Visiting the United States for Pleasure or Business

You can seek a visa for personal reasons like tourism, health, or visiting family members. You can also seek a visa for business reasons such as attending a convention or conference, settling an estate, negotiating a contract, having a face-to-face meeting with a business associate.

 

Working Temporarily in the United States

Working temporarily in the U.S. can be accomplished through various ways. You may choose to obtain one as the fiancée of a U.S. citizen, an expert or skilled person, a business executive or manager, an investor, an agricultural worker, an entertainer, an athlete, or a religious worker. 

 

Moving Permanently to the United States (Obtain a Green Card)

You can seek lawful permanent residency (also known as a green card) through different methods. A green card can be obtained by sponsorship through a relative, an employer, the contribution of your skills and expertise to the U.S., or under humanitarian options such as asylum or battered spouse applications.

 

Hardship Waivers

You may not be granted admittance to the U.S. for reasons not limited to fraud, misrepresentation, health, criminal, economic or national security issues, false claims to U.S. citizenship, and unlawful presence. These situations may be cured with a procedure known as a waiver (similar to a pardon). These waivers are usually issued based upon your relationship to family members in the U.S.

 

Removal

Individuals admitted into the U.S. may be placed in line for deportation or removal proceedings for a variety of reasons. These may include, but are not limited to, overstaying, criminal or civil convictions, and denial of applications or waivers. Certain criminal convictions cause lawful permanent residents to have lost their residence status, resulting in their placement in removal proceedings. In these cases, they must obtain a waiver in order to remain in the U.S.

 

Becoming a U.S. Citizen

After you have been a lawful permanent resident for five years (three years if you obtained your lawful permanent resident status through marriage to a U.S. citizen with whom you are still residing), you can apply to become a U.S. citizen. Most applicants are required to fulfill certain age, physical presence, and good moral character requirements. Once you become a U.S. citizen you can then take part in the most important aspect of living in a democratic country, exercising your right to vote.