Every year, many travelers visit the United States. This country has always been, is and will be one of the most popular tourist destinations, which is not surprising. Large and vibrant cities, charming nature, art, cinema, entertainment - all this attracts tourists here with a magnet. But in order to get to America, you must first obtain a visa.
United States Entry Documents
Perhaps the main document that opens up access to the United States is a visa. Of course, there are lucky winners who won the Green Card, but we will not talk about them. To obtain a visa, you must go through a certain procedure, which consists of several stages. First, you need to prepare a package of documents. Then register on the website of the embassy or consulate general. And, finally, to pass an interview, according to the results of which a visa will or will not be issued.
There are several types of non-immigrant visas:
- working
- student
- tourist or guest,
- business (business),
- transit, etc.
Each type has its own rules and nuances that you need to know. These features affect the required package of documents, without which your visa application will not even be considered. Therefore, if you decide to arrange it yourself, for a start you should study all the subtleties of this process. For example, you decide to visit relatives - a guest visa to the USA is suitable for such a trip. The documents you need to collect will be slightly different from those that you would collect for a business visa.
US Visa
If you have relatives, friends or acquaintances in the States, the process of processing all the necessary documents will be faster and easier. For example, they may invite you to a celebration of some significant event (wedding, anniversary, birth of a child). To obtain permission to enter in this case, you will need an invitation, which will become the basis for issuing a guest visa to the United States.
Such a permit to enter the country is the most convenient for receiving, since it usually receives the least number of refusals. In addition, the invitation can be sent both in writing and in electronic form. The Moscow Embassy of the USA does not require legal confirmation of this document. After you receive an invitation, you will need to make one color photo 5x5 cm in size and fill out all the relevant forms.
Full list of documents
Registration of a guest visa in the United States begins with the collection of all necessary papers. The full package of documents consists of:
- invitations
- valid passport;
- 5x5 cm photographs;
- profiles;
- documents confirming your connection with the homeland. This may be your old passport with visas, documents of ownership, certificates from the place of work indicating the position, annual salary and / or length of service.
You will also need a marriage and / or birth certificate, an extract from the bank about the state of your personal account, or any other document that reflects your financial reliability. To obtain a visa, the account must have an amount of at least $ 50 for one day of rest.
Features of obtaining
The guest visa is intended only for recreation in the United States. It is forbidden to work, study, open a business, buy real estate and vehicles with it. It is only possible to attend language or other courses if their duration does not exceed 18 hours per week.Obtaining a guest visa in the United States is somewhat easier than a tourist visa, since in this case, the host party in the person of your relatives, friends or acquaintances will be partially responsible for you.
An important question: "How long can I stay in the country if I have a guest visa in the USA?" The period for which it is issued is determined at the airport of arrival. A mark with the permitted length of stay in America in your passport is put by a customs officer and border control. He may also refuse entry, despite having a visa. The reasons for this refusal are not explained. In rare cases, re-receipt is possible only after 2 years or more.
Visa Application Procedure
After you collect all the documents, you will need to decide on the desired time and date of the interview. Typically, the line at the Moscow Embassy of the United States is 1-2 days. Then you need to pay the cost of the visa (180 dollars in rubles at the exchange rate on the day of payment) and register yourself on the embassy's website, indicating the number of your foreign passport and check from the bank.
After passing the interview with the Ambassador of America and in the event of a positive decision, you can pick up your passport with a visa yourself or order courier delivery to the specified address. As a rule, it takes from two to four days if you live in Moscow and the region, and up to fourteen days for residents of other Russian regions.
US Visa Visa: Example Invitation Filling
There are no clear regulations regarding how an invitation is issued. This document does not bear any legal value and does not require notarization. You can send an invitation to receive a guest visa in any convenient way. This is often a simple letter. The main thing is that it contains the following items:
- Full host address with telephone number.
- Purpose of the visit.
- Arrival / departure date and duration of stay.
You can also indicate in the letter whether the receiving party acts as a sponsor of this trip. This saves you from having to provide a bank statement about the availability of funds for traveling on your personal account.
The self-submission of documents for a guest visa in the United States is a simple process. With the right approach, it can be obtained within a week. If you have any difficulties, you can seek help from specialized firms that deal with visa processing. All the best!
