Category Archives: B1 B2 Visa

The B-1 B-2 visitor visa is for people traveling to the United States temporarily for business (B-1) or for pleasure or medical treatment (B-2). Generally, the B-1 visa is for travelers consulting with business associates, attending scientific, educational, professional or business conventions/conferences, settling an estate or negotiating contracts.

Visitor Visa for USA

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Non Immigrant Visa

Millions of individuals every single year travel to the United States for a variety of reasons including for work, school, or simply for a vacation. Although these are all wonderful reasons to travel to the United States, it is very important before doing so, that you ensure your eligibility by having all of the necessary documentation. Individuals who wish to travel to the United States for tourism purposes need to apply for Non-Immigrant Visa DS-160. To travel to United States as a visitor you need demonstrate your intent is for temporary purposes and able to take care of your expenses for the trip. If you are unable to support yourself during your trip than as the visitor you must provide affidavit support and relevant documents from the relative or friend in the U.S.

Citizens of some countries may not need visitor or business visa, as they may qualify for visa waiver program. These individuals qualifyas long as the terms of non-immigrant visa have not been violated in the past such overstaying their welcome stay. These countries include:

 

Andorra

 Hungary New Zealand

Australia

 Iceland

Norway

Austria

 Ireland

Portugal

Belgium

 Italy

San Marino

Brunei

 Japan Singapore

Chile

 Latvia

Slovakia
Czech Rebulic Liechtenstein

Slovenia

Denmark

 Lithuania

South Korea

Estonia

 Luxembourg

Spain

Finland

 Malta

Sweden

France

 Monaco

Switzerland

Germany

 Netherlands

Taiwan
Greece

United Kindom

Visitor Visa Documents for United States

The mandatory documents include:

  • Your current valid passport and old passports –for most individuals the passport has to be valid for 6 months while some countries are exempt from this rule and their passport has to be valid up to their period of stay in the United States. One blank page must be available.
  • One Passport size picture- cannot be older than 6 months and must be in colour
  • Your online confirmation page of DS-160 with CEAC bar code
  • Visa fee receipt
  • Original appointment interview letter

Other Documents

  • Purpose of travel
  • How long you remain to stay in the United States
  • Prove that you will go back to your home country once your visa expires
  • Able to support yourself during your time of stay
  • Copy of your travel itinerary
  • Bank statements
  • Property you own
  • Employment or professional documents
  • Family documents
  • Travel history
  • Travel documents

For the immigration officer to issue a visitor visa for United States, you have to make clear indication that you are only coming for temporary purposes and will exit once your visa expires. For example, if you are student and like to travel to USA for tourism purposes the immigration officer will know that as student you may not be able to provide most of the documents. So during the interview the officer will focus on the credibility and not the documents presented. They understand that young individuals may not be able to provide ties to their home country. In such cases the immigration officer may rely on the applicants grades or status, long term plans, parents status, prospects in home country, previous travel history etc.

Can I travel to United States if I don’t have sufficient funds?

If you are travelling to USA and you do have sufficient funds to support yourself during your time of stay, you must present credible evidence that you will be will be supported by family or friend in USA. The sponsoring person needs to send all original documents to the applicant and not to the consulate office. The applicant will then submit all documents together with their application. Some of these documents include:

  • Form I-134 Affidavit of support form (in this form you will be indicating you are able to support the persons you are inviting to USA as a visitor). You must use separate form for each person, even though some consulates like to have one I-134 but it is better to be safe and just submit separate forms. It does not need to get notarized
  • Employment letter from your employer that will state date you were employed, your salary, full-time or part-time position, temporary or permanent position
  • Pay stubs- 3 to 4 should be sufficient
  • Letter from the bank that will show when you open your account, how much you have deposited in the past year, present balance, last year balance
  • Bank statements from last 6 months- there is no specific amount how much you should have but having $5000 at least is recommended. How much you have to show also depends on how long you plan to visit for.
  • Letter to the consulate that will explain that you will take care of your friend or family personal expenses. This should be addressed to the consular that your friend or relative will be visiting at
  • Invitation letter that will explain on how you will accommodate them in your house and tourist place
  • Income tax documents – copy of last three years of your income tax, if you did not file your taxes explain why you have not, if you are self-employed include self-employed schedules with income tax returns or financial records or business accounts
  • Identity , legal and relationship documents

Can I be Denied Entry to USA for past Criminal Record?

There are many reasons you can be denied entry to USA these include:

  • Have health inadmissibility (communicable disease)
  • Possession of or trafficking in a controlled substance
  • Participating in terrorism or terrorist organization (waivers are not issued for this category)
  • Money laundering
  • Overstayed welcome stay in the past
  • Not meeting financial requirements
  • Misrepresentation
  • Prostitution
  • Fraud
  • Manslaughter

Contact Akrami & Associates

If you are looking to travel to USA as visitor and need assistance with obtaining your non-immigrant visa then contact us today for more information. Akrami & Associates has assisted many foreign travellers and we can definitely assist you too.

With Akrami & Associates there is always a way!!

