In order to enter into the United States, the citizens of the majority of countries around the world require at least one type of American Visa, which are understood as authorizations that, under certain conditions, are given to foreigners so that they may enter and/or stay in that country.
That is to say, a visa is a regulation that exists among countries by which the entrance or permanence of people in a country of which they are not a citizen is legalized, in order to allow freedom of transit through bilateral agreements.
As it is well known, Visas are issued at consulates and embassies.
There are two main types of American Visas:
Main types of American Visas:
- Immigrant Visas, also called Green Cards: these are targeted at people who have the intention of living in the United States. It gives permanent residency in the United States, to work and travel inside the country and abroad as many times as you desire.
These Visas require that the applying foreign citizen is sponsored by a family member who is a citizen of the United States, or by a potential employer.
It is the sponsor who starts the immigration process by presenting the petition in the name of the foreign citizen before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
These are classified as follows:
- EB-1 Foreigners with Exceptional abilities. Noted Professors, Researchers and Executives
- EB-2 Workers with Advanced Degrees or Exceptional abilities in Sciences, Arts or Businesses
- EB-3 Professionals and Qualified Workers
- EB-4 Immigrant for Religious Workers
- EB-5 Investors
- Non-immigrant (temporary): these are granted to people who have their
permanent residency outside of the United States but who wish to stay in the United States temporarily.
Because of their variety, they are organized by categories. Each one of these possess specific conditions and requirements. Likewise, each gives determinate privileges according to their purpose. In order to differentiate them, they are identified by a letter, a number and a name. They go from the letter A to the U.
We will describe all the types of American Visas in upcoming articles.