Working abroad provides plenty of opportunities for individuals to hone their craft and advance their careers at the same time. While the prospect of staying in an entirely new county can be quite nerve-racking, it’s undeniable that it’s also the best place that exposes you to a wide range of opportunities, new perspectives, and new outlooks in life.
If you’re planning on pursuing your career in the United States, you should apply for a Work visa. There are many types of work visas, most of which are usually dependent on the work you are employed for or will be doing once you step foot in the country. There are also different sets of requirements that accompany each Work visa type.
Since the immigration laws of the United States can be confusing or complicated to understand all by yourself, you’ll be best reassured by having professional solicitors for immigration by your side. Immigration solicitors lend their services to assist you with the legal workings that surround the United States’ immigration laws and help you make informed decisions about your travel so that you can enjoy your stay while you’re there.
That said, here is a complete guide you can follow for applying for and maintaining your US work visa.
What is a US Work Visa?
Apart from tourism, the United States is also a popular destination for many individuals who are looking to achieve a boost in their careers. Because of this, it’s no surprise that many people prefer to work in the US due to the great compensation and healthy working environments that they offer.
There are two methods by which you can go to the country for employment reasons.
- As a permanent or sponsored employee
- As a temporary employee
Temporary employees or workers generally require a US non-immigrant visa while the sponsored and permanent ones need to apply for an immigrant visa.
The US Work visa applies to people who opt to work in the US for a certain amount of time. This time frame that you’ll be working should be specifically stated in your visa application’s employment contract. Keep in mind that this kind of work visa does not allow people to work indefinitely in the US or stay there permanently. You’d also need to accomplish the visa application and comply with its list of requirements to be eligible for application.
Step by Step Guide to Applying for a Work Visa
If you’ve already accomplished all of the necessary requirements and met all of the qualifications, you can start your application process for a work visa. The best way to do this is by following the steps listed below.
1. Accomplish the Form DS-160 or Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application and print the confirmation
Remember to fill in the necessary details honestly and correctly in your form. If there are any mistakes, this will only provide enough reason for your local Embassy to reject your visa application. Also, while the form is available in a variety of languages, your answers must still be written or filled out in English.
2. Schedule your visa interview
The US Embassies generally receive a ton of applications now and then, which is why you need to get ahead and schedule your interview as soon as you’re done settling all the requirements for your visa. An interview is typically not required for individuals older than 80 years old or younger than 13 years old. Those between 14 and 79 will need to attend interviews, though certain exceptions might be put in place for those who only intend to renew their visas.
3. Attend your interview
Once you’ve got your interview date scheduled, attend your interview since this will be crucial for the Embassy to decide whether you deserve to be given a visa or not. Because of this, you’ll need to show up to your interview date on time and make a good impression by dressing appropriately while having all the required documents with you. Moreover, you should also answer all the interview questions as truthfully and transparently as possible. You don’t want to give false information since the interviewers are generally trained to detect when an applicant is being deceitful or lying. One wrong misstep can result into a rejected visa application.
4. Complete the remaining procedures
After getting through the interview, you’ll still have to undertake extra procedures. In this case, they’ll be requiring you to provide digital fingerprints before, after, or during your interview depending on your current residence, and also pay the fees. After processing your visa, you may also need to pay a visa issuance fee, should the Embassy decide to offer you the work visa. The fee that you’ll be paying depends on the country you’re from.