Iowa: Immigration lawyers

Visas are most often the starting point for foreign nationals looking to visit, work, study, or move to the United States. While non-immigrant visas are for visitors who plan on eventually returning to their home country, immigrant visas are for those who intend on staying in the U.S. permanently. General steps to obtaining a visa include:

• Determine the visa category that matches your purpose of travel
• Complete the online application found on the Consular Electronic Application Center website
• Pay the application fee
• Schedule and attend your visa interview
• Gather required documentation
• Receive visa issue or denial

There are several ways to become a U.S. citizen, each with a unique set of rules and requirements. If you are considering applying for citizenship, you should become familiar with the procedures involved to ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible. People born outside of the United States can become U.S. citizens in several ways, ranging from birth and adoption to the specialized legal process called naturalization. If you are interested in becoming a U.S. citizen, here are some general steps:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be a lawful permanent resident
• Complete Form N-400 on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website
• Pay the application fee
• Submit supporting documentation
• Attend the interviews

Those wishing to work in the United States may apply for one of several distinct kinds of employment-based immigrant or non-immigrant visas. Non-immigrant visas, such as the H-1B and other H visas, permit employment with a specific employer in a specific position. Other employment-authorized visas include the L visa for intra-company transferees and the O, P, and R visas which are used by extraordinary artists, scientists, athletes, educators, and religious workers. Each kind of employment-based visa has challenges that must be overcome. All of them require documentation of the applicant's qualifications for the position offered.

If you have a family member living abroad who wishes to live in the United States or if you would like to bring a non-resident spouse or child into the country, you can petition for a family visa on their behalf. For those already in the U.S. but wishing to stay indefinitely, this process is often referred to as "adjustment of status." Whether someone can petition for a family member to come to the United States, and how long it takes before that person can come, depends on the relationship that exists between the parties. U.S. citizens over the age of 21 can file a petition for their spouse, children, siblings, or parents. The age and marital status of children impacts which category they belong to. Lawful permanent residents can file a petition for their spouse or unmarried children only.

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