IMMIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES

CONTENTS

1. Marriage to a U.S. citizen or fiancée visa
2. Participating in the DIVERSITY VISA LOTTERY Program
3. Obtaining an H-1B work visa
4. Investing in the U.S. economy or EB-5 Visa
5. Refugee status in the United States
6. Emigrating to USA via Family Reunion

Quite an interesting type of immigration to the United States. Anyone with a high school diploma or work experience of more than two years can get a Green Card. To do this you need to leave an application on the official website dvprogram.state.gov.

The lottery was created under the U.S. Department of State and aims to attract immigrants from countries that are less represented in America. Generally, to be eligible for the program, a country must have less than 50,000 immigrants to the United States in the past 5 years.

The most fascinating thing about the lottery is the random computerized selection of applicants. The choice of the winner is not related to social status, English proficiency or professional skills. In addition, a spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 are eligible along with the participant.

The drawing is held annually, usually at the same time. In 2023, applications for DV-2025 were accepted from October 4 to November 7. The results are published in May. Usually the winning percentage does not exceed 1.5% regardless of the country. So if there are no other options on the horizon for emigrating to the United States, this is a good way to go.

Obtaining an H-1B work visa in the United States

This is a type of working immigration to the United States for high-level professionals. It is mandatory to have your diploma verified to U.S. standards. If you do not have a college degree, three years of work experience in the specialty is equal to one year of college.

It is impossible to get H-1B visa on your own. The application process depends entirely on the employer, who has to submit the petition to the Federal Labor Service in his country for hiring of a foreign worker. This is usually done starting in April, 6 months before the start of the U.S. fiscal year (October 1).

A number of conditions must be met for the application to be granted, such as:

• Absence of applicants for the position in the domestic market;

• The foreign worker's salary level complies with applicable law;

• The hiring of the alien will not adversely affect the U.S. labor market.

Visa validity period is not more than 6 years. All expenses related to the extension of the work visa in the USA are borne by the employer. During this time, the worker may apply for a Green Card, otherwise he or she must leave the country. The U.S. government sets quotas for H-1B work visas at slightly more than 60,000 annually.

Investing in the U.S. economy or EB-5 Visa

Investing in the U.S. economy is the most costly type of immigration to the United States. There are two main conditions for obtaining the U.S. visa EB-5:

1. Capital investment in a business is equivalent to $1,000,000. In rare cases, the threshold can go down to $500,000 if the business is in a rural area (target areas) or if the unemployment rate is 50% higher than the national average.

2. Creation of at least 10 full-time jobs for American residents. Close relatives (wife, children) cannot be included in this list, but distant relatives (brother, uncle) please.

To obtain a visa with the Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), you must submit a Form I-526 petition and documents proving you meet the conditions listed above. If approved, a so-called conditional green card is issued, and after two years you may apply on Form I-829 for a permanent green card. It is important to note that one must manage a business in the USA directly in the country, simply investing resources and sitting at home will not work.

Refugee status in the United States

A real option to move to the United States if there is strong evidence of persecution and persecution in your home country. Reasons may vary:

• Political motives

• Religious convictions

• Race

• Hostilities, etc.

You can apply for refugee status at the U.S. Embassy in your country (refugees) and on U.S. soil (asylees). If your application is approved, you can get a Green Card in one year. Having relatives in the United States is a great advantage for applying for refugee status.

Emigrating to USA via family reunion

The longest way to immigrate to the United States. It is easiest for close relatives – spouses, parents, and children under 21 – to immigrate. There are no visa quotas for this category, and the procedure takes several years.

For brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, etc. the process of moving is carried out on a quota basis and can take up to 8-10 years.

To immigrate through family reunification, a U.S. citizen must submit an I-130 application and documents proving family ties to the Citizenship and Immigration Services. Financial security is an important factor in ensuring that the applicant covers the costs of the move and reduces the burden on the U.S. budget. A separate petition is filed for each relative.

When and how to emigrate to the United States and which way to choose, everyone decides for himself. But before making the final decision to move, it is a good idea to visit the country beforehand, feel the local culture and rhythm of life, talk to people and finally pull the language. For this there are many special programs designed specifically for students and young professionals. For example WORK and TRAVEL USA and Career Training USA.

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