A visa is a legal document issued by a country's governing authority permitting foreign individuals to formally request entrance into the country during a given period of time and for a specific purpose. Visas are either stamped or attached into the recipient's passport or are issued as separate pieces of paper. In the USA also the story is no different. Filing for a US visa can take time between a few weeks to years depending on the type of visa applied for (ranging from transit visa, education visa, travel visa, working visa, to religious visa, marriage visa, etc.), the status of the applicant's country to the US, and the extent to which the formal paperwork of application has been completed successfully. However, there are a series of steps involved when people apply for a US Visa . For a Visa, an applicant has/needs:
to inform the nearby US Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) [now the US Citizenship and Immigration Services or USCIS ]. In case the applicant does not live in the US, he/she has to call the nearest American embassy or consulate
to ask for all application documents for the visa needed by the applicant
to ask if he/she will need a US sponsor. In case of necessity, the applicant has to begin your search for a sponsor immediately
to fill out the preliminary application fully and neatly, and mail it back for processing, along with any photos, documents, and fees
to send all documents by registered mail and send only the copies of documents, unless the originals are requested
to deliver all completed documents in person to save time
to obtain a second packet, depending on his/her residence status and visa
to contact the sponsor immediately (in case it is needed), and send him/her the necessary documents via registered mail.
to obtain all completed documents and fix an interview/filing appointment, (and even if necessary a physical exam). It is around this time that the applicant would come to know whether the visa will be issued to him/her or not.
Documents Required :
The main documents that are required to obtain a visa to US are:
Application forms depending upon the nature of visa sought
Birth certificates
Passports
US tax returns for the last three years
Social security numbers
Proof of marital status
Proof of student status
Proof of military service
Proof of clear criminal record from local police department
Proof of residence in the United States
Children's birth certificates
Letters from bank officers listing US bank holdings
Photos
US Green Card :
Besides, a brief mention can be made on the application process of a US Green Card (the United States Permanent Resident Card acting as an identification evidence for a permanent immigrant to the US who does not have US citizenship) which ensures that the holder is permitted to permanently reside and take employment in the US. For more details, please refer to Apply For a US Green Card , Index 2 .
For more information on Apply for a US Visa, please refer to www.mapsofworld.com .
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