To enter USA, one of the first steps is to find out what permissions are required. Except for a specific group of 39 countries, citizens of almost the entire world require the visa that suits the objectives of the trip and the permanence.
Therefore, it is essential to find out the requirements in any Office of the United States Consulate.
Tourist visa
As for Latin America, due to bilateral agreements, Chile is the only country in the region that does not require this procedure since 2014. In this case, the interested parties apply to the option of Visa Waiver that allows a stay of up to 90 days, for tourism, business or in transit.
To do this, they must apply for admission through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The procedure has a cost of 21 dollars.
As long as they have a passport issued by another country in this area, they must apply for a tourist visa or B-2, which costs US$160. Another option is the B-1 visa, which is granted for business.
Work visa
Refering to work visa, the process is different. According to immigration law of that country, there are different requirements and alternatives depending on the type of job to which one aspires, training and personal situation, among other personal characteristics.
One of the general rules is that In most cases, the prospective employer must file a petition that will be approved by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Upon confirmation of this requirement, the person may continue the process.
In addition, there are different types of visa.
For professionals
In a pre-scheduled professional job, the H-1B visa is needed. The requirement is to have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
For treaty nations
The H-1B1 visa is specific for citizens of Chile and Singapore who want to work temporarily in the United States. They must have a job offer and apply according to this option.
for farmworkers
An H-2A visa allows US employers to recruit foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary agricultural jobs for which US workers are not available.
For skilled and unskilled workers
To do this, the employer must obtain a certification confirming that there are no qualified workers in the United States for certain positions.
for workouts
The H-3 visa enables postgraduate training jobs for a period of up to two years.
for dependents
Spouses or unmarried children under the age of 21 can receive the H-4 visa for companions.
For transfers within a company
The L-1 visa is intended for employees with an administrative or executive level, with specialized knowledge, that the company decides to migrate.
People with extraordinary abilities or artists
There are also visas for these situations.
Exchange students
The petition must be filed by the sponsoring program and approved by US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
How to start the procedures
To start with these procedures, it is necessary to have a valid passport to travel to the United States with a validity of at least six months from the estimated date of entry into the country.
Then, complete the required forms and pay the visa application fee. According to each case, there will be the following hearings and steps to follow.