
Full Answer
How long is a visa sponsorship valid for?
You can also apply for permanent citizenship after five years of your stay in the United States. On the other hand, if you have a non-immigrant visa, it would be valid for one year or three years, depending on the type of Visa. When the Visa sponsorship approaches the expiration date, the employer can again apply to the USCIS for an extension.
Do I need a sponsorship to work in the US?
Even within the US work visas, for very short seasonal work you might not need a sponsorship. But you must keep in mind that most employment offers in the US will need a visa sponsorship. The US visas have groups of nonimmigrant and immigrant visas. Below are the ones that need employment sponsorships.
Can a business sponsor a visa?
But sponsoring a visa may apply to businesses helping an individual obtain a temporary work visa (such H-1B) or an organization that administers a visitor visa (like J-1). Visa sponsorship is typically associated with a petition. The U.S.-based person or entity submits a petition on behalf of the foreign national.
How do I sponsor an immigrant for work in the US?
To sponsor an immigrant for work in the U.S., there are a number of steps required: Contrary to popular belief, Visa sponsorship is not exactly a letter. It refers to a set of documents that are submitted by the employer sponsoring the Visa to the US Government.

What is a sponsor visa?
These visas are temporary and must be renewed regularly. Visa sponsorship means an employer is willing to obtain a work visa for highly-qualified candidates who live outside the United States. It’s not a simple process for employers. They must prove that they were unable to fill their vacancies with qualified American workers for sponsoring a visa. When an organization sponsors an employment visa for a new employee, they help complete the application, prepare labor certification paperwork, and represent the petitioner for the visa.
What is visa sponsorship?
Visa sponsorship is typically associated with a petition. The U.S.-based person or entity submits a petition on behalf of the foreign national. Once approved, the foreign national is generally able to apply for the desired visa.
What does it mean to sponsor a visitor?
If a family member or friend is willing to sponsor the visitor, that means that the sponsor has agreed to cover the costs should the visitor no longer have the means to pay. It mitigates the possibility the visitor will become a public burden. To sponsor a visitor, the supporter prepares Form I-134, Affidavit of Support.
What is an immigrant visa?
Immigrant visas are for permanent immigration (green cards). But sponsoring a visa may apply to businesses helping an individual obtain a temporary work visa (such H-1B) or an organization that administers a visitor visa (like J-1).
How to sponsor an alien relative?
Both U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents may start the sponsorship process by filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. Although there are additional forms along the way, this is how the process begins.
How many people get a green card through a relative?
Family-based immigration is the most common way to obtain a green card. In fact, over 600,000 people get a green card through a relative each year. Visa sponsorship comes from the petitioning relative but can also come from other sponsors.
What is CitizenPath service?
Ready to start? CitizenPath’s service was designed by immigration attorneys to give you an affordable, reliable way to prepare the petition. You’ll have the ability to prepare Form I-130 from the comfort of your own home knowing that you did everything right. To learn more about pricing and the 100% money-back guarantee, view our I-130 Visa Petition Package.
How Long is the Sponsor visa USA valid?
Once you go to the US, you can start working. But if you have a nonimmigrant work visa, then its validity is temporary. This means that after some time, it will expire.
What is a US Visa Sponsorship?
The company you plan to work for must know that you are not a US citizen or Legal Permanent Resident (LPR). If the employer is aware and still wants to hire you, then they agree to sponsor you.
How Do I Get a Sponsor Letter for US Visa?
As explained, getting a sponsorship employment visa requires you to have an offer from a US employer. The US employer must send you a contract to sign, which will then be part of the sponsorship documents.
How much does the sponsor visa cost?
Especially to the US employer who has to pay most of the fees. Depending on the visa, it might cost up to a few thousand dollars to sponsor a foreign employee. Because it is so expensive, employers are reluctant to do it.
What is a nonimmigrant visa?
Nonimmigrant Visas Employment Sponsorship. US nonimmigrant visas are for temporary stays in the country. They are not Green Cards and do not give the right to their holders to become US citizens. There are many types of US nonimmigrant visas, but some of the most popular are the employment ones.
What does it mean to sponsor an employer?
If the employer is aware and still wants to hire you, then they agree to sponsor you. A US visa or employment sponsorship means that the employer in the US is hiring you. They are guaranteeing to the US visa authorities that you will be a legal working resident. The employer will state that you will work the job position they hired you for.
How long is a non-immigrant visa valid?
How long the nonimmigrant work visa is valid depends on the type of visa you have. Some like the H-1B visa are valid for 3 years, while others could only be valid for 1 year. So you must check the details of your visa to not overstay. When the time comes for your visa to expire, some can get extensions.
How long is a sponsor's licence valid?
