American Visas
A visa is a crucial travel document affixed to a passport. It grants the citizens of a foreign country the permission to enter America, or the US, for various purposes such as a business trip, vacation/leisure, or studies. Although there are numerous types of the American Visas up-for-grabs, let us discuss the most common ones!
Nonimmigrant Visas
The application process for the non-immigrant visas begins by filling and submitting an online form, called the DS-160. After submission of the form, the applicants must schedule an interview with the nearest US embassy or consulate.
There are over 20 types of nonimmigrant visas. The five most common ones are:
B-1/B-2: These are for the travelers visiting the country for business (B-1), vacation (B-2), or both.
F-1/M-2: This is for the students visiting the nation to study, attend college or any type of academic institution or seminar, etc.
J-1: This visa is issued to the participants participating in any private sector cultural exchange programme. These are issued to scholars, teachers, professional trainees/interns, and seasonal workers, etc.
C-1/D: This is a combination of the crew member/transit visa issued to the employees of cruise ships or airlines whose jobs involve continuous travel to the popular destination.
H-1B: This is issued to the highly skilled professionals in fields, such as medicine, technology, engineering, and higher education. There are three subcategories of H-1B visas: H-1B1, H-1B2, and H-1B3.
Immigrant Visas
The application process for the Immigrant Visas begins with a petition, which must be approved by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Upon approval of the petition, the applicant pays a fees and files paperwork. Next, an interview is scheduled at the nearest US embassy or consulate.
The main categories of immigrant visas are:
Immediate Relatives
IR-1/CR-1: These are issued to spouses. An immigrant who has been married to a US citizen for less than 2 years is a conditional resident with a CR-1 Visa.
IR-2/CR-2: It is issued to the unmarried children of the US citizens under the age of 21 years.
IR-3: It is issued to orphans adopted abroad by the American citizens.
IR-4: This visa is for the orphans who are brought to the US and the adoption process is conducted domestically.
IR-5: It is offered to the parents of American citizens who are 21 or older.
Family Sponsored Preference
These are issued to individuals who have distant family connections to American citizens or are relatives of individuals who are Lawful Permanent Residents (Green Card holders).
F1: It is issued to the unmarried sons or daughters of the American citizens and their children under the age of 18.
F2: This visa is for the spouses, minor children, and unmarried sons and daughters who are 21 years and Green Card holders.
F3: It is for the married sons and daughters of American citizens and their spouses. It is also issued to the grandchildren of US citizens who are under the age of 18.
F4: This visa is for the siblings, spouses or minor children of adult US citizens.
Diversity Immigrants
These visas are issued to individuals who live in countries with low rates of immigration to America. Diversity Visas are granted via a lottery system. The nations eligible for the visas are grouped into six regions, but an individual who lives in a place not eligible, may qualify for the lottery if his or her spouse was born in one of the eligible nations.
Employment-Based Preference
Potential employer files for an Immigrant Petition on behalf of the candidate or an applicant who does not have a specific job offer may file a petition on his or her own behalf.
Special Immigrants
These American Visas are issued to several subgroups, including Afghans or Iraqis who have worked on behalf of the government, Iraqi and Afghani translators, and Green Card holders who are returning to America after spending a year or longer abroad.
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