USA Immigration
The United States of America is a country with a multicultural society, which lies in central North America between Mexico and Canada. America's openness to immigration has enriched its culture and expanded economic opportunity enhancing its influence in the world. Discovered by Christopher Columbus, the first known usage of the name "America" traces back to 1507, after its appearance on a world map in honour of the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci. The United States of America (USA) consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major self-governing territories, and other possessions. It is a vibrant country with a stable economy; and the preferred choice of many immigrants; comparatively the average income is more than in any Middle Eastern part. It ranks 4th largest in the world by land area approximately 3.8 million square miles (9.8 million km2) and among the highest GDP, making it most suitable for immigration.
It is often referred to as "The land of the Free" giving the Americans a right to express themselves freely in print and speech. They can travel the world quite freely and thus can take pride in themselves with the fact that they have one of the world's best passports. U.S. citizens can travel to 116 countries without a visa requirement and get a visa on arrival in an additional 44 countries. Some of the biggest cities are - New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas and San Jose.
During mid-2016, the unemployment rate stood at 4.9%, which is the lowest to be considered. Thus, America is still one of the best countries to migrate to in the world with one-fifth of all global migrants heading annually. The United States offers the best quality of life. Perhaps, people settle well in their new communities because of the existence of a diverse mix of cultures, sports and art forms. The education system prevails with 87% of school-age children attending government schools, about 10% attending private schools, and hardly 3% are home-schooled.
It has been the leader in technological innovations since the late 19th century, not only it has made a mark in scientific research contributions but also in computer software and hardware companies that include Adobe Systems, Apple Inc., IBM, Microsoft, and Sun Microsystems thus attracting people from all domains and generating a world-class economy. Immigrants continue to integrate successfully into American society. The country opens opportunities for pupils holding advanced degrees, thus offering good education for everyone. Cosmos helps you by extending support and plays a major role in helping with applications and immigration services.
Employment
based green card
You are likely to get a Green card from the U.S., which allows you permanent residence in the United States and many other provisional benefits availed by U.S. citizens.
Student Visa
The United States of America welcomes international students on a study visa to pursue various courses and participate in an exchange program, one can use a non-immigrant visa which is for a temporary stay.
Visit Visa
The United States of America receives many visitors from all over the world, and the purpose of the visit may vary. It's a splendid multicultural nation with a blend of art depicting the diverse history of States, advancements in science and technology and vivid landscapes.
Issued to people who are planning to migrate to the USA from Dubai under immigrant investor schemes. The visa holder is privileged to stay in the US without returning back to their home country, unlike the non-immigrant visa. It allows one to work, study and avail all the rights and facilities.
The main types are: 1. Family Sponsored 2. Employment sponsored
Family-Sponsored
Employment sponsored
Issued for temporary visits to study, tourism, business, employment and family for a US visit visa from Dubai. One has to return to the home country once the purpose is completed.
There are four categories of Green cards, depending on the situation:
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A visa is required for travelling from the United Arab Emirates to the USA for both immigration and non-immigration purposes.
The standard documents necessary for a USA visa from Dubai are as follows:
DS-160, the online Nonimmigrant visa application form, is for temporary travel to the United States. It is submitted electronically to the state website, and from there the consular officer extracts the information for processing the visa. The DS-160 has replaced the DS-156, DS-157, DS-158 and DS- 3032 which are not necessary.
Passport
The Form I-20 - an official U.S. Government form which is issued by a certain certified school. This document a non-immigrant student must have to get an F-1 or M-1 visa. Form I-20 is a proof-of-acceptance and contains the information necessary for paying the SEVIS I-901 fee. The Form I-20 has the student's SEVIS identification number, which begins with the letter N and is followed by nine digits, on the upper right-hand side directly above the barcode.
Students and Exchange Visitors Visa (F, J, and M): You will be asked to provide your SEVIS ID, which is printed on your I-20 or DS-2019, so you should have this form available when completing your DS-160. You also will be asked to provide the details of the school in which you intend to study. This information should be present on your I-20 or DS-2019 form.
