Every immigrant in Arizona has a unique immigration story. Some entered on fiancé visas after.
Every immigrant in Arizona has a unique immigration story. Some entered on fiancé visas after a long-distance romance, while others made a dangerous journey full of uncertainty and then received asylum after persuading the courts that their circumstances would be even more dangerous and uncertain if they returned to their countries of origin. Some got employment visas by virtue of working in high-demand professions, while others arrived for a temporary visit that turned permanent when they got married to a United States citizen or found an employer who sponsored them. It is possible to get U.S. permanent residency either by entering the United States on an immigrant visa or by entering on a nonimmigrant visa and then adjusting your status to permanent resident. Until you have your permanent green card in hand, there is always a chance that things could go wrong, so until you are taking selfies with your permanent green card or naturalization certificate, you should work with a Tempe immigration lawyer. Read on to learn more about immigration visas.
Immigration Visas for Family Members of United States Citizens
The best thing about family-based immigration is that, when you arrive in the United States, you will not be entering a completely unfamiliar world; you will be with at least one family member who has been living in the United States for a long time. The bad news is that family-based immigrant visas are very difficult to get. Almost every naturalized U.S. citizen has at least one relative whose immigration he or she would like to sponsor.
United States citizens can sponsor the immigration of a spouse, parent, son, daughter, or sibling. The wait times vary according to the family relationship and according to how many pending applications USCIS is currently considering. If you are engaged to be married to a U.S. citizen and are planning to settle in the United States with your spouse after you marry, it is simpler to enter the U.S. on a fiancé visa. The visa is valid for 90 days, during which time you marry your spouse and apply to adjust your status to permanent residency.
Employment-Based Visas
Employers can sponsor the visas of foreign employees; USCIS issues a certain number of these visas each year based on the needs of the labor market. Employment visas tend to last several years and either be renewable or provide an opportunity to adjust your visa category to permanent resident status. If the employee is married and has children, the employer will often provide visas for the employee’s spouse and minor children to stay in the United States with the employee. L-1 visas are for managers of U.S. branches of international companies, while U.S.-based companies can sponsor employees for H-1 visas.
Visas for Students and Their Spouses and Children
Student visas are, by nature, nonimmigrant visas. They expire shortly after the student graduates or withdraws from the program with study without graduating. Visas are available for the spouses and minor children of international students, but these family members’ visas are contingent on the student’s enrollment status. It is not hard to find naturalized U.S. citizens who entered the United States on student visas and never left. Some find jobs that will sponsor them for employment visas when they graduate, and some unmarried international students meet their future spouses while studying in the United States and then apply for adjustment of status after they get legally married.
Less Common Types of Immigration Visas
While almost anyone can enter the United States for purposes of study or work, other visa categories are available for people in certain types of circumstances. For example, you can apply for asylum status if you can demonstrate that you would be in serious danger if you returned to your country of origin. Unlike Temporary Protective Status, which is only available to people of certain nationalities whose countries are currently affected by war or disasters, people of any nationality can get asylum status if their own individual circumstances qualify.
Likewise, people with enough available funds to make an investment of nearly a million dollars can apply for investor visas. The availability of these visas is limited, as the government seeks investment for a limited number of projects each year.
Contact Singular Law Group About Immigrant Visas
An immigration lawyer can help you get an immigrant visa regardless of whether your connection to the United States is through your studies, your work, or your family. Contact Singular Law Group PLLC in Tempe, Arizona, to set up a consultation.
Sources
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate.html
