Everyone entering the United States, including U.S. Citizens, must have documentation. U.S. Citizens must show a U.S. Passport. All others must have a valid passport issued by their home country and a U.S. visa (unless you are visiting from a country included in the visa waiver program). You will not be allowed to enter the United States without one or more of these documents. A visa is permission to enter. Visas are available for many purposes. They may be either permanent or temporary. Permanent Immigrant visas known as Green Cards, allow one to live and work in the U.S. permanently. They are the next best thing to citizenship. All other visas allow for temporary stays. The length of stay allowed by a temporary visa depends on the purpose. Visas to study or work, for example, can be valid for many years. Visas to visit or conduct business might allow you to stay only for the amount of time needed to complete your business or visit. This can be just a few days or up to 6 months. If you don’t know what type of visa you need, or what type of visa you might qualify for, use our EasyVisa tool. With just a few clicks EasyVisa will tell you what visa types you might qualify for. If you already know the visa type you are interested in, select it from the sidebar list under Quick Reference List. Use our EASY VISA tool or click on what do you want to do:
Visa Questions and AnswersBelow are Q&A for many common visa issues
What is a Visa? What is a Green Card? What is the difference?A Visa is permission to enter the country and is usually granted for a specific purpose and length of time. The exception is the Permanent Resident Visa, which has no limit on length of stay. Permanent Resident Visas allow you to live and work in America for as long as you wish and give you essentially all of the rights of Citizenship with few exceptions. You cannot vote, and there are some benefit restrictions for example. Permanent Residency Visas were once green in color and so have come to be known as “Green Cards”. A green card is a visa – a permanent visa.
Where do Visas come from?Visas can be issued by the United States Department of State through a U.S. Embassy or Consular Service Post or within the United States through the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS)
How many types of Visas are there? In all, there are about 65 types or categories of Visas. To obtain a Visa, any Visa, you must possess certain qualifications or prerequisites. Most Visas are temporary, meaning they are valid only for a specified limited period of time. These are called Non-Immigrant visas. To live in the U.S.A. permanently an Immigrant Visa is required. This type of visa is also known as a Permanent Residency Visa or Green Card.
How do I become a U.S. Citizen?U.S. Citizenship may be conferred upon those who have maintained legal permanent residency for at least five years, or three years if married to a U.S. Citizen. Applicants must pass a basic test on U.S. law and history and swear allegiance to the United States.
How Do I Get A Green Card?There are a limited number of ways to get a Green Card or Permanent Resident Visa. The most accessible include the following:
A close relative who is either a U.S. Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident can sponsor you.
You can marry a U.S. Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident
Win the U.S. Diversity Program, Green Card Lottery
Less accessible and often more difficult or expensive possibilities include:
Seek asylum in the U.S.
Invest in a U.S. Business
Through your occupation or profession
For many, The Green Card Lottery may be the best chance to immigrate to America. Those interested are encouraged to enter every year, even if they have a visa or application pending. Winning the lottery will – in almost any circumstance –short-cut the entire immigration process and provide you with the surest, fastest, and least expensive method of immigrating to the U.S. The requirements for entering the Diversity Program, are minimal. It only requires luck to win.
How do I get a Temporary Visa? The Permanent Resident Visa, or Green Card, is only one of over 60 types of visas available, but it is the only one that permits you to stay in America indefinitely. All of the other visas come with time limits varying anywhere from a few days to over seven years, or longer with extensions. Each has its own prerequisite qualifications. To find out how to get a particular type of non-immigrant visa, for instance a Student Visa, you must look up the requirements.
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