What
is a temporary or non-immigrant visa ?
A visa is a permit to apply
to enter the United States. A nonimmigrant visa is given to someone who lives
in another country and wishes to come temporarily to the United States for a specific
purpose. Nonimmigrant visas are given to people such as tourists, business people,
students, temporary workers, and diplomats. Foreign citizens must apply for a
visa at an American embassy or consulate abroad, when desiring to travel to the
United States. A consular officer decides whether the traveler is qualified for
a visa. The visa classifies the visit as business, tourism, etc. Each visa classification
has its own requirements regarding how long a person can stay in the U.S. and
what activities (eg. work, study, perform, etc.) are allowed. The visa is usually
valid for multiple visits to the United States during a specified period of time.
Some non-immigrant visa categories require that the foreign national apply for
the visa directly with the U.S. Consulate or Embassy abroad. Other visa categories
require that a petition first be filed by the foreign national or his employer
and approved by the Department of Homeland Security’s US Citizenship and
Immigration Services (USCIS).
The visa allows a foreign citizen to travel
to a port-of-entry in the United States, such as an international airport, a seaport
or a land border crossing. At the port-of-entry, an officer of the Department
of Homeland Security (DHS) decides whether to allow him to enter and how long
he can stay. An Arrival/Departure Record (Form I-94) is created by the DHS officer
when the traveler is inspected upon arrival in the United States. It is sometimes
possible for someone who is in the U.S. in one non-immigrant visa category to
change to a different one. This is called a “change of status” and requires
that an application be filed and approved by USCIS.
Below is a listing
of some of the common temporary U.S. visa classifications and links to detailed
information provided by the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services. Quan, Burdette & Perez is not responsible for the content
of the articles. Changes in immigration laws and policies occur frequently and
the articles may not be immediately updated. Pleased be advised that interpretation
of general information should not take the place of legal advice provided by an
experienced immigration lawyer familiar with the specifics of your case. |
