US President Donald Trump’s return to power has reignited the debate on immigration, particularly affecting the millions of Indians in the US or looking to visit for work, study, or leisure. As speculation swirls around potential changes to visa policies, here’s a lowdown on key visa options available for Indians:
F-1 visa
Meant for students, the F-1 visa falls under the non-immigrant category that allows international students to enrol in accredited institutions in the US. The visa is applicable for full-time academic, language training or vocational programmes at US universities or institutions.
Conditions: To apply for the visa, applicants must be accepted by a SEVP-approved school and prove financial stability to support their stay.
Also read: Trump backs H-1B visa, says US needs ‘competent people’
Features: The visa allows on-campus work (up to 20 hours per week) and optional practical training (OPT) after graduation. The visa is the fastest to be processed and may take from a week to a month to get issued to the applicant. While the visa is issued for up to five years, its longevity depends on the type of course a student has opted for
Limitations: It does not lead directly to permanent residency and restricts off-campus employment without authorisation.
M-1 Visa
A non-immigrant visa, the M-1 visa is for students who wish to pursue a vocational or non-academic course at an established non-academic institution like a post-secondary vocational or business school.
Conditions: The visa requires admission to an SEVP-approved vocational school and proof of financial sufficiency.
Features: It allows practical training related to the field of study. A student can legally work part-time on campus and off campus if need be albeit with prior approval from the USCIS.
The visa allows the holder to freely travel in and out of the US and invite dependents to live with him or her as long as the M1 status is valid.
Like F-1 visa, the M1 visa is also issued quickly.
Limitations: The visa, however, has limited flexibility for employment and is shorter in duration compared to the F-1 visa.
H-1B Visa
The most sought-after and common visa for Indians, the H-1B visa allows immigrants to get employment in speciality occupation and requires a higher education degree.
Also read: H-1B, L-1 visa spouses: US extends work permits by up to 540 days
Purpose: The visa is meant for skilled professionals in specialised fields such as IT, engineering, or healthcare.
Conditions: The visa requires a job offer from a US employer who will sponsor the visa and demonstrate the role requires specialised knowledge.
Features: The visa is valid for up to six years, with pathways to permanent residency.
The visa takes from three to six months for processing.
Limitations: The visa is subject to an annual cap and lottery system and is tied to the sponsoring employer.
Besides H-1B, the US work visa has several other categories
H-1B1 – temporary employment visa for persons in ‘speciality occupations’.
H-2A – temporary agricultural programme.
H-2B – temporary non-immigrant visa allowing foreign nationals to be employed in non-agricultural labour or services.
H-3 – visa for foreigners who want to get training in a US company.
Also read: Trump 2.0 | Visa nightmares haunt young Indians chasing American Dream
P-1 – visa for athletes, entertainers and their support personnel.
Q-1 – visa which allows individuals to come to the US as part of international cultural exchange programmes.
H-4 visa
The H-4 visa is for the dependents of H-1B, H1B1, H-2B and H-3 visa holders.
Conditions: The applicant must be legal spouses or children (under 21 years) of the above visa holders.
The primary visa holder must demonstrate that they can financially support the H-4 dependent who will not be allowed to work in the US unless they get permission from the USCIS.
The H-4 applicant also should not have a criminal record that will make them inadmissible to the US.
Also read: Trump 2.0 | Indian students fear tighter OPT rules, higher tuition fees
Features: The visa allows spouses and unmarried children (under 21) of the above visa holders to accompany or join them in the US. The H-4 visa holders are entitled to holding a driver’s licence, can open bank accounts, enrol in courses, get Tax ID and social security number in the US.
J-1 visa
The J-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa which allows research scholars, professors and visitors come to the US as part of cultural exchange programmes such as research, teaching, or internships.
Conditions: The applicant needs to be sponsored by an authorised exchange programme, with an intention to return to the home country. Features: Includes cultural exchange opportunities and work authorisation during the programme .
Limitations: The visa may require a two-year home-country residency upon completion before applying for certain US visas.
Also read: H-1B visa programme revamped: 5 major changes you need to know
L-1 Visa
The visa is meant for employees who are transferred within the same organisation to a US-based office.
Conditions: To apply for the visa, an applicant must have worked for the company for at least one year in a managerial or specialised role.
Features: The visa allows family members to accompany on L-2 visas, with some eligibility to work.
Limitations: The visa is restricted to company employment and its validity depends on the transfer’s purpose and duration.
Most L-1 visas are valid for a short amount of time that may range from three months to five years. In case of extensions, the maximum period of stay is seven years.
Also read: Here are 57 visa-free countries for Indian passport holders
O-1 visa
The O visa is a type of non-immigrant work visa meant for individuals with extraordinary abilities in fields such as arts, sciences, education, or athletics.
Conditions: Requires proof of national or international acclaim and a US job offer.
Features: Can be renewed indefinitely as long as the individual continues the qualifying work.
The visa has three variants – O-1A (for individuals with extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business or athletics), O-1B (for those with extraordinary ability in the arts or motion picture or TV industry) and O-2 (for individuals accompanying the O1-visa holder)
Limitations: It is highly selective, with stringent documentation requirements.
EB-5 visa
The visa category is meant for immigrants who have significantly invested in US businesses to create jobs and boost the economy.
Conditions: It requires a minimum investment of $1.05 million (or $800,000 in targeted employment areas) in a new or existing US enterprise that creates at least 10 permanent full-time jobs for US workers.
Watch | Study in India made easy: Govt launches 2 new e-visas; how to apply?
Features: The visa grants a green card for the investor, their spouse, and unmarried children under 21, with eventual eligibility for US citizenship.
Limitations: The visa, however, has a high financial threshold and rigorous scrutiny of investment sources and business outcomes and its processing time can be lengthy.
B-1/B-2 visa
These are visas meant for Indian citizens visiting the US for tourism, vacation, meeting family and friends, medical treatment or passing via US en route to another destination.
Conditions: Applicants must demonstrate their intent to engage in business activities or tourism, recreation or medical treatment in the US to get the visa.
Also read: Days after backing H-1B visa, Musk says system ‘broken’, needs reforms
Features: While B-1 is meant for business activities (like attending conferences, meetings etc.), B-2 is applicable for tourism and other activities.
Limitations: The visa only allows a maximum stay of six months per visit while barring visitors from engaging in any other activities other than business or tourism.
This post was originally published on here
