Planning a trip to the United States soon? Do you know about all the United States visa types which are available for each purpose of a traveler to visit the United States? Well, firstly you need to figure out which visa type matches your purpose of visit. Add if your visa doesn't match with your purpose of traveling to the United States, you can get into huge trouble. But there is nothing to worry about!! Tourist visa online is 27/4 available just to assist you and make you choose your own perfect visa type as per the United States visa policy. So let's get to know about all the visa types.
United States Visa Policy:
The government of the United States has introduced a really well-modified visa policy for all those foreigners, wanting to travel to the US. The applicant can apply for different types of visas or go for the US ESTA. Generally, these visas come with a validity period of 2-10 years with a stay period of 90-180 days in each entry, but it depends on the type of the visa. But with Tourist Visa Online, you can get the best visa facilities at a very reasonable price of 65.0 US dollars including the visa fee and all the service charges.
Types Of The US Visas:
As per all the different types of travel purposes, the United States visa policy has introduced various types of visas for all foreign travelers. Let's check them out!
Tourist Visa or Business Visa:
As per the visa policy of the United States, these are the most common and popular visa types. Generally, the tourist visa and business visa comes with two different categories. Those are:
B1 as Business Visa:
The B1 visa is generally issued for the short term business purposes, like:
- To attend or conduct any business meeting related to any reported company or organization of the United States.
- For attending any business-related, educational, or professional conference, seminar, or workshops in the US.
- To make any contract with the companies or organizations of the United States.
B2 as Tourist Visa:
B2 visas are basically issued for short trips to the US or for transit purposes, like:
- For tourism or to visit vacations in the United States.
- To attend any festival or occasion of the US.
- To meet with family relatives or friends.
- For transit purposes like if you are using the United States just as a medium to reach your final destination.
Remember, in both the above visa types, you can get the stay period of 180 days per each stay and you can get this visa both offline and online.
Work Visa:
Another one of the most popular visas as per the United States visa policy is the work visa, as most of the travelers generally come in the United States for what related purposes. This visa is mostly issued for a temporary time basis and only for work-related and employment purposes. This visa comes with various categories and subcategories. Travelers who need to get H, L, O, P or Q type of visa, must have to get their petition approved on their behalf by USCIS. Firstly at the consulate, Form I-129 must need to get approved, then they will be provided with Form I-797 which will serve as the petition's approval notification.
Type H Visa:
So the H type/category of visa can be divided into 5 different subcategories.
H1-B Visa:
For applying for this visa the applicant needs to hold a bachelor's degree in any specific stream which matches the occupation which he has applied for. The person also needs to file a labor condition application with the terms and conditions at the US Department of Labor.
H2-A Visa:
This visa is for all those foreigners who want to apply for temporary agricultural jobs in the United States. For these visa applicants, form I-129 is really important as their petition. Indians are not eligible to apply for this visa.
H2-B Visa:
This visa is only for short term seasonal jobs for any skilled or unskilled foreigner. But Indians are again not eligible for this visa type.
H-3 Visa:
This visa is granted to all those foreigners who want to take training in any field from an employer of the United States for up to 2 years. They can even get stipends but are not eligible for permanent or temporary employment here.
H-4 Visa:
Generally, the spouses and unmarried children under the ages of 21 years of a foreigner traveler with a valid H visa can apply for the H-4 visa type. But with this visa, the applicants are not allowed to work in the US.
Type L Visa:
Basically this L visa comes with two different subcategories. Those are:
L-1 Visa:
This visa can be issued for those employees who work for an international brand for a company organization and get transferred to the parent or other branch that is situated in the United States. To qualify the criteria of this visa, the applicant must need to be posted as a manager or executive level and must have deep knowledge in order to improve the performance of the organization. The applicant can be employed for one year within 3 years of providing the application.
L-2 Visa:
Basically the spouses and unmarried children under the ages of 21 years of a foreigner traveler with a valid L visa can apply for the L-2 visa type to enter into the United States. The applicant must submit a completed Form I-765 with the application fee. This visa is not applicable for work purposes.
Type O Visa:
Travelers who are coming for extraordinary ability related purposes like educational, art or business-related purposes or science, sports or athletics purposes can apply for this visa type
Type P Visa:
Especially the renowned athletes, entertainer's artists, and essential support personnel can easily get this visa, who are coming to perform in the United States.
