Visa Types — United States

Major U.S. Visa Categories for Immigration

*Note: The United States distinguishes between immigrant visas (leading to permanent residency/Green Card) and nonimmigrant visas (temporary stays). Below covers both major immigrant categories and key nonimmigrant categories that often lead to immigration. All fees are in USD since this is the local currency for U.S. government filings. Costs and processing times change frequently—always verify with USCIS.gov and travel.state.gov before applying.*

---

Family-Based Immigrant Visas (IR/F Categories)

Who it's for: Spouses, children, parents, and siblings of U.S. citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs).

Key Eligibility Requirements:

• Immediate Relatives (IR): Spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of U.S. citizens (no annual cap, fastest processing)
• Family Preference Categories (F1-F4): Adult children, siblings of citizens, and family of LPRs (subject to annual visa caps and long backlogs)
• Petitioner must meet income requirements (125% of Federal Poverty Guidelines) to sponsor
• Form I-130 petition approval required

Processing Time:

• IR categories: 12–18 months
• F1 (unmarried adult children of citizens): 7+ years
• F3 (married children of citizens): 10+ years
• F4 (siblings of citizens): 12–20+ years (varies heavily by country, especially Mexico, Philippines, India)

Cost:

• I-130 Petition: $675 (as of 2024 fee schedule)
• DS-260 Immigrant Visa Application: $325
• Affidavit of Support (I-864) Review: $120
• USCIS Immigrant Fee (paid after visa issuance, before travel): $220
• Total: approximately $1,340+ USD (excludes medical exam, translations, attorney fees)

---

Employment-Based Immigrant Visas (EB-1 to EB-5)

Who it's for: Workers sponsored by U.S. employers or those with extraordinary ability/investment capital.

Key Eligibility Requirements:

• EB-1: Extraordinary ability, outstanding professors/researchers, or multinational executives (no labor certification needed)
• EB-2: Advanced degree professionals or exceptional ability (may require PERM labor certification; National Interest Waiver option available)
• EB-3: Skilled workers, professionals, and other workers (requires PERM labor certification)
• EB-4: Special immigrants (religious workers, certain broadcasters, etc.)
• EB-5: Investors committing $800,000 (targeted employment area) or $1,050,000 (standard) and creating 10+ U.S. jobs

Processing Time:

• EB-1: 8–14 months (priority dates current for most countries; backlogs for China/India)
• EB-2/EB-3: 1–3 years (much longer for China/India due to per-country caps)
• EB-5: 2–4+ years (including I-526E and consular/adjustment processing)

Cost:

• PERM Labor Certification: No government fee (employer-paid, but attorney costs $2,000–$10,000)
• I-140 Petition: $715
• I-526E (EB-5): $11,160
• DS-260 or I-485 Adjustment of Status: $325 (consular) or $1,440 (I-485 filing as of 2024)
• Total: $1,500–$15,000+ USD depending on category and legal fees

---

Diversity Visa (DV Lottery)

Who it's for: Nationals of countries with historically low rates of immigration to the U.S.

Key Eligibility Requirements:

• Born in an eligible country (list changes annually; countries like Mexico, India, China, Philippines typically excluded due to high immigration volume)
• High school education (or equivalent) OR two years of work experience in an occupation requiring 2+ years training
• Must register during annual registration period (typically October–November) and be selected via random lottery
• Approximately 55,000 visas issued annually

Processing Time:

• Registration to notification: Results posted ~6 months after registration closes
• Visa processing after selection: 6–12 months
• Must complete process within the fiscal year selected (no rollover)

Cost:

• DV Program Entry: Free
• DS-260 Visa Application Fee: $330
• USCIS Immigrant Fee: $220
• Total: approximately $550 USD (excludes medical exam ~$200–500, photos, document costs)

---

Fiancé(e) Visa (K-1)

Who it's for: Foreign fiancé(e)s of U.S. citizens intending to marry within 90 days of entry.