Petition-based Temporary Workers (H-1B, H-2, H-3, CW1, L, O, P, R, E2C- You should have a copy of your I-129 available when completing the DS-160.
Other (Temporary) Workers: You will be asked for information about your past employer, including the address, contact details etc., while completing your DS-160.
To apply for a US Tourist Visa from Dubai one should submit the following extra documents to the Dubai consulate:
A visa interview is mandatory for UAE residents falling between 14 - 79 years old. One should ascertain to attend the interview on time. On the same day, you will have your biometrics taken, before the interview; the consulate staff will enter and examine your application documents. If late, your appointment will be cancelled. The interviewer will ask some questions regarding your trip. One has to ensure to answer all interrogations correctly. Also, the answers must comply with the information given in the documents.
Generally, it takes four to six weeks to process the visa.
One has to initiate the application process again, which will consist of paying the fees again, to prevent this one must submit all the documents and related information accurately.
There is an adoption of new laws and regulations, merit-based immigration means that the criteria to get a U.S Green Card are based on certain achievements including demographics, qualifications, achievements, skills, job prospects and so on.
In the U.S., the proposed bill is called the Reforming American Immigration for Strong Employment Act or the RAISE Act. This RAISE Act point system will assign each applicant a certain number of points based on their qualifications.
The health insurance policy is similar for immigrants and US citizens. One has to purchase health insurance through private companies because the US does not have a national healthcare system that covers all groups of people.
Canada, Belize, Costa Rica, The British Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic, the Caribbean part of the Netherlands, Jamaica, Mexico
The Green card does not expire, but it has to be renewed every 10 years.
After you have decided which one you can apply for, review the requirements and, you must start the Green Card process. For most Green Card applications there are a few steps as follows:
Have a sponsor petition for you
Your sponsor must apply for a petition on your behalf - a family member or employer. The form for family-sponsored petitions is Form I-130, while the form for employment-based petitions is Form I-140. The petition must be filed with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the fees for a US employment-based Green Card must be paid.
Receive the NVC Package
If the petition is approved, the National Visa Centre (NVC) will send you a package USCIS will go through the petition and will decide whether you qualify. Once approved, your documents will go to the (NVC), which will send you a package to your country of residence. The package will have all the instructions and forms which you should fill out for application. NVC will not be sending this package until your priority date is current.
Apply for a visa at the US embassy
You must apply for the visa at a US Embassy following the instructions from the NVC package, you will pay all necessary application fees and apply at a US Embassy in your country of residence. You will have to submit supporting documents as well as have your visa interview.
Travel to the US
If your visa is approved, you must travel to the US with your arrival package the US Embassy will give you an arrival package. You are not allowed to open the arrival package but must carry it with you when you first travel to the US. Only a US immigration official is allowed to open it and decide whether you are allowed to enter the US or not. Remember that even if you have a visa, it does not guarantee that you will be allowed to enter the US. The immigration officials in the US at any port of entry have the authority to decide.
Once in the US, you have to file a Form I-485 application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status to USCIS. This form will get you the permanent residence card. After USCIS processes your request for one to four weeks, you will receive your Green Card in the mail.
An acceptance of a mere visa cannot guarantee entry into the United States. A visa permits a foreign citizen to travel to the U.S. port-of-entry, and the Department of Homeland Security U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) immigration officer authorizes or denies admission to the United States.
If a visa is damaged one has to reapply for a new visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad.
It is strongly recommended that applicants should not book their travel until they receive their passport and new visa. The best way to avoid the unwanted circumstance of having bought an airplane ticket is by finding out that the visa was refused, or else you might be required to go through the costly process of changing your tickets to another travel date.
