When you plan to come to the United States of America, one of the first legal processes you experience will likely be securing a visa for your travel. Visas allow you to legally remain in the U.S. either temporarily or on a semi-permanent basis. The issue is that there are so many types of visas, it can be difficult to understand which one is best for your purposes.
Visas can largely be broken down into two categories: immigrant visas are intended for semi-permanent residency in the U.S. with the expectation that the applicant will eventually upgrade to a green card before pursuing naturalized citizenship. On the other hand, non-immigrant visas offer a temporary stay in the U.S. for activities such as travel or education.
El Camino Inmigracion offers legal help for all of the immigration needs of people wishing to come to the U.S. We understand the variety of visas that are available to applicants, and we want to dispel some of the confusion about what types are out there and how they are used.
Read on to discover which visa might be most applicable for your journey to the United States.
Immigrant Visas
If you intend to live and work in the U.S. and you eventually want to pursue a green card or naturalized citizenship, you will want to apply for one of several types of immigrant visas. In order to obtain this type of visa, you will likely require sponsorship from an American citizen who is a family member or employer.
Though there are several categories of immigrant visas, they can largely be broken down into the following types:
- Marriage And Fiance Visas: If you are engaged or married to a U.S. citizen, you can apply for a marriage visa or fiance visa. A fiance visa is known as a K-1 visa, whereas a spouse can apply for an IR1 or CR1 visa depending on how long you have been married. In order to apply for these visas, you will need the sponsorship of your spouse, and you must be able to prove your marriage within a certain timeframe. After you receive your visa, you will be able to take the steps required to upgrade to a green card.
- Family Visas: If you are a family member of an American citizen or a lawful permanent resident (a resident with a green card), they can sponsor your immigration to the U.S. with one of several visas within the category of family visas. The type of visa you want to pursue will depend on your age and the type of relation you have with your citizen sponsor. You can also attain a visa for the adopted member of your family if you are bringing over a foreign child.
- Employment Visas: There are several types of employment that would make you eligible for one of the many immigrant visas that cover employment. To obtain a visa of this type, you will typically need sponsorship from your employer. There are employment visas that cover priority workers (people with extraordinary abilities or outstanding professors or researchers, etc), professionals with advanced degrees, religious workers, Iraqi and Afghan translators working on behalf of the government, and more. Your employment visa will depend largely on the kind of work for which you are immigrating.
Non-Immigrant Visas
Non-immigrant visas can be issued for a variety of reasons. They are typically capped at six months, at which point the holder must apply to renew the visa or return to their home country. Though there are far more types of non-immigrant visas than immigrant visas, they can largely be grouped into the following categories:
- Temporary Employment Visas: Though there are immigrant employment visas, there are some that allow you to enter the U.S. to work in a temporary capacity. Some types of employment that might warrant a non-immigrant visa include engagements as an au pair, performer, athlete, diplomat, business visitor, military personnel, media journalist, physician, scholar or professor, agricultural worker, and so on.
- Tourism Visas: If you are visiting the U.S. for an extended period of time, you could apply for a tourist B-2 visa. This type of visa can also be relevant to you if you are seeking medical treatment in the U.S.
- Student Visas: If you are coming to the U.S. in order to further your education, you can apply for an M visa if you are coming here for vocational school or an F visa if you are coming over for high school, university, or other type of education.
- Medical Visas: You will also need a non-immigrant visa if you are coming to the U.S. to pursue medical care. For this type of care, you would need to apply for a B-2 visa as you would if you were a tourist.
- Visas For Victims Of Criminal Activity Or Human Trafficking: Significantly, you can obtain a visa if you are a victim of criminal activity or human trafficking and you need immigration relief. If you are a victim of human trafficking, you can apply for a T visa, which will allow you to comply with the investigation into crimes committed against you. If you are a victim of criminal activity, you can apply for a U visa after turning certifying information over to law enforcement.
There are many types of visas even within these respective categories, so working closely with experienced immigration legal counsel will ensure that you are pursuing the correct visa, as well as that your application is clean and hits upon every requirement.
El Camino Inmigracion Can Help You Obtain The Visa Type You Need
With over 28 years of immigration legal experience, El Camino Inmigracion has the knowledge to help you apply for the visa that is most relevant to you, as well as help you with many other steps of the immigration process, including obtaining a green card, applying for asylum if you are seeking protection from persecution, or adjusting your status if you are at risk of deportation. Reach out to schedule a free case assessment with us and learn how our attorney can offer our assistance with pursuing your American dream.
