US Visas for Legal Residence

There are dozens of US visa types available to people around the world who want to relocate to the United States as legal residents.

There are two major categories of US visas for legal residence in the United States:

Immigrant Visas – for lawful permanent residency in the United States
Nonimmigrant Visas – for legal temporary residency in the United States

Below, is an overview about Immigrant and Nonimmigrant Visas for legal residence in the United States, including several examples of US visa types for each category.

Immigrant Visas for US Permanent Residency

Immigrant Visas allow a foreign national to live, study, and work in the US for an unlimited amount of time as a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) of the United States, also known as a “Green Card” holder.

The Immigrant Visa is placed in the valid passport of a new permanent resident of the United States by the US State Department at the American Embassy or Consul to allow him or her to initially enter the USA and it is usually valid for six month after it is granted.

After receiving an Immigrant Visa in his or her valid passport, the new immigrant will need to pay the online Immigrant Fee in order for US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to issue a plastic Permanent Resident Card (commonly referred to as a “Green Card”), which is valid for 10 years and can be renewed indefinitely for 10 years each time. An immigrant should carry the Green Card as an official form of identification and as proof of authorization to live, study and work in the US on a permanent basis.

What are the benefits of US permanent residency?

The benefits of US permanent residency include:

Live in the US legally in any of the 50 states for an unlimited time period
Work in the US legally for an unlimited length of time
Children under 18 receive free public primary and secondary education in the US
Gain access to post-secondary US education (e.g., university, college, trade school, etc.)
Be able to apply for Financial Aid to help pay for post-secondary US education
Open a bank account in the United States
Apply for a driver’s license in the US state of residence
Get the option to start a business in the United States
Have the opportunity to purchase a home and/or other property in the US
Travel to and from the US in accordance with permanent residency regulations
Sponsor eligible family members for a US Permanent Resident Green Card
Receive the priviledge to apply for American citizenship after living in the US for 5 years and meeting other eligibility criteria

What are some examples of US Immigrant Visas?

Examples of US Immigrant Visas for Permanent Residency include:

Employment-Based Immigrant Visas – The US makes available around 140,000 Employment-Based (EB) Immigrant Visas and Green Cards each year, such as the:
- EB – 1 (Extraordinary Ability in the Arts, Athletics, Business, Education, or Sciences; Outstanding Professors and Researchers; Specific Multinational Executives and Managers)
- EB – 2 (Advanced Degree Professionals; Exceptional Ability in the Arts, Business or Sciences)
- EB – 3 (Skilled Workers; Professionals; Other Workers)

Family-Based Immigrant Visas – The largest number of US Immigrant Visas issued each year are through family sponsorship, including:
- Immediate Relatives of US Citizens (unlimited Immigrant Visas available)
- Family Preference – Other eligible family members of American citizens and certain eligible family members of US permanent residents (226,000+ Immigrant Visas available)

Diversity Immigrant Visas – Up to 55,000 Diversity Immigrant Visas are available each year through the Diversity Visa Program to main applicants and their dependent family members who are randomly selected by computer and complete the consular process successfully.

Please note that this is a brief overview about US Immigrant Visas and our legal team can provide further details regarding the US visa(s) you may be eligible to apply for once you have received your US Visa Eligibility Assessment.

To receive a US Visa Assessment of your options for legal residency in the United States, click here!

Nonimmigrant Visas for US Temporary Legal Residency

Nonimmigrant US Visas for Temporary Legal Residence permit an individual to live in the United States for a specific amount of time and for a particular purpose (for example, to work or study).

Most Nonimmigrant US Visas for Temporary Legal Residence allow the accompanying dependent family members (i.e., legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21 years of age) of the Nonimmigrant Visa holder to also live in the USA if they are issued the relevant US visa for family members.

The validity of a Nonimmigrant US Visa for Temporary Legal Residence in the United States depends on the particular visa type and other factors, but it is generally about 1-4 years and in many cases there may be an option for the visa to be renewed if the criteria are satisfied.

Please note that this section is NOT in regards to the US Visitor Visas, such as the B-1/B-2, etc.

What are the benefits of temporary legal US residency?

The benefits available to holders of a valid Nonimmigrant US Visa for Temporary Legal Residence will depend on the specific visa type and other variables, but may generally include:

Living in the US legally for a specific length of time (e.g., 1-4 years)
Traveling to and from the US in accordance with the visa’s regulations
Having the opportunity to visit any of the 50 US states, see points of interest, etc.
Temporary US Work Visas allow an individual to legally work in the US for a specific amount of time and usually for a particular employer in the United States
Student Visas permit an international student to live in the US for a specific length of time in order to attend full-time an educational institution certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)
Nonimmigrant US Visas for Temporary Legal Residence often have an option to be renewed if the visa holder meets the criteria
Most Nonimmigrant US Visas for Temporary Legal Residence have an option for the accompanying dependent family members of the visa holder to also live in the USA if granted the relevant US visa for family members

What are some examples of US Nonimmigrant Visas?

Examples of US Nonimmigrant Visas for Temporary Legal Residency include:

E-1 Work Visa for Treaty Traders
E-2 Work Visa for Treaty Investors
F-1 Student Visa for Academic Students
H-1B Work Visa for Workers in Specialty Occupations
H-2A Work Visa for Temporary or Seasonal Agricultural Workers
H-2B Work Visa for Temporary Non-Agricultural Workers
J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa
L-1A Work Visa for Intracompany Transferees (Executives and Managers)
L-1B Work Visa for Intracompany Transferees (Workers with Specialized Knowledge)
M-1 Student Visa for Vocational Students
O-1 Work Visa for Individuals with Extraordinary Ability in the Arts, Athletics, Business, Education, Film or Television, or Sciences

Please note that this is a brief overview about US Nonimmigrant Visas for Temporary Legal Residence and our legal team can provide further details regarding the US visas you may be eligible to apply for once you have received your US Visa Eligibility Assessment.

To receive a US Visa Assessment of your options for legal residency in the United States, click here!