American Citizenship and Immigration Visa Sponsorship Program is processed by the immigration officials or U.S citizenship and immigration service (USCIS), to create an awareness of how possible it is to get American visa sponsorship you can access the site – https://www.uscis.gov/ to get better knowledge about the U.S sponsorship program.
The question of whether a citizen can sponsor an immigrant is a big one. Notwithstanding, we will be giving you a detailed explanation as you read on.
American Citizenship and Immigration Visa Sponsorship Program
To apply for an immigrant visa, the foreigner who is seeking immigration must be sponsored by a U.S citizen or lawful permanent resident immediate relative, or prospective U.S employer.
Furthermore, the immigrant must have an approved petition before applying for an immigrant visa. However, the sponsor must begin the process by filing a petition on the foreign citizen’s behalf with the U.S Citizenship and immigration service (USCIS).
Once the U.S citizenship and immigration service approved the petition and completed pre-processing with the National Visa Centers, it will be necessary that the individual, to review the instructions presented on the NVC website for further guidance and instruction.
Everything you Need to Know about Visa Sponsorship
You may have heard of the term “Visa Sponsorship” with a little knowledge of what it takes to get one. If you are interested in moving to the U.S, you should go through this section of this article.
What is Visa Sponsorship?
This is a document that advocates for an individual to be granted permission to apply for a Visa. A visa sponsorship involves an individual who can be called an advocate filing a petition to the U.S Citizenship and immigration service (USCIS). After this petition has been approved, the individual can go ahead to apply for a visa.
There are so many types of Visa Sponsorships. They include Green card sponsorship, visitor sponsorship, self-visa sponsorship, and employment-based scholarship.
To get an Employment Visa sponsorship, you need to get a job with an organization or employer that is willing to sponsor your visa. This is because the employer would play a major role in your getting this visa.
How to Sponsor an Immigrant for Work
Do you want to sponsor an immigrant to work for you? If yes, you should go through the tips below:
- You would have to get a labor certification from the Department of Labor (DOL). This certification is proof that you could not find a suitable American Citizen to work for you.
- As an employer who is a U.S citizen or green card holder (permanent resident), you must file a visa petition to the U.S Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) office.
- U.S Citizenship and immigration service officers would, however, make a decision on the visa petition to either approve or decline the petition.
- The preference relatives will have to wait until a visa becomes available for them. Hence, they remain at the mercy of the U.S citizenship and immigration service.
- You should also determine the rate of pay for the position.
- After this, you can ask your employee to apply for a Visa.
The immigrant can apply for an immigration visa or green card from a U.S consulate to enter the united states and claim permanent resident status. Moreso, if the immigrant applies for a visa in the U.S, the permanent resident status will be approved at or after the interview conducted at the U.S Citizenship and immigration service office. Hence, he or she will be given a green card within a few weeks to several months.
Requirement for Sponsoring an Immigrant
In other to qualify for sponsoring an immigrant, there are certain requirements you have to meet up with. First and foremost, you must be a united state citizen or a permanent resident. Immigrants with any other visa status cannot sponsor a person in the U.S.
The second requirement is that you have to be 18 and above. Next, you have to be a person without questionable character.
Immigrant Visa
Are you worried about which immigrant visa to apply for? Would you want to know available immigrants offered y the U.S citizenship and immigration service? below are good numbers of visas you can apply for
H-1B Visa
This is a Temporary Work Visa in the USA and one of the most common work permits. To apply for this visa, you need to have a concrete job offer and at least a bachelor’s degree. This visa type is for specialty occupations and this would be determined by USCIS.
H-1B1 Visa
This visa type is easier to obtain than the first one. If you want to apply for this temporary work permit, your employer does not need to file a petition. All he/she needs to do is to obtain a Labor Certification from the United States Department of Labor (DOL).
H-2A Visa
The third on the list is the H-2A Visa which is open to those who want to work in agricultural jobs in the U.S. This visa type is for temporary agricultural workers who are foreigners. To begin an application for this visa, your employer must file a petition also known as Form I-129 on your behalf and you must also receive a notice of approval from USCIS.
