Many citizens of foreign countries have a temporary need to reside in the United States and to perform the functions of their jobs while in the U.S. To accommodate these workers, the State Department has created temporary visas to accommodate these workers. The visas come in many different combinations, and a knowledge of these classifications and their purposes can be useful to someone wishing to obtain a temporary visa.
Reviewing the types of temporary work visas
Temporary work visas are generally referred to by their classification number. For example, temporary visas for persons in specialty occupations are called “H-1B” visas. These visas authorize a person who works in a specialty occupation and who has will work on various government projects administered by the Department of Defense. A similar visa is the H-1B1, which intended to cover persons who intend to work in a specialty occupation. Perhaps the most common type of temporary work visas are those that cover agricultural workers (H-2A) and non-agricultural workers (H-2B).
The steps to obtaining a temporary work visa
A person seeking a temporary work visa must file a petition called Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, Form-I-129. Generally, an I-129 petition must be filed by the applicant’s employer and approved by the Customs and Immigration Service. The applicant must sit for an interview by a staff member at a U.S. embassy or consulate. The applicant must present the following documents before the visa interview: valid passport, nonimmigrant visa application confirmation, application fee receipt, photograph and, if necessary an application based upon a blanket petition. Most temporary work visas can be amended to extend the authorized period the worker can remain in the United States and also change the immigrant status of the employee.
While the temporary work visa process may seem simple, it can become snarled in bureaucratic red tape. In such cases, the applicant may wish to seek the assistance of an attorney knowledgeable about the United States immigration process.