Who can sponsor family to United States

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Sponsoring Family to USA?

Are you a United States of America citizen looking to sponsor your Canadian fiancée? Do you know if you are eligible to sponsor your family member? Do you think your family member is eligible to be sponsored? Many people do not know most of these things which is the number one culprit of failed sponsorship applications. Another reason many people receive unsuccessful applications is because they misunderstood a section of the application or forgot to include an important documents. Do not worry, if you contact Akrami & Associates we will determine both yours and your family member’s eligibility and help you by providing step-by-step assistance throughout your sponsorship process and ensuring that you are not missing any documentation.

The Different Types of Visas under the US Family Class

For United States family-based visas, there are four different types you can choose from depending your situation/which family member you are going to be sponsoring. Let’s start off by talking about each type of visa. The four different visas are, the Fiancée Visa, the Spouse and Children Visa, the Immediate Relative Visa (also known as IR), and the Family Preference Visa.

US Fiancée Visa

The fiancée visa is issued to a person who is engaged to an American citizen. When you, the sponsor (American citizen), apply to sponsor your spouse to the states, you need to marry your fiancé(e) within 90 days of them coming to America. Once your fiancé(e) is in America, they will then need to apply for a Green Card. A green card is also known as a permanent residency card. A permanent residence card is a card that allows an individual to work and live in the United States. Fiancée visa is also known as a K-1 visa. A K-1 visa if you do choose to sponsor your foreign fiancée, you are required to complete an application called “petition for alien fiancée”.

Spouse and Children Visa

The spouse visa, likewise its name, is a visa you may choose to apply for when you wish to sponsor your spouse (who resides in a different country) to the United States of America. To be eligible to sponsor your spouse you have to be married to the partner and having the marriage certificate.

Immediate Relative Visa

An immediate relative is a family member who is either your spouse, parent or unmarried children. The main requirement to obtain an immediate relative visa is that you, the sponsor, must be a US citizen. In order to acquire an immediate relative visa, you are required to complete the I-130 form. An I-130 form is a Petition for Alien Relative form. Basically, what this form consists of is a lot of space for you to provide your own personal information such as you name, address, date and place of birth, security number etc. Along with these personal questions there are also many spaces to provide information on the person you are going to be sponsoring. The immigration officers/government wants to know if you and the “family member” you are going to be sponsoring are legitimately relatives and not just pretending to be for the sake of the sponsorship. In order to prove that you both are immediate relatives, you will need to provide a lot of documentation proving that you two are indeed related and are immediate relatives.

Family Preference Visa

A family preference visa is much like an immediate relative visa however it has two main differences than that of the immediate relative visa. The two main differences is that for an immediate relative visa, you need to be a United States of America citizen whereas for a family preference visa, you (as the sponsor) do not have to be a U.S. citizen, instead to only have to possess a green card. Spouses and children are eligible to be sponsored by a U.S. green card holder. All in all, a family preference visa is very similar to an immediate family visa.

Who is eligible to sponsor or be sponsored?

In order to be eligible to be sponsored, or vice versa (to sponsor) you have to meet certain requirements. In order to be eligible as a sponsor, the first and most important requirement is that you have to be a permanent resident or citizen of the United States of America. As the applicant, or the person being sponsored, there are quite a few requirements in order to be eligible for sponsorship. You, as the sponsor, must be the age of 18 or over to be eligible for sponsorship. Instead of talking about who is eligible for sponsorship, let’s talk about who is not eligible. If you have committed a previous offence (whatever it may be) depending on how long it has been from the offence and the severity of it, you may not be eligible to sponsor. Another circumstance in which you cannot sponsor a member of the family-class is if you did not pay off an immigration loan, or if you declare bankruptcy, in which case you are financially unstable to take care of anyone you are thinking of sponsoring.

What Documents are Required when applying for US Sponsorship?

As with every government application form you have to include the required and mandatory documentation that is related to your case/situation. Documents are very crucial to your sponsorship process. The main source of documentation includes a photocopy of your current valid passport, a nonimmigrant visa application, which is the DS-160 form, confirmation page. Confirmation and Instructions page printed from this website, you also are required to include a colour photo of you which has been taken within the last 6 months. Family members of the applicant should present an original marriage certificate, if they are the spouse, and/or birth certification for the accompanying unmarried children under the age of 18 (if applicable). Many visa types require additional documents. The most important piece of documentation you are required to include is a copy of proof of your legal status in Canada. As you may know by now, in order for you to be eligible for sponsorship, you must be a permanent resident or citizen of Canada. The most common type of sponsorship is spousal sponsorship. The extra documents required for spousal sponsorship are two petitions, the first being the petition for alien relative, Form I-130, and the second being a petition for alien fiancé(e), which is form I-129F.

Contact Akrami & Associates Today!

