How to Immigrate to the United States
The United States immigration can be complicated and is often driven by a few key principles including uniting families, boosting the economy, promoting diversity, and helping refugees.
Qualifications of US immigration:
Mostly, someone must sponsor you or file an immigrant petition for you. Wait until the petition is approved. A visa should be available in your category. Then apply for an immigrant visa.
Eligibility of US Immigration:
- Through family.
- Through employment.
- As a Special Immigrant.
- Through refugee or asylee status.
- As a human trafficking or crime victim.
- As a victim of abuse.
- Through a registry.
- Through other categories.
Can someone sponsor their friend to USA:
No, USA immigration doesn’t allow you to sponsor someone just because they are your friend. Person entering the USA must have a financial sponsor, If a person seeks to enter the U.S. through a family member.
Types of Immigrant Visas:
Family-based green cards:
Green cards are issued to the family members of U.S. citizens and green card holders. Eligible family members include spouses, widows, children, parents, and siblings also. Rules vary depending on different conditions. Couples apply for their marriage-based green cards.
Employment-based green cards:
Using the employment-based green cards, many immigrants come to the United States. Employment-based green cards which are issued in five different categories based on the benefits you bring to the country. These are the first four categories EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, and EB-4. The EB-5 green card is a little different. Employment-based green cards shouldn’t be confused with a work permit.
Humanitarian green cards:
These cards are sometimes issued to refugees and asylees, as well as to victims of human trafficking, abuse, and crime.
Diversity lottery green cards:
The US runs a green card lottery that randomly awards immigrant visas for up to 50,000 people each year.
Longtime-resident green cards:
These are issued to individuals who have physically lived in the United States, either lawfully or unlawfully, since 1972.
Other green cards:
It includes different cards such as media professionals, religious workers, Afghanistan and Iraq nationals who have assisted the U.S. government, and employees of international organizations. Green cards are available to Cuban citizens. Also available to American Indians born in Canada.
There are five categories for employment green cards:
First preference (EB-1): for people with extraordinary skills.
Second preference (EB-2): for people with advanced degrees.
Third preference (EB-3): for skilled workers with at least 2 years of work experience.
Fourth preference (EB-4): for special immigrants such as religious workers, military translators etc .
Family Immigration:
A foreigner who is seeking to live in the USA needs an immigrant visa. For this a foreign citizen must be sponsored by an immediate relative who is at least 21 years of age and is either a U.S. citizen or U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident. Two types of family immigrant visas:
Immediate Relative:-
This one is for those who have close family relationships with a U.S. citizen, such as a spouse, child or parent.
Family Preference:-
These ones are for specific, more distant, family relationships with a U.S. citizen.Also for some specified relationships with a LPR.
U.S. citizens can file petition for:-
Spouse, son or daughter, parent, brother or sister.
LPR can file an immigrant visa petition for:-
Spouse, unmarried son or daughter.
Best job for immigrants and Refugees: Interpreters and cultural mediators, personal appearance workers, agricultural workers, construction workers, cleaners are some of the jobs.
Immigrant Visa Process:
Submit a Petition:
LPR petitioners residing in the US must file Form, petition for Alien Relative, with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. This can be done either electronically or through a traditional paper process . The two ways are:
- Filing Petitions from Inside the United States
- Filing Petitions from Outside the United State
Petition Approval:
After approval, the petition must be approved by USCIS before your case can proceed to the National Visa Center.
(NVC) Processing:
After the petition it will be transferred to NVC. First step is the creation of your case in our system. After that they will send you an email. Then you can manage your case. Once you submit your fees, forms, and supporting documents to NVC, we will review your case to provide all required documents.
Pay Fees:
After receiving your NVC letter, pay your fees. Two processing fees:
- Immigrant Visa Application Processing Fee
- Affidavit of Support Fee.
Complete Affidavit:
It is a document an individual signs to accept financial responsibility for the applicant who is coming to live. Person signing an affidavit is also known as a sponsor. Affidavit is legally enforceable. There are several types of Affidavit.
Collecting other Supporting Documents:
The sponsor should gather evidence of their finances and other supporting documents.
Completing online application:
After you pay your fees complete the Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration.
Applicant Interview:
Date and time will be given to you for the interview.Then go to the embassy. Consular officer will take your interview and he will tell you whether you are eligible or not.
Submit Scanned Documents:
Then submit all the scanned documents online they have asked for.
US Visa Requirements:
Required documents for a US visa: Your valid passport, one photograph, receipt proving payment of $160 for a nonimmigrant US visa application.
