The US State Department administers all US visas
A United States embassy or consulate in your home country
is the best place to get complete and accurate information
about visas. Another good source of information can be
found on the web pages maintained by the US State Department.
We will try to explain the basic information here, but
the rules are complex and continuously changing, so you
should not use us as your final source of information.
There are many types of visas
Visas generally fall into one of three categories. Visitor
visas, also known as tourist visas, are the easiest
to obtain. They permit the recipient to visit the USA
for up to three months, but do not permit the visitor
to work in the USA. Temporary employment visas are severely
restricted and thus more difficult to get. They permit
the holder to work in the USA for a set period of time
usually between six months and five years. Immigration
visas allow the recipient to permanently live in the
USA, to work in the USA and to enjoy most of the privileges
of citizenship. Depending on the individual circumstances,
Immigration visas can often be difficult or even impossible
to get.
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No visa required
for some tourists
Most tourists and business travelers to the USA will require
no visa or a simple visitor visa. The State Department
currently allows residents of 26 countries to enter the
USA without a visitor visa under the Visa Waiver Pilot
Program. If you hold a valid passport of one of the following
countries and wish to visit for 90 days or less, you are
not required to obtain a visitor visa: Andorra, Argentina,
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland,
France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein,
Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway,
San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United
Kingdom. |
How to get
a visitor visa
If you permanently reside in any other country or plan
on staying more than 90 days, you must get a visitor visa
before entering the USA. You must apply for the visa at
a US embassy or consulate in your home country. You will
be required to show evidence that you maintain a permanent
residence or have strong ties in your home country. Such
evidence could include ownership of property or a business
in your home country, family ties, a permanent career,
a letter from a US resident assuming responsibility or
other factors that indicate that you will return to your
home country within 90 days. You must present sufficient
evidence to convince the examining officer at the US embassy
that you will return to your home country. The Disney
Corporation is one of the largest employers of cultural
exchange students in the USA. Au pair jobs are available
through a number of temporary employment agencies overseas.
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Temporary
employment visas
There are many categories of temporary employment visas
that apply to a wide variety of circumstances. They cover
executives transferred from overseas offices, specialty
occupations, seasonal agricultural workers, entertainers,
artists, teachers, religious workers, certain trainees
and cultural exchange workers. If you have special job
skills or you are a famous entertainer or artist, you
will probably have little trouble obtaining a temporary
employment visa. Otherwise, you may find it difficult
to obtain an employment visa. |
Working while
touring the US
Young people often ask us about the possibilities of working
in the USA while touring the country. The best possibilities
are in the student visa or cultural exchange programs.
Student visas (J-visas) are available to students that
are accepted into an approved educational program in the
USA. They do not automatically allow employment but many
work-study provisions are available. Cultural exchange
visas (Q-visas) include temporary employment in the USA,
but you must have a job with an approved cultural exchange
employer before you apply for the visa. |
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