American Visa Application Guide | How to Immigrate to The United States

American Visa Application Guide – U.S Visa Application is open for everyone who wants to work and study abroad. The guide to immigrating to the United States is well explained in this article for interested applicants who want to travel to the U.S for jobs, studies, or tourism. To apply for a U.S visa is simple only if you can follow the step-by-step guide listed in this article.

Learn how to apply for different nonimmigrant visas for tourists, students, business travelers, and future spouses. Also, find information about the Visa Waiver Program, and how to get a job in the United States as a foreign worker.

American Visa Application Guide

Traveling to the United States has procedures that must be followed judiciously. However, there are things one needs to know before proceeding to apply for u.s visa either for a job, business, tourism, or study.

US Visa Application Form

To complete the U.S visa application, you can easily download the u.s visa application form to enable you to fill the visa application form easily. The essence of downloading the u.s visa application form is to make sure there are no mistakes in filling your u.s visa application.

This article is meant to guide you on how to download the American visa application form online and the guide. To download the US visa application form.

USA Visa Application Fee

There is every reason to know the cost of applying for u.s visa before embarking on such an application. The fee for u.s visa application is the same all over the world. The only difference may be the quality of your currency. The application fee for the most common nonimmigrant visa types is $160. This includes tourist, business, student, and exchange visas.

How to Apply for a Business or Tourism Visitor Visa to the U.S.

Please note: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the State Department temporarily suspended routine visa services at all U.S. embassies and consulates in March 2020. The process to resume routine visa services began in February 2021.

Under normal conditions:

If you are planning a brief visit to the U.S. for business or tourism, you might need to apply for a visitor or a transit visa. These are the steps you should take:

1. Find out if you need a visa.

Before you can proceed to the American visa application guide, check to see if your country takes part in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP). If you don’t see your country listed, you will need a nonimmigrant visa to visit the U.S.

2.  Determine which visa you might need for your visit.

Most business and tourism travelers use B-1 and B-2 visitor visas.

• B-1 visa classification is for business travelers to consult with business associates, attend a conference, settle an estate, or negotiate a contract.
• B-2 visa classification is for tourists on vacation and people coming for medical treatment, a social event, or participation in amateur contests for no pay.

However, Transit visas are less common.

• Transit C visa classification is for foreign nationals traveling through the U.S. to another country and stopping briefly in the U.S. as part of their travel to the next foreign destination.
• Transit C-1, D, and C-1/D visas are for crew members of sea vessels or international airlines traveling to the U.S.

3. Apply for a visa.

Applying for a visa will vary depending on the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you apply. Follow the specific instructions for the country that you’re in.

You will need:

• To complete online form DS-160, the nonimmigrant visa application form
• A photo
• A visa application fee
• To schedule an interview

Waiver Program for Tourists and Business Travelers

International travelers planning to visit the U.S. for business or pleasure can get a visa waiver. To get a visa waiver, you must be a citizen of one of the 39 countries that take part in the U.S.’s Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

If you plan to visit the U.S. under the VWP, you must get an approved travel authorization before your trip. Authorization approvals are determined using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).

How to Apply for ESTA and Get Approval to Travel to the U.S.

• Check the list of 39 countries that take part in the VWP.
• You must have an e-Passport to use the VWP. This type of passport is also known as an electronic passport and has an embedded chip in it.
• Fill out the (ESTA) online application. ESTA determines the eligibility of a visitor to travel to the U.S. under the VWP.
• The processing fee is $4.00, and if they approved you, there is an additional $10.00 authorization charge. Learn how to pay for your ESTA fee.
• When you fill out your application, you will get an ESTA application number. Use this number to check the status of your application if they have accepted it to travel to the U.S.

Visitors traveling to the U.S. for tourism or business meetings or conferences under the VWP can stay for up to 90 days without a visa.

Student and Vocational Training Visas

Please note: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the State Department temporarily suspended routine visa services at all U.S. embassies and consulates in March 2020. The process to resume routine visa services began in February 2021.