On May 31 2019, the Department of State updated its immigrant and non-immigrant visa application forms to request additional information, including social media identifiers/ handlers, from most U.S. visa applicants worldwide. Including the data from Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
One has to obtain a new passport before the interview if:
You qualify for the Visa Waiver program if you are a citizen of a Visa Waiver Program eligible country, possess a machine-readable passport, are travelling for temporary business or a visit of fewer than 90 days, meet the program requirements, and must have obtained an authorization through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).
Yes, for most applicants. There are only a few exceptions where the applicants generally do not have to appear in person:
Not required. If your visa is valid and undamaged, you can travel with your two passports together (old and new), if the purpose of your travel matches your current non-immigrant visa. The personal details must be the same in both the passports and from the same country and of the same type (i.e., both tourist passports and both diplomatic passports).
Section 214(b) is part of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). It states:
'Every alien shall be presumed to be an immigrant until he establishes to the satisfaction of the consular officer, at the time of application for admission, that he is entitled to a non-immigrant status.'
The consular officers have a tough job of deciding in a very short time whether someone is qualified to receive a temporary visa. Most cases are decided based on a brief interview and review of whatever evidence of ties an applicant presents. To qualify for a US visitor Visa or student visa, an applicant must meet the requirements of the INA. Failure to do so will result in the refusal of a visa under INA 214(b). The basis for such refusal is the concern that the prospective visitor or student shall have a residence abroad and he/she has no intention of abandoning. Applicants must prove the existence of such residence by showing that they have ties abroad that would compel them to leave the United States at the end of their temporary stay.
Strong ties differ in all aspects like country to country, city to city, and individual to individual. Some examples of ties can include a job, a house, a family, or a bank account. "Ties" can bind you to your country of residence: your possessions, employment, social and family relationships.
U.S. consular officers are aware of this diversity. During the visa interview, they look at each application individually and consider professional, social, cultural and other parameters. In cases of younger applicants, consular officers may look at the applicant's intentions, family situations, and prospects within his or her country of residence. Each case is thus examined meticulously and is in accord with every consideration under the law.
No, the consular officer shall reconsider a case if an applicant shows further convincing evidence of ties outside the United States. Unfortunately, some applicants may not qualify for the nonimmigrant visa, unless how many times they reapply until their personal, professional, and financial circumstances change.
An applicant refused under Section 214(b) should review carefully their situation and evaluate their ties. They may write a note down regarding the qualifying ties they have which may not have been evaluated at the time of the interview with the consular officer. Also, if it has been refused, they should review what documents were submitted for consideration in the first place. Applicants who refused visas under section 214(b) may reapply for a visa. When they do, they will have to show evidence of their ties or how their circumstances have changed since the original application. It may help to answer the questions before reapplying: (1) Did I explain my situation genuinely? (2) Did the consular officer overlook something? (3) Is there any additional information that I can present to secure strong ties abroad?
The petition is a request form/ document stating the details that must be submitted by the prospective employer no earlier than 6 months before your proposed employment start date. Before applying for a temporary worker visa at the U.S. Embassy, one must have an approved Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, from USCIS. The employer should file the petition as soon as possible within the 6 months to allow adequate time for processing. Once this gets approved, your employer will be sent a Form I-797- Notice of Action.
The U.S. non-immigrant visa permits you to travel to a Port of Entry (airport/seaport) in the United States. When you arrive at the destination Port of Entry, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer processes your entry, which will determine the length of time that you may remain in the country. The visa duration does not determine the length of time that you may legally remain in the United States; only the Customs and Border Protection officer can decide this upon your arrival in the United States.
If one prefers a combination of dynamic career opportunities with eminent facilities and a balanced work life, the USA should be your place. Extremely multicultural and welcoming country due to various authenticities yet no problem in communication as the basic language is English with the Spanish language spoken in the USA. Thus, the USA is the best destination for migration.
Cosmos services include Skilled Migration, Business Migration and study abroad programmes, we provide end-to-end services from determining the country of your choice, submitting your applications, complying with the requirements, understanding the migration law for a country or region; dos and don'ts before you arrive in the country of destination and once you arrive as an immigrant.