Immigrant visas give its holders the right to stay in the US permanently. Whereas with a nonimmigrant 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.
US Immigrant Visa Types
Here are the types of US immigrant visas:
- Immediate Relative and Family Sponsored:
- IR-1 Visa – Spouse of a US Citizen (Permanent Resident)
- CR-1 Visa – Spouse of a US Citizen (Conditional, married under 2 years)
- K-1 Visa – Fiancé(e) of a US Citizen
- K-2 Visa – Children of K-1 Visa Holders
- K-3 Visa – Spouse of a US Citizen awaiting visa processing
- K-4 Visa – Children of K-3 Visa Holders
- IR2 Visa – Unmarried children under 21 of US Citizens
- CR-2 Visa – Unmarried children under 21 of Conditional Residents
- IR5 Visa – Parents of US Citizens over 21
- F-1 Visa – Unmarried adult children of US Citizens
- F-3 Visa – Married adult children of US Citizens
- F-4 Visa – Siblings of US Citizens
- F2A Visa – Spouse and children of LPRs
- F2B Visa – Unmarried adult children of LPRs
- Adoption Visas:
- IH-3 Visa – Child from Hague Convention country (automatic citizenship)
- IH-4 Visa – Child from Hague Convention country (citizenship post-adoption)
- IR3 Visa and IR4 Visa – Adopted child from non-Hague country
- Employment-Based Visas:
- EB1 Visa – Priority Workers (extraordinary abilities, researchers, multinational execs)
- EB2 Visa – Professionals with advanced degrees or exceptional abilities
- EB3 Visa – Skilled workers and professionals
- EW3 Visa – Unskilled workers
- EB4 Visa – Special immigrants (religious workers, interpreters, etc.)
- EB5 Visa – Investors (job creation in high-unemployment or rural areas)
What are the US Immigration Forms?
Below will be some of the most popular forms that people have to fill out during the US immigration application process.
- Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiance. This form is sent out by a US citizen who is engaged to a person from a foreign country. The couple is already engaged and they have filed their documents for the fiancé to come to the US permanently. To shorten the time that the couple has to be apart, the US government will give the fiancé a visa to come to the US so the couple can get married.
- Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. This form is used by any family member who is a US permanent resident or citizen to petition the government to approve an immediate family member to come to the US. This is used for family sponsored immigration visas and is only for spouses, parents, or children and does not apply for other extended family members.
- Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker. This form is used by employers who want to hire a person from a foreign country as an employee. If you apply for a job in the US and are hired, the employer will send this form with your information and reasons why you should be allowed to come to the US to work permanently and why your skills are valuable.
- Form I-526, Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur. This form is used by those who want to invest in the US economy and get a visa that way. These are called investor visas and the person must invest from $500,000 to $1 million in a US company and create a certain number of jobs to get this visa. However, they must first petition the US government by submitting this form to be allowed to invest that amount.
- Form I-800A, Determination on Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country. Many US couples want to adopt children from foreign countries and before they are allowed to do that, they must go through a lengthy process. One of the steps in this process includes filing this form so that they can get inspected by the US government. The government decides whether the couple fulfills the criteria to adopt a child.
- Form DS-260, Immigrant Visa Electronic Application. This form is the one that all those who are applying for US immigration must fill and submit to the US Embassy. This form collects your basic information such as your name, address, family information, employment and education details, type of immigrant visa, reason for immigration and so on. At the end, it will give you a confirmation page and number, which you need to save since you might be asked to send it to the National Visa Center (NVC).
How to Schedule a US Immigrant Visa Appointment?
When you apply for a US immigrant visa, then scheduling your fingerprint and interview appointments is different. Unlike the nonimmigrant visas when you have to schedule everything yourself, the National Visa Center (NVC) is responsible to schedule the appointments for immigrant visas.
After the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) processes the immigrant visa petition from an employer or family member, they send the documents to the NVC. The NVC assigns a case identification number and a fee identification number for you.
If the visa you are applying for does not have a limit, then they schedule the biometrics and interview appointments immediately. If the visa has an annual limit, then they wait until it is your turn, so until you get a current processing date. When it is your turn to get that visa, then they schedule the appointments.
For immigrant visas you do not get a choice when the US visa appointment is scheduled. Therefore, the NVC will schedule it whenever the next available timeslot is at your US Embassy. This means that you must plan ahead and take time off work or your commitments to be able to attend the fingerprints and interview appointments.
Rescheduling an immigrant visa appointment
To reschedule a US immigrant visa appointment, you must contact the NVC and explain your reasons for wanting to reschedule. You must provide your case number or application number and let them know of a time that is convenient for you so they can try to get you that appointment. The NVC however, will schedule the appointments at the next available timeslot if the one you are requesting is not available.
Because of this, you must make arrangements and try to attend the original appointments. Rescheduling will only delay the processing of your visa and increase the time you have to wait to know whether you got the visa or not.
It is not recommended to reschedule an appointment more than once if it is absolutely necessary. If you reschedule more than once, then you may be required to pay a new visa application fee as a penalty.
Where to Find US Immigration Services?
When you decide to apply for a US immigrant visa, you will have to go through different institutions and services to complete this task. The services and institutions you will have to go through depending on your visa can be as follows:
- US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) – is the place where your petitioner must submit the petition forms for the applicants.
- US State Department – is the institution which will go through various application forms and documents.
- National Visa Center (NVC) – will go through your approved petition and send you an informative package with all the necessary steps and forms you must take to apply for the immigrant visa.
- US Department of Labor (DOL) – is the place where companies must get their labor certification before they are allowed to hire an employee from a foreign country.
- US Embassy in your home country – is where the applicant submits their final application and has the visa interview. This step is conducted only after the petition and other documents have been approved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I renew my immigrant visa?
Once you get the immigrant visa, you do not need to renew it or extend it. It is valid permanently unless you engage in an illegal activity in the US to have your immigrant visa revoked.
Can I travel outside the United States?
The immigrant visa does not constrain you to stay in the US, but you can travel in and out of the US anytime you want and not have your visa in danger of being revoked or cancelled as long as you have a valid Re-entry Permit.
Can I get US citizenship if I am on an immigrant visa?
If you live in the US for a specified period of time without any violations, you can also apply for a citizenship and if approved, you will become a US citizen.