Immigrants from Xu Mei

Visa requirements for China citizens to the United States

Visa requirements for China citizens to the United States

Visa type

American visas include immigrant visas and non-immigrant visas. There are more than 30 categories of non-immigrant visas, and each visa consists of one (or several) English letters and one number.

A visa is an entry document. Different types of visas give holders different "identities" and different activities rights in the United States, such as travel, study, work and investment. In the United States, you can apply to change your "identity". Of course, this is not easy. Applicants to the United States need to consider some special provisions of the United States on your visa status in the United States, the conditions required to apply for a certain type of visa, the possibility and restrictions of changing your status in the United States, and choose the method that suits you.

The regulations on applying for a visa, changing one's status, applying for residence or visa extension are very complicated, and the regulations and requirements of the US government and the Immigration Bureau on all kinds of visas and immigrants are not immutable. Applicants should pay attention to these changes and consult authoritative organizations or people.

Scope of non-immigrant visa

Non-immigrant visas in the United States include study visas, tourist visas, marriage visas, training and exchange visits to the United States.

Foreign immigrants who are suitable for non-immigrant visas mainly include: tourists or relatives, self-funded students, visiting scholars, journalists, literary and sports workers, transit personnel, seafarers, crew members, short-term staff, government officials, diplomatic and consular officials, etc.

The general entry and residence period is half a year or 1 year, 3 years, etc. , the longest is 5 years and the shortest is 3 months (excluding transit visas).

To apply for a non-immigrant visa in the United States, you need to prepare an application form, passport, photos and supporting documents and submit them to the US Consulate. Applicants can apply for a non-immigrant visa to the American consulate in any country, but the only condition is that they must be present in person.

An applicant for a non-immigrant visa should prove that he has no intention of immigrating to the United States. To this end, the applicant should prove the following three facts:

(1) has a permanent residence in the country and has no intention of giving up;

(2) Put forward a clear plan, stating that the temporary stay in the United States is only for the purpose of completing a specific trip;

(3) prove that you have enough funds to maintain your personal life during your stay in the United States.

Generally speaking, American consulate officials usually approve applications for non-immigrant visas as long as they meet the requirements. If the applicant has any difficulties, it is best to tell the consular officer truthfully, but he should also argue with reason.

Basis for examining non-immigrant visa applications

According to the US immigration law, it is forbidden to issue non-immigrant visas to those who intend to stay or work permanently in the United States. When American consular officials examine whether an applicant meets the requirements for applying for a non-immigrant visa, they also make a decision based on judgment, that is, whether to issue a visa to an applicant depends mainly on the opinions formed by consular officials through their judgment on the application materials. So sometimes even if the applicant has no motivation to emigrate, he will be suspected.

This doubt can not be solved until he produces enough evidence when applying for a visa and requesting entry to convince consular officials and immigration officials that he has the non-immigrant qualification stipulated by law. Refuse to issue an entry visa if the immigration suspect cannot be ruled out after the examination.

Consular officials generally judge applicants from the following aspects:

(1) The real purpose of applying to enter the United States.

Does the applicant enter the United States for short-term travel, visiting relatives, visiting and studying abroad, or does he enter the United States as a non-immigrant to finally achieve the purpose of permanent residence? Consular officials focus on judging the applicant's intention to go to the United States and imagining whether the applicant will stay in the United States in other ways after being granted entry. Focus on whether the applicant has a formal job, or is unemployed, and whether the job can be guaranteed after returning home. It is also necessary to consider whether the applicant has ever been refused an immigrant visa and the real purpose of going to the United States.

(2) After the applicant is granted entry, can he leave the United States on schedule if his residence expires?

Mainly to examine whether the applicant has an inseparable relationship with China. Are there any positions you don't want to give up, family members you don't want to give up, inseparable family ties, and other social, economic, cultural and other factors, such as holding important positions at home; Or have a certain reputation, or have a certain property in China. The closeness of these relationships determines whether the applicant can return to his country as soon as possible once his residence expires.

(3) whether the applicant's round-trip expenses and living expenses during his stay are reliably guaranteed.

American law prohibits foreigners who will become a public burden from entering the country. Therefore, consular officials should carefully examine the guarantor's ability to guarantee, mainly considering the economic, professional and social status of American relatives and friends. If the residence time applied for entry is inconsistent with the guarantee ability of relatives and friends, it will be doubtful whether the applicant is prepared for a one-way trip.

In recent years, due to the increase in the number of people who have not returned to the United States within the time limit, many applicants have been asked to make face-to-face interviews.

Interview is not only a comprehensive judgment of consular officials on whether the applicant's entry motivation and application conditions meet the standards, but also an opportunity for the applicant to fully defend and explain his entry motivation and application conditions. Applicants should actively state their reasons and conditions to convince consular officials that their purpose of entering the United States is indeed to visit relatives and friends, study abroad or travel; I have no intention of working or living in America.

I have very close social, family, economic and cultural ties with the motherland, and I will return to the motherland after the expiration of my residence; I do have enough financial security, so I don't have to look for a job after coming to the United States, and I won't become a burden to the American public. The applicant should show the consular officer that he is fully qualified to be a non-immigrant in order to obtain a visa as soon as possible.

