Immigration Authorization
There are several option for an immigrant to get permission to work or live in Idaho, including:
Temporary visas: As their name suggests, these visas are only valid for a limited time. A temporary visa, also known as a nonimmigrant visa. Most nonimmigrant/temporary visas are issued for temporary work in the U.S. The State Department issued over 21,000 employment-based nonimmigrant visas in 2015.
Below are the most common temporary visa requests, according to the State Department:
- H-1B- Professionals for specialty occupations
- H-2A- Agricultural workers for seasonal jobs
- H-2B- Non-agricultural workers for seasonal jobs
Permanent Visa: These visas are issued to individuals who want to immigrate to the U.S. and live. A person who obtains a permanent visa is given work authorization and can apply for a green card after meeting the necessary residency requirements. Following are some of the commonly requested permanent visas:
- Spouse of a U.S. Citizen or legal permanent resident
- Intercountry adoption of orphaned children
- Fiancé(e) visa issued to immigrants engaged to marry a U.S. citizen
- Family relation of U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident
- Employer-sponsorship
HB-1 Visa- The H-B1 visa can be issued for short-term work or immigration, so it is referred to as a dual-intent visa. You can learn more information about H-1B visas by visiting the USCIS.
Asylum- Immigrants who face persecution in their native countries based on their gender, political affiliations, and religious beliefs or live in a country ravaged by war can apply for refugee status. Refugees who are granted asylum have permission to live in the U.S. and are granted work authorization. It’s worth noting that there is a long and thorough vetting process for refugees, so it takes the time to get asylum.
Humanitarian parole- Humanitarian parole is a temporary immigration relief that gives immigrants permission to come to the U.S. because it is unsafe for them to remain in their home country because of man-made or natural disasters. The USCIS gives a list of the countries where the citizens are eligible for humanitarian parole.
