U.S.A H-1B VISA
According to the latest United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) report, authorities have received a total of 4,74,301 H-1B Visa applications following a surge in its demand. Indian workers comprise the greatest majority of applicants for this visa. This non-immigrant visa has been designed to allow foreign nationals to come to the United States for employment purposes for a predetermined length of time. U.S. employers recruit foreign nationals for specialty jobs through the H-1B Visa. This visa, therefore, is also called a Person in Speciality Occupation Visa.
WHAT IS THE USA H-1B VISA?
The USA H-1B Visa is used to refer to a temporary work visa that enables U.S. employers to hire and recruit foreign nationals who are qualified workers and can work for specialty jobs. The employer can only make use of the H-1B Visa if he has an open job position that demands highly qualified workers specialized in skills that cannot be found in common. As is evident thus, the H-1B Visa is initiated by the U.S. employer on behalf of the worker.
The employer receives applications from prospective candidates who wish to apply for employment opportunities in the United States. If the foreign employee fulfils the necessary qualities for the specific job role, then the process for the H-1B Visa is set into motion by the employer.
It is one of the hardest visas to obtain, considering the wide-ranging benefits that it offers to the immigrant. As the visa is concerned with specialist workers, typically, the applicants must hold an eligible Bachelor’s Degree and should be from academic fields that include I.T., Finance, Architecture, Medicine, Science, and the like.
WHY MUST YOU APPLY FOR THE USA H-1B VISA?
Every year, hundreds of thousands of candidates from all over the Indian subcontinent apply for the USA H-1B Visa. This rise in demand is largely due to the wide-ranging benefits that the visa offers to immigrants.
Some of these benefits/advantages of acquiring an H-1B Visa are listed below:
- This visa enables a foreign worker to enter the United States to live and work for a specific period of time.
- This visa serves as a direct pathway to acquiring permanent residence/Green Card for the United States.
- H-1B Visa holders can extend their stay in the United States.
- With an H-1B Visa, immigrants can stay with their dependent children and spouses in the United States.
- This visa is valid for three years, and candidates can extend it to a maximum of six years. However, once the validity of the visa expires, the foreign worker must either leave the country or renew the visa.
- H-1B Visa holders become eligible for study opportunities in the United States.
- H-1B Visa holders may choose to work either part-time or full-time.
- This visa enables prospective applicants to start a business in the United States.
- The total number of H1-B Visas that a person may obtain over his or her lifetime is unlimited.
HOW CAN I GET AN H-1B VISA?
Any foreign worker can get an H-1B Visa if they qualify for a job that demands the following requirements:
- Completion of an advanced Higher Education Degree, either a Bachelor’s Degree or a Master’s or Doctoral Degree.
- Advanced vocational skills.
- Skilled enough to work in research and development projects of the U.S. Department of Defense.
- Examples of employment opportunities include I.T. Specialists, Accountants, Architects, Doctors, and Lawyers.
If you qualify for a job that satisfies all the above-mentioned requirements, then you qualify and are eligible for an H-1B Visa.
HOW TO APPLY FOR AN H-1B VISA?
The filing period for the H-1B Visa begins on the 1st of April and continues till the quota is met. As mentioned previously, the filing is required to be initiated by the U.S. employer on behalf of the foreign worker.
If you wish to apply for an H-1B Visa, you must make sure to follow the below-mentioned instructions while filling out the application form:
- Make sure you qualify for an H-1B Visa.
- Find yourself a petitioner/employer by applying to a job opening in the United States.
- Apply for the visa at the nearest U.S. Embassy in your country of origin.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
After your petition has been approved by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), you become eligible to apply for an H-1B Visa. The procedure for applying for a visa entails several phases, as highlighted below. You must ensure to follow all the mentioned instructions in the correct order, as failure to do so might lead your application to get rejected by the Embassy.
STEP 1: Fill out the online application form.
All applicants are required to fill out the visa application form available online and take a printout of the confirmation page, which must be presented during the interview. Furthermore, the applicants must upload their photograph, meeting all the requirements.
STEP 2: Schedule an interview.
Applicants require the receipt number printed on the approved petition that had been filed by the prospective employer on behalf of the worker. Visa interviews must be scheduled with the US Embassy situated in the country of origin of the applicant. It is advisable to apply for your visa ahead of time, so as to avoid delays and wait times considering the rising number of applications every year.
STEP 3: Prepare for your interview.
Applicants must pay the non-refundable application fee. In most cases, an additional application fee is also required to be paid as part of the issuance of the visa, after approval from the USCIS.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED:
All applicants must submit the following documents after the successful payment of the application fees:
- Passport.
- Scanned copy of passport’s ID pages.
- Payment receipt after the successful payment of application fees.
- Photograph of the applicant meeting all digital requirements.
- Visa interview appointment letter.
- Official documents confirming academic qualifications, including Degrees and Diplomas.
- Receipt number depicted in the Form 1-129, and the print out of the form.
- Original marriage certificate.
- Original birth certificates of dependent children.
TOTAL COST FOR H-1B VISA
All applicants must make a payment of $205 as the application fee for an H-1B Visa. Additionally, they are also required to pay the Visa Issuance Fee, which tends to vary depending on the location of the respective Embassies.
CAN SPOUSE OF H-1B VISA HOLDER WORK IN USA?
Most H-1B Visa holders wish to bring their spouses and dependent children along with them to the United States. Spouses are eligible to accompany the H-1B Visa holders if they acquire the H-4 Visa, which allows them to work under the H-4 EAD Program.
CAN H-1B DEPENDENT ACCOMPANY VISA HOLDERS TO THE USA?
H-1B Visa dependents can accompany the primary visa holders to the U.S.A. if they acquire the H-4 visa, given that they are under 21 years of age.
HOW CAN I EXTEND MY H-1B VISA?
In addition to the same application fee, applicants are required to pay the Fraud Prevention and Protection Fee in order to extend their H-1B Visa. The applicant is required to submit the following required documents:
- Passport.
- Original 1-94 Form, which will be received after your visa passes approval.
- Valid 1-797 Form.
- A letter from the employer that has been signed by all company representatives.
WHY ALWAYS CONSIDER BASICS OF IMMIGRATION?
- Expert Visa counselors provide Step-by-step guidance through a secure, online process.
- Apt evaluation of credentials and faster visa processing.
- Identifying all potential hazards and roadblocks in securing a visa.
- Assistance with documentation, immigration rules, citizenship, and border control procedures.
- Multiple case assessment for better conflict resolution.
- Designated process managers to provide personalized guidance.
Just like the basics of anything act as “building blocks” forming a strong foundation for constructing complex structures. The Basics of Immigration serve as the foundational elements of moving abroad, for any aspiring immigrant.