- Non-Immigrant Visas: allows you to travel to the U.S. as a temporary visitor. Temporary is the key word here because you are only allowed to stay in the U.S. for a maximum of 3 months.
- Immigrant Visas: allows you to travel to the U.S. and apply for legal permanent residence. This is the ultimate golden ticket which allows you to legally live in the U.S., be legally employed, and eventually become a U.S. citizen.
You can apply for a non-immigrant visa:
- If you are traveling for pleasure
- If you are traveling for study
- If you are part of an exchange program such as the Fulbright Program
The truth is that it is highly unlikely that your non-immigrant visa will be approved. The reason for this is that many people who travel to the U.S. with a temporary visa have never returned and have decided to stay in the United States illegally. You would need to provide proof that you have substantial investments (such as property and fat bank accounts) in Venezuela which would make you more likely to return. Students will need to show that they have the means to pay for their education before getting an approval.
You can apply for an immigrant visa:
- If you have a family relationship (including spouse) with a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident
- If you are sponsored by an employer
- If you are selected in the Diversity Visa Program (visa lottery)
Even if you are one of the lucky Venezuelans who has been petitioned by a U.S. family member, don't pack your bags just yet! With the recent tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela, visa requests are so backed up that it is normal for a Venezuelan visa request to be processed in 7-10 years.
The majority of Venezuelans have been given no alternative, but to wait out the economic storm.
The majority of Venezuelans have been given no alternative, but to wait out the economic storm.
Conversely, Canada's policy on immigration is more lenient. If you are a college student in Canada for 4 years, I believe you can apply for residency at the end of that 4-year period. That was the way it was for U.S. citizens a few years ago; I am not sure Canada differentiates among nations.
ReplyDeleteHi Janet, In the U.S., a foreign student can usually apply for residency after completing their degree if they can find a job in their field within three months of graduation. I am not sure if it applies to all fields, but I do have friends that have done this after obtaining their engineering degree. Unfortunately, the timeline for most of the other categories will vary among nations.
DeleteHi, has that policy always been that way, or is this a new policy?
ReplyDeleteHi Tim, many of these policies have been in place for quite some time, but the paperwork has become a lot more cumbersome over time. In addition, just a few months ago, the Venezuelan government reduced the U.S. Embassy staff from 100 to 17! To say that the embassy is short staffed is an understatement. This is making the process of obtaining a visa a nightmare. At this point there are virtually no visas being granted and the delays are endless.
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