- A visa is a document issued by a sovereign government that gives a foreign national permission to approach a portal of entry, such as an airport, and request entrance to its borders for a limited period of time and for a specific purpose. Work visas are required of individuals who are looking to enter the U.S. to perform specific work. The H-1B work visa is designed to expedite the immigration of specially trained individuals with advanced education and degrees. As many as 65,000 accountants, computer analysts, programmers, database administrators, web designers, engineers, financial analysts, doctors, nurses, scientists, architects and lawyers can enter the U.S. each year--for a period of 3 to 6 years--on an H1-B visa. Other non-agricultural workers seeking temporary-worker status in the U.S. can apply for similar privileges under an H2-B visa. Before their work visa expires, temporary workers can apply for permanent-resident status.
- An application for a U.S. work visa must be submitted through the nearest U.S. consulate or embassy. The process can take several weeks, depending on the location, and involves a personal interview. Acquiring the visa itself is not a guarantee of entry into the United States. It is a prerequisite, however, for traveling to a port of entry and requesting permission to enter. The ultimate decision is made by the Department of Homeland Security and the Customs Border Protection immigration officer on duty. A work visa application must be accompanied by a petition from a U.S.-based employer confirming the availability of employment for the applicant. In addition to the visa application, the applicant must submit detailed information about his travel plans, a valid passport and a 2-by-2 inch photograph. Before the application can be approved, an extensive interview with an embassy employee is also required.
- Citizens of 34 countries can travel to the United States for 90 days or less without obtaining a visa, under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). The program started in 1986 to stimulate tourism and relieve some of the burden on the Department of State. The list of countries participating in the VWP primarily features America's European allies, and also includes the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia. Other countries on the list are Australia, Japan, the U.K., Ireland and Iceland. Travelers from these countries only need machine-readable passports to make limited journeys to the United States. During the 90-day period, these visitors are allowed to meet for business purposes, and sometimes to conduct other work.
