How to Obtain a Visa for the United States

First thing that comes to my mind when I think about USA is the adventure. I am sure that most of you will love to discover the biggest towns, to explore the beautiful fields of the countryside in USA or simply to admire any view of the American landscape. That’s why the decision of travelling to USA, no matter if you do it for work, studies, visiting a relative or you want to move for good to America or to open a company in America, needs to have first of all the proper strategy and documentation.

There are however some very common mistakes done by people wanting be granted a visa to the US (or even immigrate), respectively:

1. Not choosing the right strategy from the start.

In order to avoid potential pitfalls throughout this procedure, please inform yourself on the procedures and do not hesitate to contact specialists on the matter (there are even in some cases US Lawyers specialized in Immigration to the US in your own country). It is advisable to contact them beforehand

2. Underestimating the financial requirements.

Plan carefully to see whether you have the financial means to finalize the entire procedure (including the actual move or trip to the USA). It would be a shame to spend money and stop halfway.

3. Understand when you need help.

If the whole procedure becomes a blur, don’t hesitate to contact a specialist.

Your dream of moving for good to America, to open a company in America or simply to travel for the holiday of your life, can definitely become true if you follow the needed information before you are going to apply for your visa.

Before your application, there is important information that you need to consider

Take your time to study the type of visa that you need. There are specific official websites on the internet that guide you through the whole process: you can find information about all type of visas for United States. On the official websites online, you will find various types of visas. Depending on the purpose of your travel, there are many types of non – immigrant visas. Some examples are:

-business/ tourist visa

-work visa

-student visa

-exchange visitor visa

-transit/ ship crew visa

– religious worker visa

– journalist and media visa

– investor visa

In case that you need an immigrant visa, the procedure to obtain it is totally different. A foreign citizen who wants to immigrate to the USA must be sponsored by a U.S. citizen or by a permanent resident – in this case it can be one immediate relative, or a prospective U.S. employer. They will need to have a petition that is approved, before applying for an immigrant visa. The sponsor begins this process and fills a petition on the foreign citizen’s behalf with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

You need to know that some of the most important immigrant visas are:

– family-based immigration visa

– fiancé(e) visa

– employment-based immigration visa

– diversity visa

– returning resident visa

The cases are different from one country to the other, from one individual to other. The request of the visa is also based on your individual situation, so the recommended method of proceeding would be the following:

1) Find out if the area/country that you are living in has a US Consular Representative or a US Embassy that can offer some basic information on how to apply for a visa from your country;

2) After perusing this basic info make a detailed analysis of your situation to see which kind of visa would be applicable for you. Kindly take into account that the US Embassies or Consular Offices do not offer personalized Legal Advice, but rather simply provide some basic details on methods to obtain a Visa for the United States.

3) Get in touch with a US Immigration Attorney to provide a final recommendation on how to go forward (There are different situations depending on whether you will move to a new job, move your business (relocate through a business visa) to the United States etc.

There are also some important facts to take into account when planning to hire an American lawyer specialized in Immigration Law: they will usually require clients to provide detailed information on their background (including ID, address, country of residence and nationality,  financial background, educational background), and their intentions on their future activity in the USA (ability to invest certain amounts, open a business in the USA, purchase real estate in the USA or invest in other assets etc). It is of course advisable to be as open as possible with your Immigration Lawyer so he/she can find the best solution for you.

4) Proceed with your application.  Complete all the requested information and double-check your forms to be certain all information is reported accurately and in full.