H-2B Visa
Another type of temporary work permit is the H-2B visa. This visa is for seasonal skilled and unskilled workers who are foreigners. To obtain this visa, a Foreign Labor certification must be obtained by your employer.
H-3 Visa
This Visa is a temporary visa open to foreigners who want to receive job training that is not available in their own country. This visa does not permit graduate training or any academic education.
H-4 Visa
Mainly for dependents, the H-4 work permit allows a foreigner who is under the age of 21 to accompany their relatives who have any of the H work permits to the United States. Simply put, you can apply for this visa on behalf of your spouse or child who is under 21 when you have a work permit yourself. If the individual can get this visa, he/she would be able to accompany you to the U.S but would not be able to work.
J-1 Visa
This visa type is issued by the Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. It is mainly for education and cultural exchange programs. It is also known as the Cultural Visa.
These and many more are visas that are available for application. Next, we will be considering those eligible for visas on the U.S citizenship and immigration service.
Work Visa Sponsorship Letter
The work visa sponsorship is more than a letter. it includes a set of documents that are required from your employer. This includes the Labor certification, The petition submitted to the USCIS, and other relevant documents.
How to Get a Visa Sponsorship
To get a Visa Sponsorship, you need to do the following:
- Get a Job offer from a U.S employee. This is a prerequisite for this sponsorship program.
- Next, your employer should request a Labor Certification from the United States Department of Labor (DOL).
- A petition would also be submitted by the employer to the U.S Citizenship and immigration service (USCIS).
- The petition has to be approved by USCIS before you can begin the Visa application.
You must prove to be a qualified worker before your visa sponsorship can be successful.
Who can Apply for Visa for U.S citizenship and immigration service?
U.S. Citizenship and immigration service having given the applicate the opportunity to apply for a visa at any point in time also doesn’t grant visas to a certain group of people. Below is a qualified candidate who can apply for a visa for U.S. citizenship and immigration service.
- Married some or daughter.
- Spouse.
- Unmarried children who are under 21.
- Siblings.
- Unmarried son or daughter who is 21 years old or older.
- Parents.
The U.S. Citizenship and immigration laws demand that you must be 21 years old and above to sponsor your parents or siblings. However, if you are a lawful permanent resident, you cannot sponsor your parents or siblings.
Notwithstanding, the U.S. Citizenship and immigration state that for you to be able to sponsor these categories of persons, they will have to prove their relationship with you.
Who can help you Immigrate?
In accordance with the U.S. Citizenship and immigration service laws, there is a certain set of individuals you can sponsor to the United States. However, to make this possible, you can petition to bring family members to the United States this kind of petition is often called “sponsoring”.
Furthermore, you will be given a grant to your petition only if you are a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident, in other words, you have to be a green card holder. Below is a list of individuals you are permitted to sponsor as a citizen of the United States or a green card holder.
- Parents.
- Spouse.
- Minor unmarried children.
- Married children or adult children.
- Brother and sister.
- Unmarried children.
Note, outside the above-listed individuals, this set of people such as grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, parents-in-law, and other extended family members would not be granted visas.
However, if the people on the above listed are granted visas to be sponsored by you, they can bring in other extended family and their own spouses with them. And it is true when someone has been given a green card, he or she can sponsor those on the above list.
U.S Visa Preference Categories
U.S. visa Preference Categories are a list of those who are qualified and not qualified to be sponsored as immigrants. However, before making a petition for sponsoring anyone, you have to consider preference visa category arrangements. Here are how preference visas are arranged
Family Visa Preferences
Family Visa Preference, are a list of your family members who are qualified and not qualified for sponsorship. However, it is advised that before, you make a petition for sponsorship, you must use a preference board at the U.S Citizenship and immigration service center to check for those who you can sponsor and what preference backs the sponsorship.
First Preference
Knowing fully well, what the U.S Citizenship and immigration service laws state, it is important you get detailed information about its preference categories. First preference, states that all unmarried sons and daughters over 21 years are no longer considered immediate relatives, hence, they can not be granted an “immediate relative visa”.
