One of the most widely used visa categories for travelers to the United States is the H work visa category. Temporary visa to work in the U.S. You are granted around 500,000 H visas each year by the United States. The H-1 visa (for temporary employees), the H-2 visa (for seasonal employees), the H-3 visa (for trainees), and the H-4 visa (for spouses and dependents of H visa holders) are the four categories of visas that fall under the H visa category. There are several subcategories within each category. For instance, the H-1 visa comprises subcategories called the H-1B and H-1C visas. The H-1 visa, the largest form of visa available under the H category, is the subject of our particular attention today. Foreign people who want to work in the US temporarily must apply for an H-1 visa. You may be eligible to enter the country on an H-1 visa if you can locate a company that would sponsor you. Read on to learn all you need to know about the H-1 visa, how to apply for an H-1 visa, and how to be eligible for an H-1 visa.
An H-1 visa is what
A temporary work permit for the United States is called an H-1 visa. You can obtain temporary employment with a U.S.-based firm with an H-1 visa. Usually, the H-1 visa is only good for a certain time. An H-1 visa will typically expire after a maximum of six years.
H-1B Visa Types
Within the H-1 visa category, there are five different visas, including:
(Temporary Work Visa) H-1B
The most common visa in this group is this one. The H-1B visa is often mentioned when someone discusses using an H-1 visa to work in the United States. Only a few persons are eligible for this category’s other two visa kinds.
Temporary Work Permit for Professionals from Singapore or Chile (H-1B1 Visa)
You can be eligible for an H-1B1 visa if you are a specialized professional with Chilean or Singaporean citizenship. A free trade deal between Chile, Singapore, and the United States included the creation of this visa. Certain professionals from Chile and Singapore may temporarily work in the United States under the H-1B1 visa program. The H-1B1 visa does not require a USCIS-approved petition, which means you do not necessarily need an employer to sponsor you, unlike other H-1 visas (and most other work visas).
H-1C visa (temporary work permit for nurses from outside the United States)
You can be eligible for an H-1C visa if you are a registered nurse with citizenship in a foreign nation. Qualified nurses from all over the world can temporarily work in the US thanks to the H-1C visa. Because they are frequently in great demand by American firms, nurses fall under a specific category for visas. Temporary visa to work in the U.S
H-1B2 Visa (Defense Department Research and Development Employee)
An H-1B2 visa, a specialty visa for researchers working for the Department of Defense, will be available to certain professionals. This visa is often issued due to a government-to-government arrangement, such as a transfer of R&D personnel together with top researchers from another nation.
H-1B3 Visa: Work Permit for Models
A fashion model “of prominence” may be eligible for an H-1B3 visa. This visa is intended for prominent fashion models, with the definition of prominence being “distinguished merit and ability.” For the term of your visa, you are permitted to enter the United States with your spouse and any unmarried children under age 21. All five of these visa categories are eligible for an H-4 visa. Temporary visa to work in the U.S
What Conditions Must Be Met for an H-1B Visa
There are several particular requirements for the H-1 visa. You must fulfill all these conditions to be eligible for a U.S. H-1B work visa.
Form I-129
Your potential employer has submitted Form I-129 on your behalf. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) receives form I-129 from your company. You can only proceed with the application for a work visa if USCIS has granted this petition. USCIS will issue you form I-797 if your petition is accepted.
Department of Labor Approval
Employers must get certification from the US Department of Labor stating they are authorized to recruit foreign workers under the H-1 and H-1B visa programs. The Department of Labor does not charge for certification.
Job Specialization
You must be a specialist in a specific field to be eligible for the H-1B visa. Your profession must satisfy one of the following requirements to be labeled a “specialty occupation”:
- A bachelor’s degree or equivalent is a minimum qualification for your career.
- The position must be so difficult or specialized that only someone with a degree could do it.
- Typically, your company will demand a degree for your employment.
- Qualifications in Education or Training
- You must possess specialized education, knowledge, or experience to be granted an H-1 visa. To be qualified, the candidate must fulfill one of the following requirements.
- Earned a bachelor’s degree in the United States or the equivalent, as needed for the specified specialty occupation.
- A specialty occupation requires a foreign degree equal to a U.S. bachelor’s degree.
- A government license, certification, or registration allows them to perform their specialist employment legally.
- Possess knowledge gained by specialist training, education, or experience in performing a particular vocation.
- A bachelor’s degree is unnecessary to be eligible for an H-1B visa. But you need special or specialized training. There are several visa categories for unskilled employees; the H-1B visa program is intended to avoid bringing them into the country.
Applying for an H-1B visa
Like other non-immigrant visa applications, the H-1 application procedure is straightforward. You must fill out an online application from the website of the American embassy in your country, acquire the necessary paperwork, and then appear in person for an interview there. What to anticipate at each stage of the H-1 visa application procedure is as follows:
Step 1: Obtain a Job Offer You must first obtain a job offer from a U.S. business to be eligible for an H-1 visa.
Wait for your employer to submit the petition in Step 2: After making you an offer of employment, your company must submit a petition to USCIS. I-129 is the formal name for this petition. USCIS will confirm the inability of an American worker to fill the position. The agency will also confirm that the Department of Labor has approved your potential companies to hire foreign workers. You will get Form I-797 if the petition is successful and accepted by USCIS. Filing the I-129 petition with USCIS costs $460.
