As much as you want to go to the United States, you must be cautious and follow the proper routes.
Before you begin your immigration adventure, you must first grasp the procedure.
To migrate to the United States permanently, you must complete specific conditions, pay government fees, and have your application approved by the US government.
That may be complex and costly, so it’s critical to understand what’s ahead.
We’ll lead you through the entire process in this step-by-step guide to making your relocation that much easier.
What exactly is a green card?
If you’re interested in travel, this will probably not be the first time you’ve heard the word.
To come to the United States, one must get a green card, also known as an immigrant visa.
A green card entitles the holder to unlimited work and may be renewed indefinitely. It also offers a road to US citizenship.
Not everyone is qualified for a green card, and the application process may be costly and time-consuming.
Many individuals instead utilize temporary visas to come to the United States to visit, work, or study.
Such visas, technically known as nonimmigrant visas, are frequently renewable and valid for numerous visits, allowing you to remain in the United States for several years.
Requirements for a Green Card
Most green card applications will need you to pass:
- a background check, during which you may be required to produce police reports from prior residences and answer questions regarding previous offenses.
- a medical exam in which you will be asked about your mental health, drug and alcohol use, and history of communicable diseases.
How can I immigrate to the USA?
The following are the steps you need to take to move to the US successfully
Step 1
Find an employer to sponsor you.
The simplest way to obtain permission to move to the United States is to have an employer sponsor your move.
If a US employer wishes to hire you, they will begin the process by submitting a petition to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on your behalf.
Employer sponsorship permits you to remain in the United States indefinitely.
Form I-130, which confirms your link to the sponsoring relative, will be required for family-based green cards.
Form I-140, which requests an employment-based green card on your behalf, will be required for employment-based green cards.
Step 2
Obtain sponsorship from a member of your family.
If you don’t have an employer willing to sponsor you, family members in the United States may be able to help.
Your relative begins the procedure by submitting a Form I-130 petition to USCIS on your behalf.
After the petition is authorized, you will be required to go through consular procedures in your native country.
Step 3
Determine other options to relocate to the United States.
If you do not have a job or family member in the United States who may apply on your behalf, there may be another method for you to move to the nation.
Some typical alternatives are:
- Self-petition if you have exceptional talent. Individuals with exceptional ability in the arts, sciences, education, business, or athletics can apply for a green card.
- Work visas for non-immigrants. These are temporary visas that allow you to stay in the United States for a set time.
You must depart when your visa expires. Nonimmigrant visas are provided for those working in specialty jobs requiring at least a bachelor’s degree, as well as for people of exceptional talent. On your behalf, your employer will file a Form I-129 petition.
- Company transfer. A manager or executive may be transferred from a foreign office to a US office. To begin the procedure, your employer will file Form I-129.
- Tourist visa. A tourist visa allows you to stay in the United States for six months.
If you want to stay for an extended period, you should not obtain a tourist visa. A tourist visa does not allow you to look for a job.
- Investors You may also buy your way into America.
An immigrant investor visa is available to foreign entrepreneurs who invest at least $500,000 in a business and create at least five full-time jobs.
- Student visa. You can obtain a student visa if you are an exchange student or a permanent international student attending a US institution.
Student visas are classified into two types. An F visa permits a foreigner to study or participate in language training programs in the United States.
An M visa is intended for non-academic or vocational education. People with student visas face various restrictions if they want to stay in the United States permanently.
- Asylum seekers People may claim asylum at a U.S. port of entry if they can demonstrate that they have been or will be persecuted in their home country because of their race, religion, nationality, membership in a specific social group, or political beliefs.
Anyone seeking the same protections from outside the United States is classified as a refugee. Anyone who is in the United States unlawfully may also request asylum.
- Visa Lottery. The Diversity Visa Lottery program is one of the most unusual methods to enter the United States.
Every year, the government distributes 50,000 visas at random to applicants from countries with low immigration rates to the United States.
Step 4
Assessment of petition by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
After that, unless you already did so through concurrent filing, you will file your real green card application using Form I-485 to apply from inside the United States or Form DS-260 to apply from outside the United States.
In the case of family-based green cards, your sponsor will also file Form I-864, agreeing to financially assist you.
Your application will be handled by your local consulate, and your biometrics will be captured at your consular interview.
In both circumstances, a medical exam will be required as part of the application procedure.
Once your application has been completed, you will be notified of the day and time of your interview at a US consulate.
Your application and supporting documentation are processed by the State Department’s National Visa Center (NVC).
A visa may not be immediately accessible for you depending on the type of visa you requested for. When a visa becomes available, the NVC will contact you.
Step 5
Have a medical exam.
Before your consular interview, you will have a medical exam. A medical test and vaccines are likely to be required before the US can issue you a visa.
Other requirements, such as getting your fingerprints taken, may be assigned to you by the consular official before your interview.
Allow enough time before your consular interview to accomplish everything.
Examine all of your family members’ passports and renew those that are about to expire.
Step 6
Participate in your consular interview.
You will complete your application at the nearest US consulate or embassy.
A consular official will question you about the information you supplied on your application and evaluate your supporting documents during the interview.
If you are authorized, the consular officer will notify you of the day and time you may pick up your visa.
If your visa application is denied, the consular officer may explain why. You can always reapply. If your application is declined, your application money will not be returned.
Following the interview, you will be informed whether or not your application has been approved.
Your passport will be returned to you along with a visa that will allow you to fly to the United States; after you arrive, your green card will be shipped to your U.S. address.
Conclusion
Foreign citizens wishing to relocate to the United States must first obtain legal authorization.
The type of permission you seek will be determined by how long you intend to stay in the United States and the reason for your relocation.
You may begin looking for a place to reside and packing your possessions once your legal paperwork is in order. Moving to a new nation is a lot of work.
Before you move to the United States to begin your new life, make copies of vital personal papers and become acquainted with US laws and regulations.
