USA Immigration

Features of US Immigration Policy:

• Allowing the immigrants with skill and experience that is worthy to the US Economy and development.
• The reunification of families.
• Protection of Refugees
• The separate number for Refugee admissions are being given by both President and the congress.
• Promotion of Diversity.

A. Family-Based Immigration

The amalgamation or unification of families is a critical aspect of US Immigration Policy. The LPRs (Lawful Permanent Residents of US) and US Citizens are allowed to bring their certain family members to US under Family based Immigration system. The family based immigrants are being allowed to US both as immediate relatives of US Citizens or as a family preference system. The total of approximately 480,000 visas available under this category every year.

The Visa applicant applying under Immediate relative category requires to meet the following requirements, i.e. they need to be:

• Unmarried minor children of US Citizens (under 21 years)
• Spouses of US Citizens
• Parents of US Citizens (at least 21 years old)

B. Employment-Based Immigration

The immigrants with valuable skills and experience are being invited by the United States to live and work in US on both temporary or permanent visa basis. There several types of visas being allocated for temporary nonimmigrant workers, i.e. L visas for intracompany transfers, P Visas for athletes, entertainers and skilled performers, A Visa for diplomatic employees, O visas for workers of extraordinary ability, R visas for religious category and so on. The USCIS website may be referred for the complete list of visas under this category.

C. Refugees and Asylees

The USA provides a legal admission to various categories of people who are escaping persecution or are not able to return to their homeland due to some extraordinary conditions or reasons, i.e. due to their race, political opinion, religion, national origin or life threat. However, the admission to refugees is based on various factors, i.e. the severity of risk they face, membership in a group that is of special concerned to the US, (it is designated annually by the US President and the congress), and whether or not they have any family member in US.

D. The Diversity Visa Program

As per the US Immigration Act 1990, the Diversity Visa lottery was formed as a specific channel for countries with low immigration rate to the United States. The total of 55,000 visas are permitted randomly to the citizens of the countries who have sent less than 50,000 immigrants to US in last 5 years. Out of the 55,000, up to 5,000 are available are to be used under the NACARA program.

E. Other Types of Humanitarian Relief

TPS (Temporary Protected Status): It is being granted to the people who are in US, however, can not return to their homeland due to Natural Disaster or any other extraordinary temporary condition’ or ‘the armed conflict’. It can be granted to the nationals of any country such country for 6, 12 or 18 months. Moreover, it can be extended beyond if the unsafe conditions in the country persists.

F. U.S. Citizenship

To qualify for the US citizenship through the naturalization, a person must have had the LPR status (A Green Card) for at least 5 years (or 3 years in case the person has got the green card through a US Citizen spouse or through violence against women act- VAWA).

Eligibility conditions:

• Applicants must be at least 18 years old,
• Show continuous residency,
• Show “good moral character,”
• Pass English and U.S. history and civics exams, and
• Must pay an application fee, among other requirements.