Visas to work in the USA
To work in the United States, it is imperative to obtain a work permit. There are several types of visas for each trade category, with a separate alphanumeric code. If you wish to obtain paid employment (in US currency) in the United States, you will need to apply for an appropriate visa. In this article, we invite you to discover the different types of work visas.
For a stay of less than 90 days in the United States: It is not necessary to apply for a visa. You can simply apply for ESTA online. ESTA is an Electronic Travel Authorization issued by the United States and valid for stays of less than 90 days. To obtain your certificate in a few minutes, click on online form.
What are the different visas for working in the USA?
As mentioned in the introduction, there are several categories of work visas depending on the applicant’s professional status, his or her field of activity or certain particular qualifications. Its validity as well as the possibility of renewing it depends entirely on the type of work visa you wish to obtain:
Type of visa Those who are concerned
Q Individuals participating in cultural exchanges.
The For directors or senior executives of international type companies transferred to a subsidiary or parent company in the United States.
L2 For the spouse and children of an individual holding an L visa.
H1A For temporary jobs as well as graduate nurses.
H2B For temporary or seasonal agricultural workers.
H1B For all professions of higher education, the jobs of the show, artists, sportsmen, models, etc.
H2B For all temporary jobs offered to foreigners who can not be insured by US nationals.
H3 For all trainees working in a US company or a foreign subsidiary.
E1 For all individuals wishing to start a business in the United States.
O and P For artists and athletes with extraordinary skills
Whatever the work visa you need, a job offer is required beforehand. To do this, the employer must file an application with the Department of Homeland Security. If the request is accepted, your future employer will receive a work permit that will have to be added to your visa application file. Once this authorization is in your pocket, it is the applicant’s turn to make representations to the embassy or consulate of the United States.
How to get a visa to work in the USA?
As with any visa application, a work permit is obtained from the nearest US embassy or consulate of your place of residence. You will have to build a file composed of the following documents:
- Your valid passport;
- Completed form DS-160;
- A photo ID less than 6 months old;
- Work permit I-797 constitutes proof that the job offer has been validated by the DHS;
- Various supporting documents such as bank statements, criminal records, etc.
After reviewing the information provided in your file, the embassy or consulate will contact you to arrange an individual appointment, including a medical examination. The interview, lasting about ten minutes, will consist of a conversation with an official representative who will ask you several questions about your personal and professional situation, in order to determine your eligibility to stay in the United States. Once the interview is over, your contact will tell you if your request has been accepted or not. You will not leave with your visa the same day, the embassy, or the consulate if necessary, will keep your passport for a few days and you will return it stamped with the working visa for the United States.
Go further by consulting our article on How to benefit from the start-up visa program