Need a US Work Visa? Overview of Available Visas

In this US work visa section, we will briefly discuss the types of visas that are available to foreign nationals, needed qualifications, and requirements for applying for them. This section will provide you with a good introduction to all of them.

The most well-known visa is H1B. This US work visa is valid up to nine years. What separates H1B from any other visa is the family may go with a person who was granted this visa to the United States of America. A person might apply for a Legal Permanent Residency (Green Card) with this visa.

Many foreign nationals who would like to come to USA cannot get this visa because they do not meet professional qualifications. People who work in so-called “specialty occupations” can get this visa. The following occupations fall under this category:

* Finance & Accounting

* Teaching

* Legal

* Marketing & Advertising

* Management

* Engineering

* Telecommunications

* Technical

You need to have education in these occupations if you would like to get H1B. Obviously, most people who seek entrance into the United States are either skilled or semi-skilled workers. Thus, this visa is not for them.

Many people from Mexico and Canada enter the United States on a TN visa. The treaty national visa differs from H1B in its length. This work visa last one year, but you can renew it. The TN visa will automatically expire when a person applies for a Legal Permanent Residency. However, a person who has this US work visa may change it to H1B, and then apply for a Legal Permanent Residency. This US work visa is only meant for a short-term professional capacity.

B-1 is another visa that you need to be familiar with. This visa is for people who come to the United States temporarily for business. B-2 visa is for people who would like to come to the United States for pleasure or medical treatment. There are three requirements for B-1 visa, which we listed below:

* The purpose of a person trip should be for business, pleasure, or medical treatment.

* You must remain in the United States for a limited time.

* You must have a residence outside the United States. Also, other binding ties, such as family members, must be present to ensure that you will return where you came from when you fulfill the purpose of your trip.

E-3 is the least known US work visa. This US work visa is for only Australian nationals. Australians are now finding themselves in a privileged position because about 10, 500 E-3 visas a year can be issued to them. What separates E-3 visa from any other US work visa is its low cost and little waiting time. E-3 is issued up to two years, but you can extend it without any set limits. The spouse can go with a person who was granted E-3 visa. The spouse does not have to be an Australian citizen and can work in the United States.

Please return to our US work visa Home page.