Eligibility

An international student can apply for a student or exchange visitor visa only after being accepted by a school certified in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). Students’ records are kept in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Learn more about SEVP and SEVIS, and about the SEVIS fee.

Types of Educational Visas

Your course of study, the school you plan to attend, or the exchange program you will be with will determine the type of student visa you will need.

The most common student visas are F-1 and M-1 visas.

• F-1 visa classification is for a full-time international student pursuing academic studies.
• M-1 visa classification is for a full-time international student pursuing vocational studies.
• J-1 visa classification is also known as the exchange visitor program (EVP) and is for foreign nationals approved to take part in work or study-based exchange programs. Examples include visiting scholars, camp counselors, or research assistants.

Learn how to apply for a J-1 visa.

The duration of stay for J-1 visa holders depends on the agreement between you and your Department of State-approved sponsoring organization. Find a Department of State-approved sponsoring organization or program.

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Professional Visa

Please note: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the State Department temporarily suspended routine visa services at all U.S. embassies and consulates in March 2020. The process to resume routine visa services began in February 2021.

Eligibility

Only citizens of Canada and Mexico are eligible for a nonimmigrant North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Professional visa to work in the U.S. The NAFTA Professional visa classification is TN and grants the holder temporary entry into the U.S. to work in business activities at a professional level for an initial period of up to three years.

How to Apply U.S Visa Application Online

After getting a letter from your future employer confirming your offer of a position, the application process varies for Canadian and Mexican citizens.

Canadian Citizens: a NAFTA Professional (TN) visa is usually not required. You can go directly to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) port of entry, with your documentation for an interview to be admitted to the U.S. as a nonimmigrant who can legally work in the U.S.

Mexican Citizens: a NAFTA Professional (TN) visa is required. Complete the online visa application form DS-160, print out the confirmation page, and bring it to your interview. If you are applying in Mexico, a photo is not required for your application.

Prepare for Your Interview

Review this list of what you will need to bring to your in-person interview including what details need to be in your letter from your prospective employer.

Getting a Job in the U.S. as a Foreign Worker

Based on your skills, circumstances, and the job that you plan to do, you may come to the U.S. as either a:

• Temporary or permanent foreign worker, or a
• Temporary visitor for business

Under certain circumstances, you may also work in the U.S. if you’re a foreign student or an exchange visitor.

Get a Work Visa

As a foreign worker, you will need a visa to get a job in the U.S. Each type of visa has unique requirements, conditions, and time limits.

Visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Working in the U.S. web page for an overview of each worker category and type of visa.

Use the Department of State’s visa wizard to find:

• The visa you need
• The application process
• Fees
• Estimated wait time for a visa interview

Your Rights and Protections as a Temporary Foreign Worker

• As a temporary foreign worker in the U.S., you will not be denied a visa or be punished by the U.S. government because you have exercised your rights under U.S. laws. Learn your rights and protections.
• If you violate the terms of your work visa, they could revoke it. You could be deported, arrested, or denied re-entry into the U.S.
• If you think you or someone you know is being brought to the U.S. for human trafficking, get help now.

Key Immigration Questions

If you’re in the U.S. and have questions about visas and immigration, visit the USCIS Contact Center. If you’re in another country, contact your nearest international immigration office.

The K-1 or Fiancé(e) Visa

If you’re engaged to a U.S. citizen and plan to marry and live in the U.S., your fiancé(e) can petition for a K-1 visa for you. The K-1 visa allows you to travel to the United States to marry your fiancé(e) within 90 days of arriving. After you marry, you may apply for a change of status to get a Permanent Resident (Green) Card.

The K-1 visa expires after 90 days and can not be extended. If you do not marry within that time, you must leave the country or face possible deportation.

• Find instructions for applying for your K-1 visa on the Department of State K-1 visa
• Download forms for your fiancé(e) to petition for your visa and for you to apply for authorization to work. Find these on the S. Citizenship and Immigration Services fiancé(e) visas page.

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