Once you obtain an immigrant visa entry in the USA, your next step is to pass inspection at a port of entry into the US. To do this, you will need a passport and specific documentation.
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Once your petition is approved, the National Visa Center (NVC) will send you a visa packet of important information. This should not be opened until you give it to officials at the port of entry.
Introduction to Immigrant Visas
Many people who seek entry to the USA for purposes of employment, study, family reunification or other reasons must apply for a visa. Immigrant visas grant a person legal permanent residence in the United States (also known as a Green Card).
Legal immigrants are authorized to work and enjoy most of the rights of citizens. Typically, people acquire immigrant status through sponsorship by an immediate relative in the United States or through the annual Diversity Visa Lottery program.
Nonimmigrant visas grant temporary permission to enter the United States for business, tourism, medical treatment or other purposes. A visa holder must present their passport and a form I-94. Which records each entry and exit from the United States, to a CBP officer when entering or leaving the country. Citizens of countries in the Visa Waiver Program can enter the United States without a visa.
Those seeking to become permanent residents must file an immigrant petition with USCIS or the National Visa Center. Petition forms may be filed from the United States or abroad. Some immigrants are granted Green Cards based on their relationships with family members in the United States.
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While others are selected as winners of the Diversity Visa Lottery or sponsored by an employer. Some people are granted Green Cards after becoming nonimmigrants. For example children adopted in the United States who receive citizenship when they turn 18. Others acquire their Green Card through the process of adjustment of status.
Types of Immigrant Visa Entry in the USA
An immigrant visa is a stamp on your passport that gives you permanent residence status in the United States. This status is also referred to as a green card. It allows you to live and work in the United States without restriction. It is a different type of visa than a nonimmigrant visa which only allows you to visit. Study or work temporarily in the United States.
Most people obtain an immigrant visa with the help of a family member or employer in the United States. Other ways to acquire an immigrant visa include through a refugee or asylum process and through humanitarian programs like the diversity lottery.
There are four types of immigrant visas: Family-based, employment-based, and special immigrant classification. Family-based visas shorten the distance between foreign citizens and their spouses. Children, fiancees or parents who are US citizens or Green Card holders.
Employment-based visas give green cards to foreign workers whose jobs are important to the United States. Other types of employment-based visas include PERM labor certification, National Interest Waiver, and visas for persons with extraordinary ability.
The final category of immigrant visas includes refugees. Asylum seekers and those who qualify for humanitarian visas such as victims of trafficking and violence. They are granted by the Department of Homeland Security. Nonimmigrant visas are for those who want to enter the United States on a temporary basis for tourism. Business or medical treatment. Those seeking to obtain a nonimmigrant visa need to file Form DS-160 and pay a fee at a U.S. consulate or embassy abroad.
Eligibility and Requirements
Unlike non-immigrant visas, which allow the holder to stay in the United States for specific purposes. Such as travel or work, immigrant visas confer permanent residence. They also provide a clear path to citizenship in the United States. Immigrant visas are classified in two categories: family-based and employment-based.
Family-based visas are available for immediate relatives of US citizens, such as spouses and children under 21 years old. Employment-based visas are granted to those who are either highly skilled workers with advanced degrees or who have exceptional abilities. In addition, some categories of visas are reserved for foreign nationals who are seeking to start businesses in the United States.
Applicants for a family-based or employment-based immigrant visa must first submit an application to USCIS along with supporting documents and an affidavit of support. USCIS will then review and determine eligibility for a visa. If approved, the applicant will receive a notification of their interview date. This interview can be conducted at a US Consulate abroad or the nearest US Embassy.
Immigrant visas are issued on a limited basis and therefore the processing time can be lengthy. To expedite the process. It is important to contact an experienced attorney and to remain current on US immigration policies and procedures. Once an immigrant visa is received. It is valid for ten years and enables the holder to work, study or pursue other legal activities in the United States.
Application Process for Immigrant Visa Entry in the USA
If you’re looking to become a permanent resident of the United States, you must complete the immigrant visa application process. This process varies depending on the type of visa you are applying for. You will also need to submit various documents with your visa application.
To begin the visa application process, you will need to fill out Form DS-160. This online application will require you to provide some personal information, including your reason for wanting to visit the United States. You will also need to pay the visa application fee. Once you have completed the application, you will receive a 12-digit receipt number.
Once your petition is approved, the National Visa Center will send you a letter with important information that guides you through the rest of the visa process. During this time, you will need to complete the necessary forms and gather all the required documentation for your interview with a consular officer.
Arriving in the U.S. on an Immigrant Visa
Once the immigration process is complete and a visa is obtained. The immigrant must travel to a port of entry and pass inspection by a CBP officer. Depending on the day, time of year and location, this can take several hours. Applicants who have connecting flights should account for this delay when planning their trip and be sure to allow enough time between flights.
In order to enter the United States, an immigrant visa must be endorsed with an I-551 admission stamp at the port of entry. This stamp indicates permanent residence in the United States and confers many of the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens, including access to public education, protection under the law and the right to work in certain fields.
The majority of immigrant visas are based on family or employment immigration and result in the issuance of a green card (legal proof of permanent residency). The first step to becoming a legal resident is obtaining an immigrant visa.
Rights and Responsibilities
The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) recognizes that we are a nation of immigrants by making clear distinctions between immigrant visas and nonimmigrant visas. An immigrant visa is for people who intend to live permanently in the United States; a nonimmigrant visa is for people who are entering the country temporarily – such as for tourism, medical treatment, temporary work or schooling.
The INA’s legal pathways for people seeking permanent resident status are wide-ranging. Through family relationships, employer sponsorship or the green card lottery. We welcome people to our nation from all over the world based on their desire to make the United States their home. We also facilitate the entry of people whose refugee or asylum claims have been vetted abroad and approved for resettlement here.
Once a person is admitted to the United States in any nonimmigrant status. Such as B-2 tourist, F-1 student or TN worker, they must abide by the terms of their visa category. Failure to do so can result in termination of their status or ineligibility for future extension or change of status. Or for adjustment of status to lawful permanent residence.
Our firm can guide clients in understanding the rights and responsibilities of their particular nonimmigrant visa category. Cessation of the activity that led to admission to nonimmigrant status. Such as a job loss or changing course of study can trigger a violation of status and impact future immigration benefits.
