A visa is a stamp inside of a passport that allows someone to request entry into a country at a port-of-entry. An immigration document is a permission to stay. A visa stamp can expire after entry but the immigration document must always remain valid and unexpired.
How do you apply for an immigrant visa?
- Be arriving on designated carrier that is signatory to a Visa Waiver Program Agreement, if applicable;
- Have a machine-readable passport valid for 6 months beyond the period of intended stay, or essentially 9 months (90 days + 6 months). ...
- Complete an Arrival/Departure Form I-94W. ...
Why are immigration visa wait times so long?
We’ve established that visa wait times grow because there is a statutory limit on the number of green cards the government may issue each year. But there’s more. In addition to that, U.S. immigration law says no more than seven percent of all immigrant visas can be given to people of one country in a given year.
How do I obtain a visa?
Steps to Apply for a US Visa
- Check if you need a visa.
- Choose the type of US visa you will apply for.
- Fill in the Non-immigrant visa Application Form DS-160.
- Pay your application fee.
- Schedule visa interview.
- Compile the document file.
- Attend the visa interview.
- Wait for processing. ...
Do I need a visa to travel to the USA?
You will need to get a visa or an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) visa waiver to enter or transit the USA as a visitor. You should consult the US State Department website to determine which you will need.
What is the difference between visa and immigration?
An immigrant visa allows a qualified applicant with an approved petition to reside in the US permanently. A nonimmigrant visa is granted to individuals visiting the US for purposes such as business, vacation, medical treatment and more. I have a pending immigrant petition.
What is the difference between a visa and a green card?
The key difference between the two is that US visas allow the bearer to enter the country and stay for a certain period of time for a specific purpose, while a Green Card is a permit for immigrants that grants permanent residency in the United States.
How long is a visa good for?
Usually 6 months. In addition, you can apply for extension of stay for another 6 months. Reason for extension must be consistent with the terms and conditions of your original status. Such type of visa is normally issued up from a period of 1 month to 10 years.
Does having a visa make you a citizen?
Usually the holder has been sponsored by a family member. Alone, an immigrant visa is not a path to citizenship.
Do I still need a visa if I have a green card?
Even though you are now a U.S. resident, you will need to bring your foreign passport when traveling, for purposes of entering other countries. A U.S. green card is not sufficient by itself as a travel document, though it is enough to get you back into the United States.
Do I need a visa to enter US if I have a green card?
Passport for USA travel ESTA travelers, for example, need a biometric passport, while for a US visa, a temporary passport is also sufficient. Convenient: Holders of a Green Card ("Permanent Residents") can travel to the USA without a passport, as the Green Card is considered a "secure document" by the US authorities.
Do you need a visa to get a green card?
In general, a visa must be available for you before you can apply for a Green Card. In some categories, visas are always available, while in others, there are a limited number.
Who is eligible for a green card?
Family member of a lawful permanent resident, meaning you are the: Spouse of a lawful permanent resident. Unmarried child under the age of 21 of a lawful permanent resident. Unmarried son or daughter of a lawful permanent resident 21 years old or older.
How Can I Use a Visa to Enter the United States?
Having a U.S. visa allows you to travel to a port of entry, airport or land border crossing, and request permission of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspector to enter the United States. While having a visa does not guarantee entry to the United States, it does indicate a consular officer at a U.S.
What Types of Visas Are There?
The type of visa you must obtain is defined by U.S. immigration law, and relates to the purpose of your travel. There are two main categories of U.S. visas:
Additional Resources
Please visit these webpages as well as selections on our website's left toolbar:
How long does it take to get an immigration visa after everything is accepted?
That message will state what, if anything, is missing. If nothing is missing, and everything is accepted, then the Beneficiary will be scheduled for an Immigrant Visa interview at a consulate abroad in about 2-8 months, depending on the consulate.
What is the purpose of an immigration interview?
One of the purposes of the Immigrant Visa interview is to confirm information about the case to make sure they have all of the right information when they make a decision. This means that they can ask questions about anything you submitted including all documents and applications.
What is the medical exam for green card?
Any Applicant for an Immigrant Visa (green card) is required to get a medical exam. The medical exam cannot be done by just any doctor. Instead, the exam will be conducted by a government-approved doctor called a “Panel Physician.” The Panel Physician will ask questions about vaccination history, past drug use, and will draw blood. All this must be completed before the day of the consulate interview appointment.
What is the process for applying for an I-130 visa?
Applying outside the U.S. for an Immigrant Visa is known as Consular Processing . So when USCIS approves your I-130 Petition it is sent the National Visa Center (NVC) which is an agency within the U.S. Department of State.
What happens when you file an I-130?
The person who filed the I-130 will receive an email or mail correspondence with a case number and invoice ID number. The Beneficiary will use this information to log in to the NVC’s online case management system, known as Consular Electronic Application Center or “CEAC” for short.
What happens when an immigration officer asks all the questions necessary?
Once the officer has asked all the questions he or she deems necessary, then he or she will decide whether or not to issue the Immigrant Visa to the Applicant.
Why do people file immigration petitions?
Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents) with the purpose of keeping families together. So these individuals can file Immigrant Visa Petitions to give their family members the right to come live in the U.S.
What is a U.S. Visa?
A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler’s passport, a travel document issued by the traveler’s country of citizenship.
Find out what visa type is appropriate for you
The type of visa you must obtain is defined by U.S. immigration law, and relates to the purpose of your travel.
Visa Appointment Wait Time
A wait time listed as "999 calendar days" indicates that the Consular Section is only providing that service to emergency cases. Please check the Embassy or Consulate website for further information.
What is a nonimmigrant visa?
“Nonimmigrant” means a person has no intention of staying in the United States permanently. Visas are obtained at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad.
What is the purpose of a visa?
A visa allows a nonimmigrant to travel to a U.S. port-of-entry (airport, for example) and present themselves to a U.S. Immigration Inspector. The Inspector will ask some questions about their intent for coming to the United States and check to make sure that the nonimmigrant has an appropriate visa. Once admitted, an I-94 Arrival/Departure Record will be created. This indicates which nonimmigrant status they have been admitted to and the amount of time they are allowed to stay.
Does a visa expire?
Although a visa has an expiration date, it does not determine how long one can remain in the United States. (Remember, a visa is an ENTRY document only.) Once in the United States, there are other factors that determine the allowed length of stay.
What determines what type of visa is required?
The purpose of your intended travel and other facts will determine what type of visa is required under U.S. immigration law. As a visa applicant, you will need to establish that you meet all requirements to receive the category of visa for which you are applying. When you apply at a U.S embassy or consulate, a consular officer will determine based on laws, whether you are eligible to receive a visa, and if so, which visa category is appropriate.
What does a consular officer determine when applying for a visa?
When you apply at a U.S embassy or consulate, a consular officer will determine based on laws, whether you are eligible to receive a visa, and if so, which visa category is appropriate. ALL / ALL /.
What is a K visa?
K nonimmigrant visas – For U.S. citizen fiancé (e) and spouse for immigration related purposes. Refer to Immigrant Visa Categories.
What is a DOL?
DOL = The U.S. employer must obtain foreign labor certification from the U.S. Department of Labor, prior to filing a petition with USCIS.
V Nonimmigrant Visas
The V visa is a nonimmigrant visa created to allow families to stay together while waiting for the processing of immigrant visas.
Eligibility Criteria
You filed Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, for your family member on or before December 21, 2000. This includes children (unmarried and under 21) listed on the petition.
What does U visa mean?
If the Visa Bulletin shows “U” in a category, this means that immigrant visas are temporarily unavailable to all applicants in that particular preference category and/or country of chargeability.
When is a visa available?
A visa is available to you when your priority date is earlier than the cut-off date shown for your preference category and country of chargeability in the applicable chart in the Visa Bulletin, as described above in the Acceptance of Adjustment of Status Applications section.
What is the form I-485?
We will accept Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, from family-sponsored and employment-based adjustment of status preference applicants according to the monthly Visa Bulletin that DOS publishes as a guide for issuing visas at U.S. Consulates and Embassies.
What is the DOS visa bulletin?
DOS, working with the Department of Homeland Security, revises the Visa Bulletin each month to estimate immigrant visa availability for prospective adjustment of status applicants. If DOS makes any changes to either chart in the Visa Bulletin after publishing it, we will review those changes and determine if any further action is necessary. Check the latest dates for filing adjustment of status applications .
What is the Immigration and Nationality Act?
The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) sets the number of immigrant visas the U.S. Department of State (DOS) can issue to aliens seeking to become lawful permanent residents (get a Green Card) each year. Immigrant visas for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens are unlimited, so they are always available.
What is visa retrogression?
Sometimes, a priority date that is current one month will not be current the next month, or the cut-off date will move backward to an earlier date. This is called visa retrogression, which occurs when more people apply for a visa in a particular category than there are visas available for that month. Visa retrogression generally occurs when the annual limit for a category or country has been exhausted or is expected to run out soon. When the new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1, a new supply of visa numbers becomes available. Usually, but not always, the new supply returns the cut-off dates to where they were before retrogression.
Can I file an I-485 with an I-130?
In certain instances, you can file your Form I-485 together, or “concurrently,” with the underlying Form I-130 or Form I-140 immigrant petition. You may concurrently file your Form I-485 only when approval of the underlying immigrant petition would make a visa immediately available to you. If you are an immediate relative, you can always concurrently file your Form I-485 application with the underlying Form I-130.
Family-Based Immigrant Visas
Employment-Based Immigrant Visas
- Certain categories of workers may be eligible for permanent residence based on their employment or a job offer. However, unlike family-based visas, all employment-based immigrant visas are subject to limits. That means that the person hoping to become a legal resident will have to wait until an immigrant visa number becomes available. Immigrant vis...
Other Immigrant Visa Qualifications
- There are certain special programs that open up eligibility for a green card to persons who do not fall into one of the categories above. If you are interested in immigrating to the U.S., bringing a family member who is not listed above to the U.S. or establishing residence for an employee who is not otherwise listed, speak with an immigration attorney to learn more about the alternative ro…