Your sponsor licence will be valid for a period of 4 years, although you’ll be at risk of losing your licence if you do not meet your ongoing obligations as a sponsor, including:
How much money do you need to sponsor someone in UK?
Sponsoring someone to work for you in the UK can be costly. This can include a licence application fee of at least £1476, together with the cost of issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship for each migrant worker, typically £199.
What is a sponsor licence?
A sponsor license is essentially the permission needed for UK-based employers to recruit foreign migrants to work for them in the UK.
What are the sponsor licence eligibility requirements?
To be eligible for a sponsor licence, the Home Office must be satisfied that you are a genuine organisation operating lawfully in the UK. To prove this, you must provide certain mandatory documentation to demonstrate that your business is genuine, and that you have an operating or trading presence in the UK. You will also need to provide any additional documents as may be requested by the Home Office to help them decide your application.
What is the sponsor licence application process?
To apply for a sponsor licence, you will need to register your details with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and complete an online application form.
What are the ongoing obligations for sponsors?
Your sponsor licence will be valid for a period of 4 years, although you’ll be at risk of losing your licence if you do not meet your ongoing obligations as a sponsor, including:
How do you sponsor someone?
The process on how to sponsor someone can be complex, requiring a Home Office approved sponsor licence that will enable you to issue a valid Certificate of Sponsorship to a migrant worker who must then apply for a visa.
Prepare to file a Labor Condition Application
Ensure that the job description for your vacancy stipulates the need for the candidate to have (at minimum) a bachelor's degree in a specialized field such as engineering, medicine, or law. The position must be one that requires an individual with a specific degree, experience, or training.
File a Labor Condition Application
Employers must fill in and submit Form I-129 to apply for permission to hire a Nonimmigrant worker.
Obtain a visa
If your application is approved, you will receive a Form I-797 Notice of Action. The foreign employee must take Form I-797 to a U.S. embassy or consulate in their country. This will allow them to apply for permission to enter the U.S.
How to get a tourist visa in the US?
The USCIS does a thorough background check of the sponsor before approving a tourist visa. And, apart from the financial details, they also need proof of your residency status. To satisfy this need, you will have to provide the following documents: 1 A copy of your passport 2 Employment verification letter, if you are working in a US-based company 3 Copies of I-94, I-797, L1 and H1 visa (if applicable) 4 Permanent residents need to give a copy of the front and back of their Green Card, along with their certificate of citizenship.
Why do USCIS want to know if you are capable of financial support?
Since you will the sole provider for the applicant during their stay in the US, the USCIS will want to know if you are capable of such financial support. The reason is that they don’t want the applicant to become a liability for the US government.
What is a verification letter for a business?
Bank verification letter, which confirms that you have an account with them. Bank statements for the last six months. Copies of your salary slips of the last two months. In case you own a business, you will need to provide a copy of the personal tax returns.
Do you send all documents to the applicant?
Send all the documents to the applicant well before they are required . This will help them to attach it with their visa application and also carry them to the interview.
Can sponsorship help you get a visa?
Ask the applicant to clearly explain the relationship you hold with them during the visa interview. Although sponsorship won’t necessarily guarantee that the person will get the visa, but it will increase their chances of approval.
Do I need a copy of my green card for 2021?
Permanent residents need to give a copy of the front and back of their Green Card, along with their certificate of citizenship. If you’re traveling in 2021, I recommend checking out the updated travel rules for USA.
Do you need a background check for a tourist visa?
The USCIS does a thorough background check of the sponsor before approving a tourist visa. And, apart from the financial details, they also need proof of your residency status. To satisfy this need, you will have to provide the following documents:

Visa Sponsorship For Family
Employment-Based Visa Sponsors
- When American employers are unable to find qualified workers within the United States, various programs enable them to hire workers from outside the U.S. This is a great opportunity for foreign nationals to enter the U.S. for the purpose of employment. These jobs may be short engagements or could provide visa sponsorship for a green card. Although there are various U.S. work visa typ…
Self-Sponsorship
- Certain individuals may actually petition themselves for a green card. This is an extremely limited group of foreign nationals. To self-petition, the individual files Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant, based on inclusion in one of the following categories: 1. Widows and Widowers of U.S. Citizens may file if they were not legally separated or divorced from the cit…
Examples of Visa Sponsorship
- There are a variety of USCIS forms to initiate the visa sponsorship process. Some of the common examples include:
Starting The Family Sponsorship
- Both U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents may start the sponsorship process by filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. Although there are additional forms along the way, this is how the process begins. Ready to start? CitizenPath’s service was designed by immigration attorneys to give you an affordable, reliable way to prepare the petition. You’ll have the ability to …