The type of visa you need to obtain is defined by U.S. immigration law and relates to the purpose of your trip. There are two main categories of U.S. visas: O: The O visa is for individuals with exceptional abilities in science, arts, business, or athletics. There is no numerical limit to O visas, and holders can stay for up to three years. The biggest difference between Visa and a green card is when you get one: a visa is obtained before your trip, while a green card is obtained on arrival – but that`s not the only difference. In addition to permanent admission, the United States also increases hundreds of thousands of workers, international students, and temporary exchange visitors each year through a wide range of visa categories assigned to alphabetical letters from A to V. While temporary visas do not lead directly to a green card, temporary visa holders can obtain one in some cases if they are able to find a family member or employer to sponsor them. H-2A: The H-2A visa is for foreign farm workers who can stay in the United States for up to three years. There is no numerical limit for H-2A visas. Employers sponsoring H-2A workers must prove that they have attempted to hire U.S. workers, must be certified by the Department of Labor, and must provide housing and pay at least some salary above the local minimum wage. Legal immigration occurs when a non-citizen is legally under permanent resident status in the United States or holds a green card.
Certain categories of foreign nationals may be granted permanent resident status. Terminology used in immigration laws, including visas and green cards, can be confusing. These terms are often used interchangeably, although they refer to two different things. It is also common for these terms to be used in a way different from their original meaning. Visas offer individuals the right to legally enter the United States. Legal immigration to the United States occurs through an alphabetical soup of visa categories, but a small number of pathways. Family relationships, ties to employers, or the need for humanitarian protections are the primary channels for immigrants seeking temporary or permanent residency in the United States. And to a lesser extent, people can come if they have in-demand skills or are selected in the green card lottery. Visa categories have different requirements, are subject to different numerical limits, and offer different rights and obligations. USCIS may deny entry to immigrants due to the inappropriate nature of individuals applying for green cards or a certain type of temporary visa.
USCIS may also deny entry due to inadmissibility of permanent residents who leave the United States for more than 180 days. Diversity Visa. Nationals of countries that send few immigrants to the U.S. can participate in the diversity visa program, which issues up to 50,000 visas per year. Once all lottery applications are submitted in a given year, a number that included more than 14 million in fiscal year 2018, the U.S. government holds a virtual lottery of qualified applicants and randomly selects winners who are invited to apply for a green card if they meet certain basic criteria. L: The L visa allows the entry of workers transferred from a foreign branch of a company to a U.S. branch. There is no numerical limit for L visas. L visa holders can stay for seven years if they are managers or executives in the company, and five years if they are an employee with “specialized knowledge”. Spouses of L visa holders are allowed to work in the United States. Immigration laws are laws that govern how people from other countries may qualify for a visa and under what circumstances people may be deported.
There are many types of temporary and permanent visas available. Depending on the reason for a person`s entry into the United States, there is a visa category that meets their needs. A person who is already in the United States must comply with immigration laws. Green cards are physical cards that indicate that the holder is a permanent resident of the United States and can legally work and travel anywhere in the United States. Green cards are technically a type of visa that allows permanent residency. Green cards are issued upon arrival in the United States. To qualify for a green card, the applicant must already have an immigrant visa and applications are submitted to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Green card holders can acquire citizenship after three to five years. The types of green cards are more extensive than visas and include, but are not limited to: For more information on visas and green cards, as well as individuals, see the following LegalMatch articles: This section provides information on the legal provisions governing immigration and visa matters. For limited preference categories in the areas of family and employment, U.S. law sets a limit on the number of immigrants from a given country who can obtain green cards in a given year.
Under the country cap set in the Immigration Act of 1990, no country can obtain more than 7% of the total number of employment-based, family-funded preferential visas in a given year. There are no country-specific restrictions for unrestricted categories, for example: immediate relatives of U.S. citizens. Some international travelers may be allowed to travel to the United States without a visa if they meet visa-free travel requirements. The visa section of this website is for the United States. Visas for foreign citizens to travel to the United States. (Note: U.S. citizens do not need a U.S. visa to travel, but when planning a trip abroad, they may need a visa issued by the embassy of the country they wish to visit.
If you plan to travel abroad in this case, check the visa requirements by country, see the country-specific travel information in the Passport section of this website.) Obtaining permanent resident status is considered an important step towards permanent citizenship of the United States.