visa
People go to the US for various reasons – sightseeing, medical treatment, official duty, business trips, exchange programs, visiting relatives and friends, studies, work etc. Every category has a specific visa and applicants should be careful while determining this during the application process. The basic classification of US visa is immigrant and non-immigrant visa.
Immigrant Visa
This Visa is used by those who wish to move to the US on a permanent basis – to live and work in the US. In order to apply for an immigrant visa, the individual should be a foreign national. She/he should be sponsored by a US citizen relative or lawful permanent resident and be a beneficiary. Applicants can get information about the immigrant petitions from the USCIS website. Also employers can sponsor this type of US visa. The following are the major categories of US immigrant visa
• Family sponsored and Immediate Relatives – Immigrating as a family, Marrying a Foreign National , Spouse or Fiancé of U.S. Citizen, Spouse of Green Card Holder in US, Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) in U.S. , Adopting a Child.
• Employer Sponsored – Visas based on employment
• Special Immigrants – Visas based on employment - Iraqi or Afghan Translators/Interpreters, Working for/on behalf of the US Government and religious workers
Anybody applying in this category should first file in their immigrant petition with the UCSIS. Once this is approved, their petition will be transferred to the National Visa Centre (NVC) which will check the petition and arrive at a decision. Applicants will be required to submit their Affidavit of Support, Documents for proof, Medical exam information and appear for a personal interview at the US consulate. It is only after this that the decision on the immigrant petition will be taken.
Another option is the US Diversity Visa Program (DV Lottery Program) in which people from countries with low immigration rates are randomly chosen to apply for a US visa. This does not require a sponsor or a petition, but the individuals should have applied for this lottery in person to get selected. DV applicants will not be required to take the procedure mentioned for the other immigrant category.
Non-immigrant Visa
Foreign nationals intending to visit the US for brief or short trips should make use of this type of US visa. This visa is issued only for a limited time period and the individual should leave the country when it expires. Certain circumstances allow applicants to apply for an extension of non-immigrant visa. Even workers can get a US visa to work temporarily in the US.
Some of the visas in this category are B-1, B-2, Q, P etc.
Since this type of visa is temporary, applicants will have to go through the same process of filing in their application, every time they try to get a visa. This is irrespective of the fact that their visa is in valid status. Certain circumstances like visa renewals do not require the usual visa interviews.
Exemption from the US visa
Foreign nationals travelling to the US as a visitor can do so without a visa if they
• Belong to certain eligible countries under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP)
• Fulfill the other eligibility criteria
Citizens of Canada and Bermuda are also exempt from the visa requirement. There may be some exceptions to this also.
