do i need a visa for the usa

Whether it's the East Coast, the Southwest, the beaches of Florida or California, or outlying regions such as Hawaii and Alaska, most people plan their trips within a given area, as the United States is a vast location. To visit the USA, citizens of some countries require a visa and, some don't. So let's cover the topic, Do I need a visa for the USA, in this article.

For travelers with amazing sights scattered throughout the country, there are plenty of choices. The USA is host to some of the world's most beautiful scenery and some of the globe's most recognizable icons. With all these beautiful tourist attractions, the USA becomes a must-visit country.

WHAT IS A USA VISA?

A US visa, more precisely your passport, is a stamp that you get on your travel document, which ensures that you are eligible to enter the United States. Also, getting a US visa does not necessarily mean that you are eligible to enter the US since this is the decision of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Customs and Borders Protection (CPB) inspectors.

READ ALSO: United States ESTA visa fees

CHECK YOUR ELIGIBILITY TO APPLY FOR A USA VISA

For temporary stays of 90 days or less without a visa, citizens of Visa Waiver Countries and citizens of Bermuda and Canada can travel to the US without a visa if they travel for tourism or business purposes. For business or travel purposes, the Visa Waiver Program allows citizens of 39 countries to visit the US for 90 days. For longer periods of time, someone who wants to enter the United States needs to receive a US visa. 

Nonetheless, foreigners from these countries must obtain an ESTA (Electronic Travel Authorization System) from the US Customs and Borders Protection (CBP). The authorizing document classifies the traveler in the VWP agreement as a citizen of a participating country.

WHO NEEDS TO APPLY FOR US VISA

There are 156 countries in the following list whose citizens must have a visa to enter the territory of the USA:

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NON- VWP CITIZENS WHO DO NOT NEED A US VISA TO ENTER USA

Citizens of Canada and Bermuda are free to temporarily fly to the US without a non-immigrant visa or any other pre-entry permit, such as ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization).

• Canadian people are free to enter and remain in the United States, even to work there (instead of a passport, they may even use a NEXUS Card or an Enhanced Driver's License for identification).
• Bermudians are excluded from visa requirements for stays in the United States of less than 6 months.

Benefiting from the 'Compacts of Free Association' arrangement with the US, residents of the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau are exempted without restriction from the visa requirement to enter, stay, study, or become employed in the US.

US VISA APPLICATION FORM

For all types of visas, the US visa application follows a similar and straightforward process. There are variations, however, depending on the category and type of visa you choose to obtain. You need to register online to make an appointment with the US embassy or consulate in your home country to apply for an American visa.

You can also apply for a US visa online through Tourist Visa Online.

All you have to do is fill up an application form and upload the required documents. After that, pay the fees using a Debit/Credit Card and submit your form. Once processed, you will receive your approved visa through your registered Email ID.

USA VISA REQUIREMENTS

You will have to upload a few documents with your application form when applying for a USA Visa. Those documents are as follows:

• Original and Valid Passport holding a validity of at least six (6) months and should have two blank pages.
• Scan images of your first and last page of your passport to upload them with the application form.
• Two recent Passport Size Photographs with a white background and quality should be clear and the face is also visible.
• Confirmed return flight bookings.
• Income Tax Documents which shows the transactions of the last 3 months.
• Proof of accommodation like your hotel bookings.

NOTE: Other types of Documents can also be asked depending on what type of visa you applied for.

READ ALSO: US ESTA visa application process

US VISA TYPES

The main types of US Visas are:

• Business/Tourist Visa- Visitor visas are non-immigrant visas for persons wishing to temporarily enter the United States for business purposes (category B-1 visa), for tourism purposes (category B-2 visa), or for a combination of both purposes (category B-1/B-2 visa). 
• Work Visa- Temporary worker visas are for people who wish to enter the United States for a defined period and are not considered permanent or indefinite for employment purposes. Every one of these visas requires the prospective employer to file a U.S. petition first. with  Citizenship and Immigration Services(USCIS). To apply for a work visa, an approved petition is required.
• Student Visa- To study in the United States, you must have a student visa. If you need an F visa or an M visa is decided by your course of study and the type of school you intend to attend. For academic and vocational purposes, the F and M visas are.
• Exchange Visitor Visa- Nonimmigrant visas for individuals allowed to engage in exchange visitor programs in the United States are exchange visitor (J) visas.
• Transit/Ship Crew Visas- Transit (C) visas come under the category of non-immigrant visas which has few exceptions for people traveling to another country in immediate and continuous transit through the United States, while crew member (D) visas are non-immigrant visas for persons working on board commercial sea vessels or international airlines in the United States.
• Religious Worker Visas- Temporary religious worker (R-1) visas are for individuals who wish to enter the United States to work in religious capacities temporarily.
• Domestic Employee Visa- Domestic employee visas are for people who want to accompany their employer to the United States to perform domestic duties for their employer in the United States.
• Journalism and Media Visas- Media (I) visas are essential to the foreign media function for representatives of foreign media, including members of the news, radio, film and print industries, who are temporarily traveling to the United States to work in their careers in the field of information or educational media activities.

MAJOR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A NON-IMMIGRANT US VISA AND AN IMMIGRANT US VISA

The primary distinction between visas for non-immigrants and immigrants is the duration of time allowed to remain in the US by the visa holder. Non-immigrant visas are temporary, meaning they expire and the holder of the visa must return immediately to their home country.

Otherwise known as Green Cards, immigrant visas are permanent. People can travel to the US and stay there as long as they want without needing a deadline to return to their home country once the visa holder has an immigrant visa.

CONCLUSION

This article answers every question related to US visas like, Do I need a visa for USA, Do I need an ESTA for USA, What is a tourist visa and Us Visa types, etc.

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