People are known to be immigrating massively since day one. They move around the globe in search of better living standards, a more suitable climate, or appropriate employment conditions. This process is natural, and many people choose the United States as their potential place to live.

However, one needs to be fully aware of the laws that apply to those who seek US residence. Below you will find a brief description of immigration law, but it is always advisable to consult a lawyer who can assist you with your unique case.

Who is responsible for issuing visas

In the United States, there are special divisions operating in the field of immigration law that are in charge of the decision of whether an applicant is eligible for a visa. The name of this organization is The United States Citizen and Immigration Services, and they are the ones who develop criteria and the steps to take if a person desires to get any type of US visa.

Immigrant visas

If you are granted an immigrant visa, that means that you can continually reside and seek employment in the US.

The types of immigration visas include:

• A visa for an immediate relative of the United States citizen
• A US citizen spouse visa
• A visa for children under 18 and stepchildren of those who are US citizens and other

The rules for getting an immigrant visa are much stricter than for a non-immigrant one, and it will take more paperwork and time.

Non-immigrant visas

This type of visa is issued and granted to people who do not plan to stay in the country for a long period of time. Non-immigrant visa holders need to have a specific purpose when they apply for a visa or come to the States.

The most common travel purposes are:

• Business trips
• Traveling
• Short-term education
• Religious grounds and other

To get a non-immigrant visa, you are required to provide all the necessary documentation to prove your intentions, and also, you need to show that you are not going to apply for a job in America and plan to come back to your place of permanent residence after the trip.

The time to process an application for the types of visa described above will differ for different reasons, such as the visa type, what nationality the person applying for a visa is, their history in America, and other things, so one can not get an exact estimation of how long all the stages will take.