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The United States has always been one of the most sought-after destinations for career growth and advancement. For technophiles and IT buffs looking to kick-start an illustrious career in AI, Silicon Valley is the most happening place. A country like the United States, which is famous for its progressive business environment, also offers easy norms for the migration of deserving aspirants.
One of the most fundamental requirements for immigrating to the United States is an immigrant visa, which is essential for immigrants who wish to work and settle in the United States.
This article will highlight the purpose and significance of the US immigrant visa, as well as the procedure for obtaining it.
What is an Immigrant Visa?
The immigrant visa is a type of visa issued by the US administration to a foreign national who wishes to live and work permanently in the United States.
Mostly, the employer or a relative sponsors an aspirant's immigration by applying for an immigrant visa. However, some specific aspirants can file their own petition for a US immigrant visa. These include workers with specialised skills, big investors, and other special immigrants such as diplomats.
An immigrant visa is classified into five types–
- Employment-Based Immigration
- Family-Based Immigration
- Fiancé(e)'s Visa
- Diversity Visas
- Returning Resident Visa
What is a Non-Immigration visa?
Non-immigrant visas are another type of visa the US administration issues to foreign nationals seeking to travel to the United States temporarily for leisure, business, medical treatment, or other provisional purposes.
Based on the purpose of the travel, the US immigration laws have defined two types of non-immigrant visas:
- B-1 (Business) Non-immigrant visa: A B-1 visa is issued to individuals who wish to travel to the United States for business or a conference. Generally, the entities that sponsor their immigration apply for this Non-immigrant visa on their behalf.
- B-2 (tourist) visa: This type of visa is given to individuals who wish to travel to the United States for a leisure trip or a medical emergency. Here, individuals can apply directly to the U.S. consulate or embassy in their country.
However, foreign nationals seeking to enter the United States to study or work may require specific authorisation and documentation before applying for a non-immigrant visa.
Immigrant vs Non-immigrant Visa: Key Difference
The key difference between an immigrant and a non-immigrant visa is evident from the purpose of the applicant’s travel to the United States.
The immigrant visa (IV) is issued to a person wishing to live permanently in the United States.
On the other hand, a non-immigrant visa is issued to people who have permanent residence outside the US. Mentioned below are the key differences of the two visas:
| Feature | Immigrant Visa | Non-immigrant Visa |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | For permanent residence in the United States. | For short-term visits such as tourism, work, or study. |
| Intent | Applicant must intend to live permanently in the US. | Applicant must intend to return to their home country after the visit. |
| Duration | Grants permanent residency (Green Card). | Issued for a fixed duration with an expiry date. |
| Sponsorship | Typically requires sponsorship by a US citizen, lawful permanent resident, or employer. | May require sponsorship from an employer, institution, or may not require one depending on visa type. |
| Example | Family-based (IR1), Employment-based (EB1–EB5). | Tourist (B2), Student (F1), Work (H1B). |
How to Obtain a US Immigrant Visa?
Given below is the procedure to obtain a US immigrant visa:
- The application is filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
- This is later forwarded to the applicable U.S. Consulate or the Embassy overseas for further processing.
- Upon checking the applicant's eligibility, the US immigrant visa is issued to him/her.
What is the Procedure to Apply for a U.S. Immigrant Visa?
The complete procedure for application for the US immigrant visa is explained below–
- Submit a Visa Petition: First of all, you must file Form I-130: Petition for Alien Relative with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This form is for both US citizens and lawful PR petitioners residing in or outside the United States. USCIS will approve your immigrant visa petition and send it to the National Visa Centre (NVC) for further processing.
- NVC Processing: The US Department of State's National Visa Centre (NVC) will further pre-process your immigrant petition. After this process, NVC will send you a Welcome Letter.
- Pay Visa Fees: After receiving the NVC Welcome Letter, you must pay your visa processing fees. Processing your fees may take up to 1 week at the NVC's end.
- Affidavit of Support: Next, you must file the “Affidavit of Support” in the Form I-864. The purpose of this document is to substantiate that you, as a sponsor, have signed to accept financial responsibility for your applicant's wishes to migrate to the United States. You now agree to use your resources to provide financial support for the visa of the beneficiary and/or their dependent(s).
- Collect Financial Proofs and other Supporting Documents: After signing the Affidavit of Support form, you must procure all the necessary evidence of your finances and other supporting documents.
- Form DS-260- Online Visa Application: The actual immigrant application starts after you pay the processing fees, upon which the status in CEAC is shown as ‘PAID’. You and the applicant must complete the Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration (Form DS-260).
- Collect Civil Documents: After filing Form DS-260(s), you must procure the civil documents required to support your visa application, such as birth certificates, marital evidence, Citizen ID proof, legal records, etc., from the applicant.
Note: You must scan and save all the supporting documents for final submission.
- Submit Documents: Finally, submit all scanned documents. For this process, you must log in to the CEAC portal and go to the “Start Now” button under the “Affidavit of Support Documents and Civil Documents” link. After uploading all the required documents, click the “Submit Documents” button.
Note: Never mail any documents to the NVC. This can lead to data breaches or privacy violations
After the documents are verified, the next step will be an interview for the Immigrant Visa, for which you should prepare in advance. Only upon successful completion of the interview round will your visa be approved/denied.
Did you know? Showing proof of financial backup can help you earn brownie points when applying for a non-immigrant visa for the US!
Therefore, if you are a prudent traveller travelling for leisure or work, don’t forget to secure your trip with a solid travel insurance plan for the US. And in case you are planning to pursue further education, elect a student travel insurance with unlimited health coverage to keep your tenure secure!
What is the Application Fee for a US Immigrant Visa?
There are two processing fees for an application for the US immigrant visa:
Application Processing Fee For Immediate relative and family petition- $325; Employment-based applications- $345
Affidavit of Support Fee – $120. The system will require you to pay for both of these individually.
How to Check Immigrant Visa Status?
You don’t need to check the status of your immigrant visa. Upon successfully clearing the interview rounds, if the US immigration authorities approve your visa, they’ll inform you how, where and when your immigrant visa & passport will be returned to you.
Next, you must furnish the immigrant travel insurance for the immigrant visa at a U.S. port of entry (international airport) before it expires. You will become a lawful permanent resident (PR) once your immigrant visa and supporting documents are reviewed and endorsed by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer at the airport.
Secure your US journey with Travel Insurance
In addition to a visa, there is another essential preparation you must take advantage of. Your travel plans should include a comprehensive international travel insurance plan that covers the unforeseen during your short-term stays. Travel insurance always comes in handy in a financial or medical crisis, loss of travel documents or passport, hospitalisation, loss of checked-in baggage, etc. So, check out on of the best travel plans and secure your journey today.
>> Also Read: Know Everything About the B-1 Visa for USA
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