Let’s start this article with a concise definition of what a Visa is. Simply put, a visa is permission to enter a country. It is an endorsement certificate that is issued or stamp marked on a passport to show that the holder of said passport is allowed to enter, leave or stay for a defined time in a country. It is issued by the immigration authorities of a country after an applicant’s credentials must have been verified and met all the requirements set.
As the title of the article implies, this article will give an overview of the different types of United States visas. You should also note that this article is NOT an breakdown of the US immigration law. It is simply an outline of the type of US visas and what each of them means.
People usually ask how many different types of visas are there? The answer to that question would be Two.
There are two major categories of US Visas; Immigrant Visas and Non-Immigrant Visas. Every other type falls other this two categories.
Let’s start with immigrant visas…
An immigrant visa is authorization to relocate or immigrate permanently to the United States. This is the visa most people refer to as Green Card. Holders of this type of Visa are called Legal Permanent Residents (LPRs), it is crucial step to legally becoming a citizen of the United States. The visa can be gotten through family, employment, investments, or other special conditions.
A Green Card (also called a 1-551) provides gives you permission to live and work in the United States, take out loans, open a bank account, apply for a drivers license etc. A green card is renewable after ten years of issue. And seeing as it is one of the most crucial steps towards becoming a citizen of the United States, if you wish to apply for citizenship you must wait for at least 5 years from the date you received the green card. And if you travel outside the US and stay for more than six months, you would erase the counted time toward your eligibility to apply for citizenship. If you are married to a U.S citizen, the condition does not apply to you.
Read Also: US Visa Application: Basic Requirements and Guide
Here’s a list of the types of Immigrant Visas/ Permanent Residency Visas/ Green Cards.
- Family Sponsored Immigration Visas.
This is the type that is obtained when a family member or spouse who is already a U.S citizen submits a request or permission for it to be granted to their relative
- Employer Sponsored Immigrant Visas
Under this type of IV (Immigration Visa), there is the…
- EB-1 Visas for Foreign nationals of Extraordinary Ability, Outstanding Professors and Researchers and Multinational Executives and Manager. Individuals who fall into any of the mentioned categories have the privilege to petition for permanent residency without going through the usual cumbersome process of getting the visa.
- EB-2 Visas for Workers with Advanced Degrees or Outstanding Ability in the Sciences, Arts or in Business. For this type of IV, the applicant must have a job offer and the employer must for the certification. A labor certification process must also be completed. This means it must be proven that the said person would not be putting a United States Citizen out of work. And if it is proven that the applicants entry into the US is in national interest, the labor certification process would not be needed.
- EB-3 Visas for Skilled Workers and Professionals. Applicants for this kind of visa must also have a job offer and the employer must complete the labor certification process (already explained in EB-2 above).
- EB-4 Visas for Special Immigrant Visas for Religious Workers. This kind of visa is for ministers of religion. They are also eligible to apply for permanent residency.
- EB-5 Visas for Investor or Employment Creation Visas. This visa is for foreign investors who can create employment opportunities in the US.
- DV-1 Visas.
This is also known as the “Green Card Lottery”. Every year, 55000 visas are given out in a random drawing to individuals from countries that are not represented in the total immigrant pool.
Let’s go on to Non-Immigrant Visas (NIV’s)
- B-1/B-2 Visas for Tourists or Visitors .
This type of US visa is for people entering the US for tourism or business. They last for only a defined period of time which is usually 90 days. People that enter the United States with this visa are eligible to work there.
- E-1/E-2 Visas for Treaty and Investors.
This is granted to investors and or traders and their employees to conduct their businesses in the US if their home country has an already existing commercial treaty with the US. The treaty makes them eligible for the Visa.
- F-1 and M-1 Visas for Students
This is for people who wish to study at a particular institution in the United States. They will be permitted to stay in the US for the full course of their study and for practical training in their field of study.
- H-1B Visas for Specialty Occupation or Professional Skilled Workers.
This type of US visa is for workers (with a minimum qualification of a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in work experience) who have job offers in the US. It could be professionally skilled workers like software developers or engineers.
- J-1 and Q-1 Exchange Visitor Visas
This is for people entering the US on an exchange program. They are usually students, short-term scholars, business trainees, teachers, professors, specialists, international visitors, professional journalists, media workers etc. Or people visiting on a cultural exchange program.
- K-1 Fiance (e) Visas.
This type of US visa is for persons engaged to be married to a US citizen. It gives them certification to enter and stay in the US for a length of time.
- L-1 Intracompany Transfer Visas
This type of US visa for workers like executives, managers and specialist employees that are transferring to the US branch of their work. They are also eligible to apply for an immigrant visa.
- O-1 Extraordinary Ability Worker Visas
This type of US visa is for people with extraordinary ability in entertainment, athletics, science or business.
- P-1 Visa for Artists and Athletes Visas
This is for artists, athletes or entertainers who may be visiting the US for a tournament, competition or concert.
- R-1 Visa for Religious Workers
As the name implies, this type of US visa is for religious workers.
- TC and TN NAFTA and US-Canada Free Trade Agreement Visas.
This is a special visa category set up for citizens of Canada and Mexico by the provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement and the U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement.
Read Also : 10 Common Visa Interview Questions Nigerians Must Know
Other special circumstances…
Some special circumstances can also warrant entry into the US. They are:
Refugee and Asylum seekers. People can seek protection from persecution for their race, membership of a social group, political opinion, religion or nationality in the United States.
Temporary Protected Status
This is granted to people from countries that are considered unsafe. It allows individuals to star in the US for a length of time. But it does not lead to getting an immigrant visa.
TN Status
This provision gives Mexican and Canadian workers that fall into a certain category direct entry into the US. All they have to do is present the required documents.
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