Immigrant Visas
An immigrant is someone who is coming to live in the U.S. on a permanent basis. There are two categories of immigrant visas: employment-based, and family-based.
If you would like more information on which USA visa is right for you,
please contact us at
your convenience.
I. Employment-based Immigrant Visa
There are five preference categories within employment-based visas. Whether an immigrant visa is available at a given time depends on the preference category of the underlying visa petition. The following are the available visa categories.
- Priority workers - First Preference (EB-1)
EB-1 includes persons of extraordinary ability, outstanding professors and researchers, and multinational executives and managers.
- Advance degree professionals and aliens with exceptional ability - Second Preference (EB-2)
EB-2 includes professionals holding advanced degrees and other qualifying persons with exceptional ability.
- Skilled workers, professionals, and other workers - Third Preference (EB-3)
EB-3 includes skilled workers, professionals, and other qualifying workers.
- Special immigrants - Fourth Preference (EB-4)
EB-4 includes religious workers and government employees.
- Employment creation immigrants -
Fifth Preference (EB-5)
EB-5 includes persons who intent to enter the U.S. for the purpose of engaging in a qualifying new commercial enterprise.
II. Family-based Immigrant Visa
The immigrant's relationship to a U.S. citizen or a Legal Permanent Resident [a person with a U.S. green card] provides the basis for obtaining the immigrant visa. Immigrant visas are available for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens in a relatively short period of time. Immediate relatives are defined as follows:
- a spouse of a U.S. citizen;
- a child (under 21) of a U.S. citizen;
- a parent of a U.S. citizen who is at least 21.
Family-based visas are also available in the following categories subject to a waiting time:
- an unmarried son or daughter (over 21) of a U.S. citizen;
- a spouse or child or an unmarried son or daughter of a Legal Permanent Resident;
- a married son or daughter of a U.S. citizen;
- a brother or sister of a U.S. citizen.
If you would like more information on specific requirements of an immigrant visa, please contact us at your convenience.
