Types of US Visa
Types of USA Visa relevant for Foreign Nationals
To be able to visit or live in the US, residents of different countries need visas. Visas are stamps in your passport that give you the right to travel to various countries. It could be a non-immigrant visa for a short while or an immigrant visa for a long time. For entry into the US, Indians require a non-immigrant visa. People who want to enter the United States temporarily to carry out specified tasks, such as business travellers, tourists, workers with specialized skills, and students, can use non-immigrant visas. There are many different types of visas for the United States. If you want to legally work in the U.S., you have to choose a specific visa first. All visas have different requirements, applications, costs, and processing times.
Here we are focussing on various visa options available for Indians for entering in USA for business purposes.
Non-immigrant Visa
A non-immigrant visa is issued to a person with permanent residence outside the United States but wishes to be in the United States on a temporary basis for tourism, medical treatment, business, temporary work, or study, as examples. A non-immigrant visa includes following:
- E-1 Treaty Trader Visa -Treaty Trader visa is an option for managers or specialists who are involved in international trade. It allows them to enter the U.S. and continue trading. In this case, ‘trade’ includes commercial transactions with goods or in services such as banking, insurance, tourism or consulting.
- E-2 Treaty Investor Visa-This visa allows expats to either start a new business or buy an existing business that they will directly manage. Investment amounts vary based on the type of business, and although this is a non-immigrant visa (meaning it does not lead to citizenship), it is valid indefinitely as long as you continue to run the business. The visa is only open to citizens of countries that have a treaty of friendship and navigation with the United States. With this Visa, you can engage in trade of technology or other activities between the US and your country or may directly involve in operations of a company in which you have invested capital.
- Visitor Visa-the B-1 visa is issued temporarily for travellers consulting with business associates, attending scientific, educational, professional or business conventions/conferences, settling an estate or negotiating contracts. You should consider a US visitor visa if you do not qualify for the Visa Waiver Program (ESTA), or if you want to stay in the U.S. for a longer period of time (up to 180 days) for restricted business or touristic purposes. Visa Waiver Program (ESTA) enables foreign nationals of participating countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa.
Immigrant Visa for the USA
An immigrant visa is issued to a person wishing to live permanently in the United States. Immigrant visas give its holders the right to stay in the US permanently. Whereas with a US non-immigrant visa, the person is required to return to their home country when their visa expires, an immigrant visa does not expire. It allows you to live, work, and study in the US or engage in any activity you like. Foreign nationals can apply for various kinds of immigrant visas, including immediate relative visas, family preference visas, diversity visas, and employment-based visas.
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa is a popular employment-based visas that gives the opportunity to foreign investors to become a green card holder for permanent residency in USA. This visa is available to those with the minimum investment plan of USD $800,000 for rural areas or USD $1,050,000 in urban areas (From 15/03/2022 onwards) in USA business and your investment will result in the creation of at least ten full-time jobs for US residents within 2 years. It will grant access to the Permanent Residency of the United States for not just the applicant but for the immediate family as well. An immediate family would mean the applicant and applicant’s spouse and unmarried children below the age of 21 years.
How to apply for US Visa – Click Here