If you are thinking about coming to the United States to work, you might be overwhelmed by the number of different classes of US visas that are offered by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Here is a brief overview of some of the many different types of such visas.
There are over 60 different temporary US visas available to immigrants who wish to come to the United States. Some of them offer a pathway to citizenship and permanent residence, also referred to simply as a green card. One of the very first things an employee who is intending to come to the country should consider is the period of time they intend to remain in the US. If they expect to stay for under six months, then a visitor’s US visa would be appropriate, while a true work visa will be required for a stay longer than six months.
There are three very common types of US visas that permit visitors and immigrants to work. The first is the B-1 work visa for those regarded as business visitors. They are individuals who come to the United States to conduct negotiations, seek investments for their overseas companies, make sales and attend meetings. The B-1 visa permits a stay of up to six month.
The next type is the H-IB visa, which is aimed at employees in specialty occupations, such as engineering, mathematics and science. H-1B applicants must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent and stays of up to six years are permitted under this visa. Finally, the L visa allows overseas company executives to come to the US for up to five years.