Moving to the USA: A Visas & Paperwork Guide

The USA is often known as ‘The Land of Opportunity’, or those that immigrate here do so to ‘achieve the American Dream’. Most people achieve this by legal immigration, but there is an essential path to follow before you can finally call the United States ‘home’.

For starters, the USA has a lot to offer travellers, so if you are visiting the country prior to taking the steps to immigrate, you may need a US ESTA pass (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation), which acts as a visa waiver. The ESTA is a system that the authorities use to streamline the entry process for eligible nationalities.

Alternatively, if you’re ineligible for the ESTA, then you’ll require a B1/B2 visa to visit.

Of course, if you’ve already visited the United States, you’ve fallen in love and you’ve decided to move here, then read on to find out all about the visas and documents you’ll need to immigrate!

How to Get a Visa to Move to America

There are 2 core types of visa available to people looking to enter the USA – Immigrant and Non-Immigrant. A Non-Immigrant version is exclusively for travellers that will only be in America for a short time, such as those travelling for business or taking a holiday. On the other hand, if you want to live in the USA, you will need an Immigrant one.

Ensure you have appropriate sponsorship to live in America. The best way to achieve this is based on a job. If you are moving to the USA for work, your employer will petition the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to explain that your unique skills and experience are required.

If you are moving to live with an American family, these family members will also need to write to USCIS and prove that you are indeed related.

Once this is in order, make an appointment with the US embassy in your country. The embassy will help you fill in the relevant paperwork and make sure you apply for the correct document. This will then be filed with the National Visa Centre (NVC) in the USA, and you will hear whether your request has been approved or declined in due course.

Do I Need a Visa to Move to America?

Moving to the country is a whole different matter than visiting. If you plan to live in the USA, but are not a permanent resident of the country, it is almost certain that you will need a visa.

Your first 90 days in the country will be permitted under the ESTA or Visa Waiver Program (VWP), or under the B1/B2 visa, depending on your nationality. After this, however, you will need the appropriate paperwork to remain in the USA.

What US Immigration Visa Types Are There?

The USA has an array of options. The most prominent types of immigration visas are as follows:

• Family Immigration – for spouses and children of American citizens.
• Fiancé(e) – for those due to marry in the USA (typically time-limited, usually 3 months).
• Employment – for individuals moving to the USA to work for a particular employer, as per a pre-agreed contract.
• Special Immigrants – typically reserved for religious workers, media broadcasters or overseas employees of the US government.
• Returning Resident – for permanent residents of the USA that left the country and are now returning.
• Diversity – immigration visas for residents of countries with a limited population in the USA.

What Is the Difference Between a Visa and a Green Card?

A Green Card is also known as a Permanent Resident Card. This document means that you can live and work in America without any restrictions. Most Green Cards are valid for 10 years and will need to be renewed at this point, though some are conditional and only last 2 years. Whatever you do, always remember to renew it.

You can typically apply for a Green Card if:

• You are married to an American citizen and you want to live together in the USA.
• One of your parents is a US citizen, living in America, and you are aged below 21.
• You have been offered a job in the USA based on particular skills and experience.
• You are fleeing abuse or seeking asylum from a recognised country.

Your circumstances will be reviewed before a Green Card is offered, and these investigations can be very thorough. If your circumstances change, such as losing a job or dissolving a marriage, your Green Card may be revoked. In such instances, you may be asked to leave the country – a Green Card does not equate to citizenship.

You must also ensure that your information logged with the USCIS is always up to date and includes details of any change of address you might make. This must be done within 10 days of moving. The same applies to any contact numbers or email addresses.

If you forget to inform the authorities, any mail sent to you regarding your application may not be received. Whilst the US Mail service will deliver mail to your new address, they do not inform the USCIS, so you will need to do this yourself.

If you want to check on the progress of your Green Card, you can do so by looking on the USCIS website with your correct case number. Please be aware that if you leave the country whilst the process is underway but not approved, you must notify the relevant departments. To do this, use the online form, in order for your application not to be voided. A form of exit permission must be issued in advance.

What Is on the US Immigration Visa Application Form?

You will be provided with a range of reference numbers by USCIS before you start the process of applying. These will need to be included in your form, so make sure you have them to hand.

In terms of more general information, the application form asks for the following:

• Your full name, address, telephone contact details, and previous addresses.
• Any previous names or aliases.
• Your date and place of birth.
• Your religion (if applicable).
• Information from your passport and pertaining to any other citizenships.
• Social media information (optional).
• Your proposed address in the USA.
• Family information, including names, addresses and nationalities of your parents, spouse (and previous spouses) and children.
• Details of any previous visits to the USA or visa applications.
• Occupational and educational history.
• Information pertaining to your petitioner/sponsor upon arrival in the USA.
• Medical and health history.
• Background check, including disclosure of any criminal record or deportation from other nations.

As you will see, it’s a very detailed form. This is why it is best to complete it with the aid of the US embassy.

Is There a US Immigration Visa Online Application?

We will stress again that we strongly recommend that you complete your form through the US embassy. This will ensure that all essential information is included, and the application is correctly filed with the appropriate authorities in the USA.

However, if you are adamant that you prefer to complete the form for yourself and wish to download it from the internet, you can still do so, although it is not advisable. Any rejections will take a while to work out, which can be somewhat of a task.

What Is the US Immigration Visa Processing Time?

If you are lucky enough to be declared eligible for an immigrant visa on the day of your interview, you will receive it in the post within around 10 days.

The USCIS is very busy, so complicated applications can take months or even years. If you have a compelling reason to apply, though, such as American relatives or a solid job offer, you should avoid such a prolonged wait.

What Is the US Immigration Visa Fee?

Different types have different processing fees. All of these charges are non-refundable, so do not apply unless you are confident you will be accepted.

If you are going to apply, this table outlines the estimated costs.