At Akrami & Associates, we understand how intimidating and confusing it may be to sponsor a family member who falls under the family-class especially because there are so many categories that one can/may fall under. When you choose to work with the staff at Akrami and Associates, we will tell you which category you or your family fall under and we will help you with your sponsorship by providing you with our knowledge and experience on the topic of sponsorship. At Akrami and Associates we have dealt with over 15,000 cases and the firm has a very high success rate. We have helped hundreds of people with their cases and can help you with yours too! Don’t take any chances by completing the application by yourself, hire Akrami & Associates to increase your chances of a successful application and sponsorship. Remember, it doesn’t matter how big nor how small your case may be, at Akrami & Associates we will do our absolute best to solve your case with a successful outcome because there is always a way!

How can I qualify for a Green Card

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What does it mean to be Green Card holder?

A Green Card holder means you are a permanent resident of the United States in which you can live and work. To demonstrate proof of status the individual is given a permanent resident card also known as the Green Card. There are many ways of becoming a permanent resident of the United States such as being sponsored by a family member or an employer in the United States. You could also become a permanent resident of the United States through refugee or aslee status or any other programs such as the humanitarian programs.

The Green Card can be obtained in one of the four ways:

Employment Based Green Card

An employment based green card will require your employer to submit Labour Certification to the Department of Labour (depending on your category). The employment based green card processing times are very lengthy and can even take several years for acceptance.

Green Card through Family Member

If you are obtaining your green card through a family member, then they will either need to be a permanent resident or citizen of the U.S. They will either need to be

Immediate Relative:

  • Spouse
  • Your children under the age of 21 who are unmarried
  • Parents of the American citizen (sponsor

Family Preference:

  • Single children over the age of 21
  • Siblings of the sponsor who are over the age of 21
  • Married children of any age

Green Card through Refugee or Aslee Status

If you are trying to obtain the green card through refugee or asylee status then you can do so after one year if:

  1. You came in as a refugee or family member of an asylee
  2. If you were allowed asylum

The requirements if you were a refugee:

  1. Must have been present for one year in the U.S. once granted refugee status
  2. Have maintained your refugee status
  3. Have not already received your green card
  4. And to not be inadmissible

The requirements if you are an asylee:

  1. Maintain your asylee status
  2. Be physically present in the U.S. one year after being given asylum
  3. To have not abandon your asylee status
  4. And not be inadmissible

When applying as a refugee or asylee, you will need to fill out “Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status”. The documentation you will provide for either one of these categories is different. If you have other family members who wish to apply, then Form I-485 will need to be filled out for each family member and sent together in the same package.

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services allows you to fill out Form I-589 from your spouse or children who are no longer meet the definition of a spouse of children from you as a principal asylee. This allows them to obtain permanent residence. However the CSPA in some cases allow your children that have reached the age of 21 to still keep the classification of a child. To see if this case applies for you, you can consult with the CSPA.

If you need to change anything like your address as green card applications take a long to process, then you will need to inform the USCIS 10 days prior to moving in writing. This must be done for each member of the family that is applying for the green card. You would fill out “Form AR-11, Alien’s Change of Address Card”. Please note making changes will delay your application processing times.

Green Card through other ways

There are other categories to attain a green card and they are known as special categories. These special categories include:

Family:

  • Fiancée
  • Widower

Jobs:

  • Armed forces
  • Religious worker

Other green card programs:

  • Haitian refugee
  • Victim of trafficking

Rights and Responsibilities of the Green Card Holder

As a permanent resident (green card holder), you have the right to:

  • Live permanently in the United States without committing any crimes that would make your removable under the U.S immigration law
  • Work in the United States
  • Protected by U.S. law

Your Responsibilities as a Permanent Resident would be:

  • Obey U.S. Laws
  • File income tax returns
  • Reporting your income to Revenue Service
  • Supporting democratic form of government and not change it through illegal means
  • If you are male 18-25 to register with selective service

How do I renew my Green Card?

If you are permanent resident of the United States and your Green Card is close to expiration date you can renew your card either going online and fill out the application to replace permanent resident card also known as E-Filing Form I-90. If you like to submit your application through mail you can simply print I-90 form and mail it out.

Can I renew my Green Card if I am outside of the United States?

If your Green Card will expire within 6 months and you are outside of the United States you should file for renewal of card as soon as you get back. If your card has expired and you are outside of the United States you should contact the nearest US consulate office prior to attempting to file Form I-90.

When should I renew my Green Card?

If you card has expired or is about to expire within the next 6 months you should renew your Green Card using Form I-551. If you are a conditional resident and your status is expiring you should use Form I-751 to remove the conditions on your permanent resident status.

What happens if my Green Card for renewal is denied can I appeal?

If you received a letter that states your green card is denied, you cannot appeal a negative decision. The options available to you would be submitting a motion to reopen or reconsider your application in the same office you have filed. When filing such a motion you are asking the USCIS office review your file again for reconsideration. Therefore, you must clearly state the new facts to help support your case and including supporting documentation with your application to prove the decision that was made was incorrect based on evidence in the file at the time the decision was made.

Contact Akrami and Associates

If you need assistance with obtaining your Green Card or need help with renewing your expired Green Card, please feel free to contact us at 416-477-2545 and we will be glad to assist you with your U.S. immigration matters.