Second Preference
The second preference is made up of two subcategories each of them with a different waiting period. These sets include spouses or unmarried sons and daughters under the age of 21 of a permanent resident. This set is referred to as 2A and for unmarried sons and daughters over the age of 21 of a permanent resident, this set is referred to as 2B.
Third Preference
The married sons or daughters, any age of a U.S citizen based in another country below 21 can be granted an immediate relative visa after making an application and proving the right requirement.
Fourth Preference
The brothers or sisters of a U.S. citizen can be granted visas so long the person is age 21 or older. This is so because they are considered in the fourth preference as a close relation. However, the is a good preference to state your application, while making a petition on sponsorship.
Employment Visa Preferences
Employment visa preferences are a list of those who are guaranteed of having sponsorship to the U.S. as immigrants. This set of people may have been working online with a particular company in the U.S. or working with an affiliated company that has its head branch in the U.S. Also they may equally fall under the category of those who just gain employment in the U.S.
- First Preference: These are called priority workers.
- Second preference: members of the professions who hold advanced degrees or persons of exceptional ability.
- Third preference: this is skilled workers, professionals, and other workers in an organization.
- Fourth preference: Certain special immigrants.
- Fifth preference: investors in job-creating U.S enterprises.
Employment Green Card Sponsorship
Getting an employer sponsorship green card is the only guarantee with the following. Firstly, your employee is required to get an approved labor certification from the united states department of labor. The second part is, that your employer must file an immigrant partition on your behalf. And the third is that you will either apply for your immigrant visa or you can adjust your status.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that make many people so curious and feel insecure about the immigration process. Can a U.S. citizen sponsor an immigrant? How to get sponsorship for US citizens? Who can a US citizen sponsor? Can I sponsor myself for a green card?
How Long Is A Visa Sponsorship Valid?
The validity of the work visa depends on the type of visa you are applying for. If you are applying for any Visa under the immigrant visa, you can work for up to ten years and apply for a permanent resident card in the process.
If you apply for a non-immigrant visa, the validity would vary from three years to five years. You can always apply for an extension when the Visa is about to expire.
Can a non-family Member Sponsor an Immigrant?
No. If you are not related to a foreigner, you cannot file a petition. The other option you have as an immigrant is to get sponsored by an employee or organization.
Can I Sponsor myself for a Green Card?
No. Actually, the only way you can sponsor yourself is through employment-based immigration. With this, you will be needing an employer to sponsor you.
Who Can a U.S Citizen Sponsor?
A U.S. citizen can sponsor the following persons who are expected to be family members. They include unmarried sons and daughters who are 21 years old, brothers and sisters, and married children of any age.
How do you get sponsorship for US citizens?
As a US citizen, you must file a separate petition for each one you are directly related to including your children. When that is done you have to wait for your petition to be approved.
Can a US Citizen Sponsor an Immigrant?
Yes. It is very possible for an immigrant to be sponsored by a US citizen. Hence, to make this process a success, they will have to follow all the needed procedures to complete the process. Hence, to get started you can visit the American citizenship and immigration visa sponsorship program’s official website – https://www.uscis.gov/.
How Long does Visa Sponsorship take?
The visa sponsorship may take a few weeks to several months to be processed and completed. This is because the approval of the petition by USCIS may take a while. Other factors that may determine the time include your nationality, the nature of the work, etc.
How much does a Sponsorship Visa Cost?
A visa sponsorship costs over $350 and most of this cost is covered by the employer. The cost covers the necessary forms, Fraud Prevention and Detection fees, and other charges.
Who can Sponsor me in the USA?
To get a visa sponsorship, your parents, relatives, employer, or an organization can file a petition for you. This is possible as long as the individual is a U.S citizen and above the age of 18.
How do I get a J-1 Visa Sponsorship?
To get a J-1 Visa Sponsorship, you must register for a SEVIS User ID and complete every designation process required of you. But before this, you should get a Government-run agency, a Non-for-Profit organization, or a Cultural organization to sponsor you.
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