Types of visas in the United States

The United States of America is a remarkable nation with numerous attractions and natural reserves. Tourism is one of the main reasons to visit. However, enticing career opportunities in companies and prestigious education at renowned universities also undeniably attract many Ukrainians. For each purpose, there is a specific type of U.S. visa, and in some situations, there may be several suitable options. Therefore, before applying to the American embassy, it is worth clearly determining the type of entry permit. Our firm’s visa specialists will gladly help you make the most appropriate and correct choice and provide further support in obtaining a visa. Ukrainian citizens can apply for either an immigrant or non-immigrant entry permit. The difference is that the former allows for the possibility of staying in the country on a permanent basis, while the latter applies to short-term visits.

Non-Immigrant Visa Types in the U.S. and Their Processing

U.S. visa types have a rather complex classification. Non-immigrant entry permits are subdivided based on the future purposes of the visit and are designated by a Latin letter from A to R and a number. They are issued both for specific travel dates and for extended periods – 3 years or even 5 and, most often, 10 years. The outcome depends on the decision of the consular officer, which is made after the applicant’s interview at the embassy, based on the individual nuances of your case.

The most common is the B-1/B-2 visitor visa, as it allows visits with various purposes: tourism and visiting close people, as well as business trips. It can be obtained either by invitation from individuals living in the U.S. or from companies registered in the country, or without one. This category includes the following types of American visas:

1. Business visa (B-1) – allows for business meetings and participation in seminars, exhibitions, and conferences related to your primary work.
2. Tourist visa (B-2) – permits travel for vacation and visiting close people, as well as relaxation at health resorts and medical treatment.

If you are primarily interested in employment abroad, then a work visa will be most suitable. It includes the following types of U.S. visas for Ukrainians:

1. Highly skilled professionals (H-1B);
2. Seasonal agricultural workers (H-2A);
3. Skilled and unskilled workers for seasonal jobs in various industries (H-2B);
4. Interns (H-3) and their accompanying close family members of H visa holders (H-4);
5. Intra-company transferees (L-1) and their accompanying relatives (L-2);
6. Individuals with extraordinary abilities and distinguished achievements in arts, education, science, business, or sports, as well as their accompanying persons (O);
7. Cultural figures and entertainment industry workers (P);
8. Individuals traveling to the United States for practice or work under exchange programs (Q, J).

There are also types of visas to America for individuals working in official religious denominations (R), journalists (I).

If you aim to obtain a prestigious diploma from an American educational institution, then the student visa category in the U.S. is created for such cases, which has two types:

1. Category F-1 – for academic studies in high school, college, or university;
2. Category M-1 – for vocational and non-academic education.

For travel involving crossing U.S. borders, you will need a transit visa (C). With it, you can change flights without leaving the airport premises. To explore the surroundings, you need to additionally obtain a B-2 category permit. Sailors and other crew members, as well as air transport workers, should obtain a D category visa. However, they most often possess combined entry permits C-1/D (transit passengers or crew members). If ship or aircraft employees wish to spend free time outside their workplace, they additionally open a tourist visa in addition to the U.S. transit visa.

Immigrant Visas for Ukrainians in the U.S. and Their Processing

There are also visas that are not inherently immigrant visas but provide the possibility of obtaining U.S. resident status in the future. These include fiancé(e) visas (K-1) and spouse visas (K-3), as well as their minor children (K-2 and K-4).

Thus, there are numerous classifications of entry permits to the United States. All of them are based on the purpose of the upcoming stay in the country. For each category of entry permits, a specific list of necessary documents and certificates is provided, as well as a specific processing procedure.