In U.S., There are two types of visa classified into
a) Permanent visas
b) Temporary visas
The permanent visas officially called Permanent residence. It shows into the
Alien Registration Receipt Card granted to those who are approved and successfully completed the process. Popularly,
it is known as "Green card". such a visa classifies the alien as an immigrant and confers to such person the right to live
and work for a renewable Ten (10) years in the United States of America.
Although the term "Green card" is not the official name of the visa, but becomes so
familiar that it is even used in official proceedings to ease understandings, even in legal proceedings and legislative sessions.
The second class of visas is temporary and is subclassified into many categories.
They are officially called non-immigrant visas. One difference in those two is that the Permanent visas are limited by law
in the quantity the Government is authorized to issue while the Non-immigrant visas in most categories are unrestricted. The
non-immigrant visas can be obtained very quickly, usually the same day the applicant submit the demand. each type of non-immigrant
visas come with a different set of advantages or privileges. Each is identified by a letter such as B-2, F-1, R-1, H1B1, E-2,
J-1. They also vary to the length of stay. For example with a J-1 visa, the beneficiary may stay for several years while with
a B-2, no longer than six months, then the holder must depart the U.S.
2. How to apply for a Visa?
For a non immigrant visa, the applicant must be
out side of the U.S. and must obtain the appropriate form or forms available at the any U.S. consulate abroad. Each set
of forms come with a sheet of instructions and the type of documents needed to support the application and the fee if any
to process the application.
For an immigrant visa, in many cases a petitioner under
the legal jurisdiction of the U.S. must initiate the procedures by filing with the I.N.S. the related petition, whether or
not the beneficiary is in U.S. or abroad. there are few cases where the beneficiary needs not a petitioner and may be
abroad. in such case the petition will be filed with the U.S. consulate. an example of that is in the case of special
immigrant provisions.
2a. And who can apply?
Mostly for immigrant visas,
when the petition is approved, the beneficiary will receive instructions on how to apply. for non-immigrant visas, anyone
can apply within the requirements for the category they apply to.
2b. the different types of visas.
Immigrant visas: Temporary or conditional and
Permanent (10years).
Non-immigrant visas:
A-1: Visas available
to ambassadors, public ministers or career diplomats and their immediate family members.
A-2: Other accredited
officials or employees of foreign governments and their immediate family.
A-3: Visas
for personnel attendants or employees and their immediate family members of A-1.
B-1: Visas avaiable
for business visitors
B-2: Visas available
for Tourist visitors and pleasures
B1/B2: For both.
C-1: Visas available
for foreign travelers in transit in U.S.
D-1: Visas available
to crewmen of a boat or airlines who landed temporarily in U.S. and will depart with the same ship or airlines.
E-1: Treaty trader
visas. Available to only 42 countries that have trade treaties with the U.S. Haiti is not one of those country.
E-2: Investors
visas. Available to citizens of selected countries which have investors treaties with the U.S. This visa is given to key employees
of investing companies fo such countries. there is some exception to the rule but for individuals seeking employemnt with
American companies owned by people living in bangladesh, Cameroon, congo, Egypt, finland, Grenada, ireland, Morocco, Poland,
Sri Lanka, senegal, tunisia, for Zaire and the slovaks Republics. Although, U.S. have no such treaty with Haiti, a national
of Haiti who works for one of thess companies may obtain an E-2 visa as such. At this time, the U.S. are negotiating
such a treaties with other countries including, Haiti, romania, Mexico, Armenia, bulgaria, bolivia, Venezuela, Jamaica, Nigeria,
Uruguay, Hong-Kong, Hungary etc....
F-1: This
visa allow an alien to enter the U.S. and engage in certain activities which varies with the type of student you may be such
as academic or language students.
F-2: viasa
available for immediate family members of those with a F-1 visa.
G-1: Designated
principal resident representatives of foreign governments coming to the U.S. to work for an international organization, their
staff members and immediate family.
G-2: Other
accre
H-1a: This
visa is for temporary work available to registered nurses.
H-1B: This
visa is for temporary workers with specialty occupations.
H-2B: this
visa is for temporary workers in non-agricultural.Available to those coming to U.S. to accept a temporary or seasonal non-agricultural
job from a U.S. employer but qualified with skills to do the required job.
H-3: This
type of visa is for temporary trainees, on the job training type from an american company. the purpose of the training is
to further your career in your home country that doesnot have similar training program avilable.
I:
this type of visa is available to bona fide representatives of the foreign press coming to U.S. to work solely in that capacity
amd their immediate family members..
J-1: Specific Exchange
visitor program visa. You may be issued a J-1 visa in any of these categories, International visitors, foreign medical graduate
students, Other medical related programs, employees of the International communictions Agency, Research assistants sponsored
by the National Institute of Health, in general, trainee, scholar, teacher, professor, medical graduate.
K-1: Available
to fiancees of U.s. citizens.
K-2: Minor
children of those with K-1 visa.
L-1: intra-company
transfers
M-1: this a student
visa also but only for vocational studies and is given for 18 months while the F-1 visa is given for the duration of your
studies and extended time for practices or else related to your studies.
N:
N visa is available to children of certain special immigrants.
O-1: persons of
extraordinary ability in the arts, athletics, science, business and education. Crated by the Immigration Act of 1990 it is
a visa for highly specialized temporary work visa category. It is used with the P-1 cateory for certain outstanding workers
in the sciences, the arts, business, entertainment, sports and education. It is given on individual performances.
membership in a group is not by itself enough for qualification.
O-2: this is a
category available for those in support of an O-1, such staff members, domestics etc...
P-1: The O,
P and R visa are quite narrow in scope. the P-1 is given mostly to an athlete who is recognized internationally. such as if
your team is invited to a competition in the U.S., you must submit proof of previous participation in an international
competition at home or abroad. P-1 is not available for individual entertainers but to the whole group that is recognized
at the international level. an exceptio derive for circus personnel. they need not to satisfy the above requirements.
P-2: this type
of visa is gien to participants in reciprocal exchange programs, such as artists, entertainers.
P-3: these are
visas given to culturally unique groups.
P-4: These are
given to Accompanying relatives of those with P-1, P-2 and P-3 visas.
Q-1: Available
to exchange visitors coming to U.s. to participate in international cultural exchange programs.
R-1: this type
of visa is intended for religious workers. to a person who has been a member of a legitimate religious denomination for at
least two years, and has a job offer in the U.S. to work for an affiliate of that same religious organization.
R-2: R-2 visas
are given to accompanying relatives of those with R-1 visas such as spouses and minor children.
S-1 visa available
for people who provide vital information to the U.S. government for which their live may be endangered.
V-1 Vaisa
avialable for spouse and minor children who have a pending immigrant visa application for at least three years.
