The H1-B visa is one of the most popular ways to work in the US. This is a kind of visa that must be applied for by an employer on behalf of a specialist employee. Since the visa is granted for specialized occupations, typically applicants that hold at least a Bachelor’s degree and are from fields such as IT, finance, architecture, medicine,
science, etc. are usually preferred. The H1-B visa allows foreign nationals to work in the US for up to six years at a time. If you want to extend your stay beyond six years after completion of your studies or initial employment period, you must wait until April 1st before applying for another H1-B visa.
H1-B refers to “specialty occupations” and represents an employment- based nonimmigrant visa available for foreign nationals who intend to work temporarily in the United States (U.S.) in jobs requiring specialized knowledge and/or experience in specific occupations that are generally classified as professions under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).
The H1-B visa is a non-immigrant visa that enables employers in the US to hire foreign workers for specialized occupations. It is one of the most popular US visas and the most competitive to apply for. The H1-B Visa is one of the most popular US visas and the most competitive to apply for. The annual cap on H1-B visa intake is approx 65,000. This means that only 65,000 petitions can be granted in a year. Additionally, there are 20,000 additional visas available under the master's cap (for those with advanced degrees from US universities). As such, there are approximately 85,000 people who are eligible to apply for an H1-B visa each year.
To qualify for an H1-B Visa, you must:
● Have a U.S.-based employer willing to sponsor your application;
● Have an eligible bachelors or higher degree;
● Apply for an H-1B Visa within 6 years of receiving your degree;
● Pass an English language proficiency test
Visa has a duration of 3 years with the provision to extend it up to a maximum of 6 years. Once the visa duration is over, the applicant must either leave the U.S. or obtain a different visa. If the applicant does not comply with this, he/she can lose their legal status and can also be deported.
The H1-B is a point-based visa system and you need a minimum of 12 points for your application to be assessed. You must have: A Bachelors's or Masters's degree from the US (or an equivalent in your country) Or 12 years of work experience Or a mix of education and work experience You are awarded points as follows: 3 points for every 1 year of college studies 1 point for every 1 year of work experience Once you score a minimum of 12 points, your H1-B petition can then be prepared.
The H1-B visa is valid for up to three years, but it can be extended up to six years. The maximum time allowed for an H1-B visa extension is three years.
Once the validity of an H1-B visa expires, a foreign worker must either leave the U.S. or obtain another type of visa if he wants to stay in the country permanently or temporarily. If he does not comply with this rule, he can lose his legal status and be deported from the U.S.
The H4 visa is a non-immigrant dependent visa, meaning that it does not grant you permanent residency but allows you to live, study, and work in the US.
If your spouse is a US citizen, you can apply for an H4 dependent visa. The H4 visa allows you to live, study, and work in the US. It does not give you permanent residency but offers you a temporary stay. The H4 dependent visa is available to those who are married to a US citizen or green card holder (permanent resident). You need to meet certain eligibility requirements before applying for the visa.
You can get an H4 visa if your spouse has a job offer from a company in the US or if they are on track to completing their degree at an accredited institution. You must also meet certain eligibility requirements and must be eligible for the dependent visa category (H4).
You must meet all of these criteria:
● You must be married to a US citizen or permanent resident (green card holder).
● You must have legally entered the US under an F1 student visa or J1 exchange visitor visa (not tourists). If you entered illegally or overstayed your time limit, then this could affect your eligibility for an H4 non-immigrant dependent visa.
● Your spouse must be able to prove that they have sufficient financial resources to support
The L-1A visa is a US-issued non-immigrant visa. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approve these visas for foreign directors or managers that are being transferred to U.S. offices of their company. International businesses that do not possess any associated offices in the U.S. can also apply for an L-1A visa to send
a manager or executive to establish their presence in the US. The L-1A visa is among the two categories of work visas in the L-1 visa category. This visa is equivalent to an L-1B visa that is for staff with advanced skills who choose to migrate to the U.S. for a five-year period. Upon expiry of visa duration, the candidate may again apply
for the L-1 visa holder status only after working for the parent, subsidiary, branch, or affiliate of the organization for the duration of at least one year outside the U.S.
The USCIS defines an executive as someone whose primary responsibilities include:
● Managing and directing organizational operations at a high level.
● Supervising and controlling subordinate employees.
● Making key decisions regarding major aspects of business
operations.
L2 visas are commonly known as L1 dependent visas. The L2 visa is granted to the spouses and dependents of L1 visa holders for the purpose of staying with their families. An L2 visa falls in the category of a non-immigrant visa.
L1 visas are issued to those who have been offered employment in the United States by a US employer with a specific job offer. If the applicant's spouse or children will be joining him/her in the United States, they may also apply for an L2 visa. This is an important consideration as it can take anywhere from six months to several years for an application to be processed and approved.
The requirements for obtaining an L2 visa include:
● A valid passport from the candidate's place of origin or birth.
● Proof that the applicant has been legally married for at least two years (marriage certificates).
● Proof that the applicant has sufficient funds to support himself/herself without having to rely on public assistance (bank statements).
● Proof that the applicant does not have any criminal record (police reports). If you are a religious worker and want to work in the United States, you will need to apply for an R1 visa. This is a nonimmigrant visa that allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals into the country to work for them.
In order to qualify for an R1 visa, you must:
● Be sponsored by a religious organization or non-profit organization (such as a church) that is legally registered in the United States and is qualified to receive tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
● Be entering the country solely to carry out the religious duties of your sponsoring organization and not be receiving any payment from them.
● Have at least two years of experience working for this sponsoring organization within the past five years before applying for an R1 visa.
The R2 visa is a temporary US visa that enables an R1 visa holder’s spouse and unmarried child (under 21 years) to enter the US premise. The holders of R2 visas will remain in the US for as long as the holders of R1 visas have their duration. In other words, the R2 status stays valid as long as the status of the R1 visa is valid. R2 visas are usually issued to individuals who intend to accompany their spouses on a temporary business trip or a training program. However, sometimes there are instances when people want to bring their children along with them while on business trips or study programs in the USA. This is where applying for an R2 visa becomes
relevant.
The application process for an R2 visa is similar to that of an H1-B visa (however, there are certain differences). Applicants can apply either at the US embassy or consulate nearest their residence or at one through which they are traveling. The holder of an R-2 visa can apply for renewal before it expires and get a new one.
Steps Involved to Apply for H1-B Visa
Step 1: Determination of visa type by reading the Common Nonimmigrant Visas.
Step 2: The next step is the completion of the Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application form (DS-160).
Step 3: Complete the DS-160 form.
Step 4: Pay your Visa Fee.
Step 5:Prepare all the required documents listed on the U.S. Embassy or Consulate website and bring them with you to your interview at the embassy or consulate. This is a list of documents typically requested by consular officers during visa interviews in order to make a decision on your application.
Step 6: After the visit to the Visa Application Centre to have your photo and fingerprints taken, the applicant will then visit the U.S. Embassy or Consulate on the date and time of your visa interview along with the pre-requisite documents.