USA Visa

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Last Updated: Tuesday, 21 June 2022 03:51
Published: Wednesday, 11 May 2022 05:22
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USA Visa:

If you want to enter USA and are not a citizen of this country, you will need to apply for a Visa in order to enter the country. USA Visa fall under 2 broad categories:

  • Non immigrant Visa: This is the category of visa for people who are coming to USA on temporary basis and don't intend to settle in USA. Usually when you are applying for a Visa for a job, education, visit for your parents, it's usually non-immigrant Visa. The maximum amount of time you can stay in the U.S. per year is 6 months, depending on why you entered the U.S., to begin with. These are 3 most popular Visa:
    • Work Visa: This Visa is needed if you want to work in USA. You can't directly apply for this Visa. It's your US employer who must file a petition for you with the USCIS, asking to grant you a Visa.  Usually when you complete your education in USA, you would need to apply for a work Visa to start working for an employer. Or your US emplyer can apply on your behalf to hire you directly from other country. Once the Visa is approved, you may start working. The criteria for this Visa is pretty restrictive. There are 2 most widely used Visa within Work Visa:
      • H1B/H1B1: H1B is the most widely used Visa to allow you to work in USA. Your non working spouse may get a dependent Visa based on your H1B Visa.
      • L1A/L1B: L1A and L1B visas are meant for individuals who transfer within a multinational company. So, for ex you are working for TCS in India, and company wants to transfer you to USA, they may apply for either H1B Visa or a L1 Visa. In the past, H1B Visa were used in such situations, but increasing L1 Visa are being used.
    • Student Visa: Student visas are made for individuals who want to study in the U.S. These are issued by the US embassy in your country when you apply to a USA university and get accepted. Then you appear for an interview in US consulate.
      • The F-1 visa is meant for full-time students going to an accredited educational institution. People with this visa type can only get a job on-campus. F-2 visas are available for children or spouses of F-1 visa holders.
    • Visitor Visa: Someone who wishes to enter the U.S. for tourism reasons or temporary business will need a visitor visa. Unless your home country is covered by the Visa Waiver program, you will have to get a B-1 or B-2 visa. Your documents for the application must be sent to the DHS. These documents should explain your travel reasons and your trip itinerary. The validity of the visa is usually between 3 months and 10 years, depending on where you live. Usually, people can stay in the U.S. for 6 months annually.
      • B1/B2 Visa: B1 Visa is for Business travellers while B2 Visa is for tourists. Generally, both of these Visa are issued under category "B1/B2" Visa (that is what gets stamped on your Visa)
  • Immigrant Visa: This category of Visa is for people who want to settle in USA permanently. An example of Immigrant Visa is "Geen Card". We'll talk about these in a separate section.

Getting Immigrant Visa:

Typical route for people from India to get an Immigrant Visa (aka Green card) is outlined below. Usually these are the 2 paths people choose:

  1. Apply to a US University. On acceptance, get a F-1 Visa, then come to USA, study for few years for MS/Ph.D. Then apply to a US Company for a job. On getting the job, they apply for H1B Visa on your behalf. As soon as you join the company, ask the company to file an application for "Green Card" for you. There's a long waiting line for Green Card processing. There are 3 categories of applying: EB-1 is high priority and you get a green card within a year. EB-2 and EB-3 are low priority and takes over 10 years to get a green card.
  2. Work for a company in India. That company send you to USA either on a H1B Visa or a L1 Visa. As soon as you land in USA, you ask your company to file an application for "Green Card" for you. If you came on L1 Visa, you file under EB-1, while if you came on H!B Visa, you file under EB-2 or E-3 category. If you want to get your green card soon, you should try to come on L1 Visa.

Once you get your Green card, you have to wait for 5 years before you can apply for citizenship. Once you get your citizenship, apply for a USA Passport. There is a separate section that deals with applying for USA passport.

 

Applying for Visitor Visa for your parents or relatives:

This is a link for US Embassy in India that issues USA Visa for Indian nationals: https://in.usembassy.gov/visas/

This pdf file on above link explains the steps: https://in.usembassy.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/71/1.

Here are the steps (as of April, 2022):

  1. Fill out the application form at: https://ceac.state.gov/ceac
    • For Visitor Visa, fill out the DS-160 form: DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application
    • It's a lengthy form, and needs to be filled for each applicant separately. Some of the entries to be filled may not be readily available to you, so use your best guess for those.
    • If you are planning for both of your parents to visit you, you should fill the form 2 times, and save a pdf copy of the final submitted form
  2. Now, go to usa travel docs website, create a user account (only one user account needed for both your parents). www.ustraveldocs.com
    • choose "India" as your country.
    • choose "non immigrant visa", and then on next screen, make your user account (if you don't have one already)
    • Once you log into your account, on left side menu, it will show "New application / schedule appointment". Click that and start filling in information for onw of your parents. At the end of the form, it will ask, if you want to add any more family members. Go ahead and add your parents with pertaining details.
    • You have to enter "confirmation number" from DS-160 form for both of your parents or other applicants. This is how this account gets linked to proper applicants.
  3. Once step 2 is almost complete, you will see instructions on how to deposit the application fee. As of 2022, it's $160 per applicant. You have to pay it in INR, and may only use Indian banks for this. So, either you need to have an online bank account with a bank in India (it may be anyone's account, not necessarily belonging to you or your relatives), or you need to pay in cash at one of the bank locations mentioned (Axis or Citi bank)
  4. Once the payment has been made , you have to finish step 2. You may return to http://portal.ustraveldocs.com/ and enter the bank reference number provided in your bank receipt (not the advice slip).
  5. On the same link, you will see option for Visa interview scheduling. Schedule two separate appointments online.
    • One for a visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
    • Another for biometrics collection at an Visa Application Center (VAC)
    • For people who are renewing their Visa, you may qualify for "Interview waiver" which waives the requirement to appear in person for the interview. You have to still submit your passport, and other forms to consulate. You will still get your appointment date and time. On that date and time, someone will need to go and submit your documents (it can be anyone, doesn't need to be applicant). Consulate will accept these documents and process it in the next few days. Renewed Visa + passport may be returned back you by mail, or you may pick up in person at the consulate (whichever you selected at time of filling the application). Mail is easier, otherwise you will again need to send someone to Consulate to collect the passport + Visa.

A this point, you are done with "visitor visa" for your parents or other relatives. Congrats !!