Type Q Visa:
Participants in an international cultural exchange program in the U.S. who are coming to share the cultures and traditions of their own home country and offer training or employment should apply for this visa. The petition approved by USCIS is really important in this case.
Student Visa:
This visa is applicable for only those travelers who are coming for study-related for purposes after being selected in a reputed organization or institution in the United States. They need to follow all the required documents and restrictions to get the visa. The travelers must apply for the visa in 120 days from the start date of I-20 and from the start of I-20 they can come here within 30 days. The student visa also comes in two different subcategories which are:
F-1 Visa:
This visa can only be issued by those students who are coming for a complete academic session by enrolling themselves in public schools or other institutions. This visa is only applicable for 12 months and one can only get this visa when the course takes more than 18 hours a week.
M-1 Visa:
This visa is only for those students who are applying for any non-academic session or any educational or vocational training in the United States. Remember, students with this visa, can't leave the US for 5 months or more and stay overseas, unless the purpose is related to the course, or else they may lose their F-1 or M-1 visa status.
J Visa – Exchange visitor Visa:
These visa types are generally issued for foreign travelers who are coming to participate in any exchange programs. The participants can be:
- Teachers
- Professors
- Research scholars
- Students (especially in academic levels)
- Professional trainees
- Consultants
- Travelers coming for any research purposes and so on.
Generally, the exchange visitors can get the J visa, but for that, the applicant must have to provide all the required documents which should get approved and accepted by the authority.
Ship Crew Visa or Transit Visa:
Transit and ship crew visa comes in two different categories. Those are:
Transit C Visa:
If the traveler only coming to the United States just to use it as a medium to reach their ultimate destination must apply for this visa. But if the person wants to visit his/her family or friends, must have to qualify for the B2 visa.
Crew D Visa:
Generally, the few members who work for any ship, sea vessels, aircraft, or airplane apply for either the transit visa or the crew D visa (that is specially made only for them). But if these crew members are coming to the United States not for work-related purposes but as a normal traveler, they need to obtain a B1 or B2 visa.
Religious worker Visa:
This visa is also known as the R visa. Generally, the religious workers who are coming to perform or conduct important religious activity in the United States can apply for this visa.
Domestic employee Visa:
The domestic servants who are coming with other travelers who are eligible for B1 or B2 visas. Domestic employees can be:
- Housemaids
- Valets
- Footmen
- Cooks
- Butlers
- Chauffeurs
- Nannies
- Mother' helpers
- Gardeners
- Paid companions and so on.
Media and Journalist Visa:
Usually, this visa can be issued to the foreigner journalists or media related purposes who are coming for any news related work purposes.
Some Other US Visa Types:
Other than the above written main United States visa types, there are some basic visa types that can be applied for certain purposes. Like:
A Visa Type: This visa type is generally applicable to the official diplomatic passport holders and foreign government officers.
A1, G-1, NATO1-6: These visas are actually used in case of visa renewals.
A-2, NATO1-6: This visa is usually issued to the foreign military personnel who are posted in the United States.
G1- G5, NATO: Designated international organization’s employees and NATO must apply for this visa.
TN/TD Visa Type: Applicable only for the Mexican and Canadian NAFTA professional workers.
T-1 Visa: Generally the human trafficking victims can get this visa.
U-1 Visa: Victims of crime, the criminal activity must go for this visa.
FAQs:
Q. Which visa allows the applicant to temporary work in the United States?
A. Generally, the work-related temporary nonimmigrant visas like H1-B visa allows the applicant to temporary work for some specific fields in the United States.
Q. How can I permanently stay in the United States?
A. In that case, you have to be a permanent citizen of the United States by staying here for at least 5 years as a green card holder for three years after getting married or staying with any US citizen. In that stay period of 5 years, the person must need to stay for at least 30 months and in the case of 3 years, a minimum of 18 months.
Q. Who can enter the US without a visa?
A. The 5 visa-exempt countries and 39 countries under the US Visa Waiver Program don't need to obtain a visa to enter into the United States. But the citizens of the countries under the VWP countries need to obtain the US ESTA.
Q. Which US visa is really easy to get?
A. If the applicant's requirements and documents are alright then she or he probably won't face any problem to get a visa. But with respect to all the visas, the B visa is said to be the easiest one.
The above-written article tells you all about the United States visa types that are available for each purpose. So before applying for any US visa, please check the details about it in order to know if it matches your purpose of visiting the United States unless you can get into trouble.