Key Eligibility Requirements:

• Both parties legally free to marry
• Must have met in person within the last 2 years (limited waivers available)
• Genuine intent to marry within 90 days of U.S. entry
• Petitioner must meet income requirements (100% of Federal Poverty Guidelines, or 125% at adjustment stage)

Processing Time:

• I-129F Petition: 12–18 months (varies by USCIS service center)
• Consular interview scheduling: 2–4 months after petition approval
• Total average: 14–20 months

Cost:

• I-129F Petition: $675
• DS-160 Visa Application: $265
• Medical Exam: $200–500 (varies by country)
• Total: approximately $1,000–1,400 USD (before adjustment of status after marriage)

---

H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa

Who it's for: Professionals in specialty occupations (IT, engineering, finance, etc.) sponsored by U.S. employers; often a pathway to employment-based Green Cards.

Key Eligibility Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree or higher (or equivalent experience) in a specialty field
• Job offer from U.S. employer requiring specialized knowledge
• Subject to annual lottery: 65,000 regular cap + 20,000 U.S. master's degree exemption
• Employer must file Labor Condition Application (LCA) with Department of Labor

Processing Time:

• Registration/lottery: March each year
• Petition (I-129) standard processing: 3–6 months
• Premium processing (optional): 15 calendar days

Cost:

• Registration Fee: $10 per registrant
• I-129 Base Fee: $780 (as of 2024 fee schedule)
• Fraud Prevention Fee: $500
• ACWIA Fee: $750 (employers with 1–25 employees) or $1,500 (26+ employees)
• Premium Processing (optional): $2,805
• Total: $2,000–$5,500+ USD (largely employer-paid, varies by company size)

---

L-1 Intracompany Transferee Visa

Who it's for: Employees of multinational companies transferring to a U.S. branch, subsidiary, or affiliate.

Key Eligibility Requirements:

• Employed abroad for at least 1 continuous year within the past 3 years
• Transferring in executive/managerial (L-1A) or specialized knowledge (L-1B) capacity
• Qualifying corporate relationship between foreign and U.S. entities

Processing Time:

• Standard I-129 processing: 2–4 months
• Premium processing (optional): 15 calendar days
• L-1A can lead to EB-1C Green Card petition (multinational executive)

Cost:

• I-129 Base Fee: $780
• Fraud Prevention Fee: $500
• Premium Processing (optional): $2,805
• Total: $1,300–$4,100 USD (employer-paid typically)

---

O-1 Extraordinary Ability Visa

Who it's for: Individuals with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics.

Key Eligibility Requirements:

• Sustained national/international acclaim (major awards, publications, high salary, critical role in distinguished organizations)
• Must meet 3 of 8 USCIS criteria (or one-time achievement like a Nobel Prize)
• Requires U.S. petitioner/employer or agent

Processing Time:

• Standard I-129 processing: 2–4 months
• Premium processing (optional): 15 calendar days

Cost:

• I-129 Base Fee: $780
• Premium Processing (optional): $2,805
• Total: $780–$3,600 USD

---

Asylum and Refugee Status

Who it's for: Individuals fleeing persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or social group membership.

Key Eligibility Requirements:

• Asylum: Must apply within 1 year of U.S. arrival (with exceptions); can apply affirmatively (USCIS) or defensively (immigration court)
• Refugee status: Applied for while outside the U.S., typically through UNHCR referral or U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP)
• Must demonstrate well-founded fear of persecution

Processing Time:

• Asylum: Highly variable, 6 months to several years due to massive backlogs (some cases pending 4–7+ years)
• Refugee resettlement: 18–24 months average (varies by country/circumstances)

Cost:

• Asylum Application (I-589): Free (no government filing fee)
• Work Authorization (I-765) after asylum filed: Free (for initial asylum applicants as of current policy, though this has changed periodically)
• Refugee applications: Free (processed through USRAP)
• Total: $0 USD (though legal representation, if used, ranges $3,000–$10,000+)

---

Important Considerations

• Visa Bulletin backlogs significantly affect family and employment categories, especially for applicants from India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines
• Fee changes: USCIS fees increased substantially in April 2024—confirm current amounts on uscis.gov/forms/filing-fees
• Attorney fees are not included above and can range from $1,500–$15,000+ depending on case complexity
• Medical examinations (typically $200–$500) are required for most immigrant categories and some nonimmigrant visas
• Premium processing is optional and only available for certain petition types (I-129, some I-140s)

Recommendation: Consult the USCIS Policy Manual, National Visa Center (NVC), or a licensed immigration attorney for case-specific guidance, as eligibility rules and fees are updated frequently.

More about immigrating to United States