The United States is a popular immigration and tourism destination; many people enter and leave the country yearly. If you are not a citizen of the United States, you will require a US visa to enter the country.
There are around 10 million job vacancies in the US, therefore, there is a huge demand from US employers for foreign workers in fields such as IT, finance, architecture, medicine, science, etc.
U.S. law provides for many types of nonimmigrant visas and immigrant visas, each with a different requirement. Nonimmigrant visas are temporary and for short-term stays in the U.S. Individuals must leave the country once their visa has expired. An immigrant visa holder, or Green card holder, is permanent in the US. They can stay in the country as long as they want without any time limit.
There are different nonimmigrant visas: for employees with a college education and employees without education, for entrepreneurs and investors, and for managers and executives. Special visas exist for sports teams and performers, especially for renowned artists and athletes. If anyone is willing to study in the US, the visa type depends on whether they are enrolled in a full academic program, business training, or courses.
The list of US Visas for Indians is listed below:
Visa Type |
Purpose |
Duration |
Main Eligibility Criteria |
When to Apply |
Who It Is Suitable For |
Tourism, family visit, business |
Up to 6 months per visit |
Sufficient funds to support yourself |
Well in advance before your travel date |
Tourists, people visiting family |
|
Business meetings and conferences |
Up to 6 - 12 months per visit |
Intention to conduct business in the US |
Can apply anytime |
Business owners |
|
Study |
5 years |
Acceptance by a designated institution, proof of funds |
3 months before your course starts |
International students |
|
Employment |
2 to 3 years |
Job offer from US employer, meet eligibility criteria |
After receiving a job offer, 3 months before you begin working |
Skilled workers, caregivers, and others depending on the job offer |
|
To meet family members |
5 years |
Should be dependents of US citizen |
Before 3 months |
Spouse, Children’s, parents |
All Indians need to hold a US tourist visa to visit the USA. The B1 category Visa is designed for short-term business travel to the US. The B2 category visas are given to people visiting the US for tourism purposes, visiting friends or family, medical treatment, and participating in social events.
Visitors must provide sufficient grounds and reasons to visit the US. A US tourist visa is issued merely for leisure and business trips. The applicant must provide travel details and details of who you are staying with and where during the stay in the US.
To enter the U.S., individuals must bring their passport issued by their country of citizenship and their visa. The tourist visa is a nonimmigrant visa, also known as a visit visa required for people who desire to temporarily enter the U.S.
There are two categories:
To perform employment-related activities in the US, individuals require a special visa known as the B1 Visa. This allows for business meetings, client meetings, conferences, and inquiries. Citizens from one of the countries that have the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), do not require a visa to enter the country. They will be allowed to stay in America for a duration of 90 days. Since India is not under VWP, citizens must get a US business visa when traveling to the US.
The visa is issued as a stamp in the passport, and its validity ranges from 6 months to 10 years, depending on the consular officer's decision. However, the time you can stay in the country in one entry depends on the duration of the US Business Visa granted as per the Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officials at your entry into the country.
Students from many countries prefer the United States primarily because of its top-ranked universities and reputed degrees. The country offers high-quality education, multiculturalism, and ample job opportunities. A US student visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows international students to study in the United States. It is given to students who have agreed to study at a recognized educational institution in the US.
After receiving a student visa, you can temporarily reside in the United States to complete your education.
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Types of US Student visa
Types of Visas are available for students:
The United States of America has the world’s largest economy. If you’re a non-US national and want to enter the US for work purposes temporarily, there are many ways. One way includes nonimmigrant US work visas, and you should have to ensure you have the required permission. There are many different categories of workers, which you can find on the USCIS website.
Types of US Work visas
The Dependent Visa category allows the dependents of people who are citizens, permanent residents, temporary students, or temporary workers of the country for which an applicant is applying to obtain their US Dependent visa to join or accompany them. This type of application typically applies to families and children.
Depending on the type of visa the individual carries, the partner and the children can apply for a corresponding dependent visa. The validity of these visas varies depending upon the validity of the primary visa. If the individual sponsoring you has a permit for 2 years, their dependents will also have a visa that is permitted for up to 2 years. The type of dependent visa varies depending on the type of primary visa.
Types of US Dependent Visas
Individuals willing to enter the US must first have a US visa, which is put in the traveler’s passport. It is a travel document issued by the traveler’s country of citizenship. Applicants can submit a US Visa application online on the official website by submitting all the required documents and then scheduling an interview at the nearest Visa Application Center.
US Visa applicants must submit a completed DS-160 form for temporary travel to the United States. The form must be submitted electronically to the Department of the US State. Consular Officers use the information you have entered on the DS-160 to process the visa application, which determines eligibility.
*Looking to apply for the DS-160 form? Y-Axis will help you with the step-by-step process.
When you apply for a visa to the US, you will have to submit the following documents:
Visa Type |
Passport |
Visa Form |
Visa Fee |
Identity Picture |
National Identity Card |
Police Certificate |
Proof of funds |
Health Insurance |
Employer Permission Letter |
Visit Visa/ Tourist Visa |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
NA |
NA |
Yes |
NA |
NA |
Business Visa |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
NA |
Yes |
NA |
Yes |
Student Visa |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
NA |
NA |
Yes |
NA |
NA |
Work Visa |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
NA |
Yes |
Yes |
NA |
Yes |
Dependant Visa |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
The eligibility requirements for a US visa are listed below:
Visa Type |
Age |
Skills assessment |
Education |
IELTS Score |
PCC |
Health insurance |
Visit Visa/ Tourist Visa |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
Business Visa |
Yes |
Yes |
NA |
Yes |
Yes |
NA |
Student Visa |
NA |
NA |
Yes |
Yes |
NA |
NA |
Work Visa |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
NA |
Dependant Visa |
Yes |
NA |
NA |
Yes |
NA |
NA |
The steps to apply for a US visa are:
The steps to fill out the US Visa Application are given below:
US visa login can be done by signing in to the U.S. Department of State's Visa Status Check portal. Here, you can find all the information on how to check the US visa login process. Once you log in to your account, you will need to register, create a profile online, and schedule a visa interview.
First, you will need to visit the Consular Electronic Application Centre (CEAC) website. Log in to your account and click “Check My Visa Application Status.” Provide information like Location, Application ID, or Case Number. To verify, enter the code that will be given. Now, you can view your US visa status.
The US visa fee ranges from US$185 to US$350, depending on type of visa you require:
Visa Type |
Visa fee |
Visit Visa/ Tourist Visa |
US$185 |
Business Visa |
US$185 |
Student Visa |
US$185 - US$350 |
Work Visa |
US$140 - US$345 |
Dependant Visa |
UD$265 |
The US visa processing time varies depending on several factors. The processing time of US visas are given below:
Visa Type |
Processing Time |
Visit Visa/ Tourist Visa |
21 Days |
Business Visa |
90 days |
Student Visa |
3-5 weeks |
Work Visa |
2-7 Months |
Dependant Visa |
15-30 working days |
The latest information about United States visas and migration is listed in our US Immigration news. This page provides the latest information about US immigration, USCIS news releases, and alerts.
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