Additionally, employers must pay an “Education and Training Fee” of between $750 and $1,500 (depending on the business size). Specific companies may pay petition fees of up to $4,000. Additionally, if you want your application to be processed more quickly, you may pay a premium processing cost of $1,410.
Step 3: Fill out Form DS-160 completely. Form DS-160 is required for all non-immigrant visa applications to enter the United States. The website of your neighborhood U.S. embassy has the form DS-160. The form is normally accessible in your native tongue, but you must answer the questions in English. Fill out the application, including the questions about your employment history, education, and other pertinent details. After that, send the form.
Step 4: book your Interview After completing form DS-160, you may book an appointment with the American embassy or consulate in your area.
Step 5: Gather Required Documents. It would be best if you gathered all of the necessary paperwork for the H-1B visa before your Interview, including the following:
Current passport
- receipt number from your employer’s I-129 form petition
- confirmation of the timing of the Interview
- a letter outlining your position and stating your employer’s intent to recruit you
- a diploma attesting to your degree (or a certificate or other document attesting to your exceptional education and abilities)
- Curriculum vitae (CV) or a resume
- Evidence of your links to your native country (perhaps required to demonstrate your intention to return there after the expiration of your work visa)
- Show up for the Interview: Attend the Interview at the American embassy or consulate in your area. The consular official will probe you about your application details during the Interview. The Interview’s main objectives are ensuring you want to return home after your visa expires and that you pose no security concerns to the United States.
H-1 Visa Charges
One benefit of the H-1B visa application procedure is that your company will cover all expenses. A U.S. visa typically costs between $160 and $300. However, your company will normally pay for the H-1 visa. ACCORDING TO US LAW, the H-1 visa payments must be paid by the business, not the employee.
The H-1 visa costs are as follows:
- Standard (filing basics) $460 is the fee for the I-129 petition.
- Transfers, Modifications, and Extensions: $460
- Training for ACWIA cost: $750 for companies with 25 or fewer full-time employees or $1,500 for companies with 26 or more; certain businesses, such as non-profits and educational institutions, are excluded from paying this cost.
- Fraud Detection and Prevention Fee: $500; this charge only applies to companies submitting their first H-1B petition.
- Public Law cost: $4,000; only businesses with over 50 employees, at least half of whom possess an H-1B visa, are subject to this cost.
- Processing Surcharge: $1,410
- If a business does not have a legal department, it would often file an H-1B visa application through a lawyer; in that instance, the employer will be required to pay additional legal fees.
- In contrast, there is no charge for the Department of Labor’s certification. Although no price is associated with this, a Labor Condition Application (LCA) is required of all firms recruiting H-1B visa holders.
A U.S. H-1 Work Visa’s processing time is how long?
The amount of work at your area’s U.S. embassy or consulate will determine how long it takes to complete an H-1 visa. Employers who pay for premium processing may receive their H-1 visa approval within 5 to 10 days, but standard processing might take up to 3 weeks.
Can My H-1B Visa Be Extended?
In most cases, the H-1 visa is granted for a maximum of three years, regardless of the length of your job. You can decide to renew your visa once it has expired (or is about to expire). One-year or three-year extensions are given out. You are only allowed to maintain an H-1 visa for a maximum of six consecutive years, and you are only allowed to renew it once. You might not be allowed to renew your H-1B visa once more if you had extended it once for three years. You must return to your place of origin and start the application procedure if your visa expires. Generally speaking, U.S. immigration authorities advise initiating the extension procedure 45 days before your visa expires. In addition, there are other prerequisites for an H-1 visa renewal.
- When you seek to renew your visa, it must still be valid.
- You must not have broken any laws while traveling on a visa to the United States.
- You must be an authorized immigrant to the US.
- Your passport must be current and remain valid throughout your whole stay.
- My H-1B Visa Can I Transfer It?
- A transferable H-1B visa is available. You must transfer your visa if you change jobs while still in the country on an H-1B visa. An H-1 visa transfer is subject to several conditions, including:
Although you don’t need to submit a new H-1 visa application, your new employer must submit a new form I-129 petition to USCIS.
You must provide all of the following paperwork:
- A copy of your I-94 served as proof of your admission into the country.
- Copies of the following documents: your most recent I-797 form, current visa stamp, and Social Security card.
- If you have previously filed taxes in the United States, a copy of your tax returns, a duplicate of your job history, and offer letters, copies of all of your passport’s pages, copies of all of your academic credentials,
- revised resume, the most recent paystubs from your former H-1B Company
- A copy of your state license is necessary for medical professionals.
- Can I Enter the United States with Dependents on an H-1B Visa?
- One visa kind that lets you bring dependents to the US is the H-1 visa. They can apply for an H-4 visa on your behalf. The H-4 visa is intended for an H visa holder’s spouse and unmarried children under 21.
If your application for an H-4 visa is granted, your dependents will be issued an H-4 visa that is good for the whole time you are on an H visa. Your dependents may go with you to the United States, but they must do so before or after you. They must show up at the earliest. Temporary visa to work in the U.S