Several situations in which it is difficult to obtain a non-immigrant visa

It is often difficult for applicants to obtain non-immigrant visas if they fall into the following situations.

(1) Young people who are not married, such applicants are often considered to have no worries and are most likely to stay in the United States;

(2) If you don't have a satisfactory job, a certain social status and an important job in China, you will often give up your job easily and seek a new job in the United States; (4) American relatives and friends have a low standard of living and simply do not have the guarantee ability of the guarantor;

(3) American relatives and friends are rich in property and have a high standard of living. It is easy to think that the rich economic income of relatives and friends will attract applicants to stay in the United States permanently.

Based on the above considerations, it is often difficult for consular officials to issue visas.

The United States immigration law stipulates that in order to safeguard the national interests of the United States, visas may not be issued to the following persons:

Mental illness, drug abuse and alcoholism; Psychopathy, sexual perversion, homosexuality; Extreme poverty, professional beggars; Being sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of more than 5 years for immoral crimes; Polygamy; Prostitutes or people who participate in or smuggle women into the United States for prostitution; Other commercial crimes; Applicants can't support themselves, and they are likely to become taxpayers in the United States in the future; Suffering from dangerous infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, leprosy, syphilis and AIDS; The applicant cannot read or understand any one or more languages; The applicant intentionally encourages or assists other foreigners to enter or intend to enter the United States by illegal means to seek benefits; The applicant entered the United States as an "exchange visitor" (a J visa holder) and applied for entry less than two years after leaving the United States; The applicant has been arrested and deported by the United States, or has been deported; A person who deliberately distorts the truth by deception to obtain an American visa; The applicant has been convicted of violating laws related to narcotic drugs, or has never dealt in drugs and marijuana; The applicant attempts to enter the United States to engage in any extremist or subversive activities.

If you don't know the reason for rejection, you can ask the consular officer if you need supplementary materials, and then try to reissue the relevant certificates and apply further. In this case, a new and more complete certificate must be issued before it can be approved.

Non-immigrant visa category code

The categories of non-immigrant visas in the United States are coded in English letters, arranged in the order of letters A to L, and each type of visa is further divided by Arabic numerals. For example, the most common type B visas are B- 1 for business people and B-2 for tourists and relatives.

The types and codes of non-immigrant visas and the allowed period of stay are briefly introduced as follows:

Class A visa: diplomatic official visa. Class A visas are mainly issued to senior officials, diplomatic and consular officials, ordinary government officials and their families and entourage. The validity of the visa is the same as the term of office.

B visa: business tourist visa. Class B visa is one of the non-immigrant visas with the largest number of applicants and the highest issuance rate. It mainly includes business people, tourists, visiting relatives and friends, people who participate in various cultural and sports competitions, and people who attend religious and group meetings. Class b visas are divided into B- 1 and B-2 visas. B- 1 visa is a short-term business visa for business in the United States; B-2 visa is a short-term tourist visa to the United States. Generally, the B visa is valid for 3 months, half a year or 1 year. The extension of Class B visa shall not exceed 6 months at a time.

Class C visa: transit visa. Issued to people who go abroad through the United States, they can stay in the United States for 3-7 days.

D visa: crew and seaman visa. It is mainly distributed to crew members and seafarers on international flights and ships.

E visa: treaty investor visa. Different from Class B business visa, it is mainly issued to investors, entrepreneurs, businessmen and their families sent by countries that have signed various bilateral agreements on investment, shipping and business with the United States. The validity period of a visa is generally 1 year or 5 years, in which the E-2 visa can initially obtain a residence period of 5 years and eventually obtain indefinite residence.

F visa: study visa. It is mainly distributed to students, their spouses and unmarried children under 2 1 year-old who enter the United States for a short time at their own expense. The validity of the visa is the same as the study time.

G visa: visa for employees of international organizations. Main issue; Officials of various international organizations in the United States or government representatives accredited to these international organizations, as well as their families and employees. The duration of the visa is the same as that of the position. And their families.

The validity period of H visa is usually 1 year.

J visa: exchange visiting scholar visa. Class J visas are issued according to the bilateral exchange program for visiting scholars approved by the US government, such as university professors, lecturers, researchers, graduate students, experts and their spouses, and unmarried children under 2 1 year old. The validity period of class J visa is consistent with the visit period.

K visa: an entry visa for the fiance or fiancee of an American citizen. K visa can also be called marriage visa. K visas are generally valid for 3 months or 6 months.

L visa, employee visa of multinational company. It is mainly distributed to employees of subsidiaries, offices and enterprises of American multinational companies abroad, and employees and their spouses or children who are temporarily transferred to the United States because of the company's business needs. Visa validity 1 year.

M visa: this is a short-term student visa, which is issued to students studying full-time in non-academic or vocational schools in the United States.

O Visa: This visa is issued to individuals who have outstanding talents in science, art, education, business or sports, enjoy international and domestic reputation, and have made outstanding achievements in film and television production, as well as their families and entourage.

P visa: this visa is issued to athletes or actors with international standards, whether they are individuals, members of sports teams or members of performing groups with international standards.

Q visa: This visa is issued to foreigners who go to the United States for short-term (no more than 15 months) to participate in international cultural exchange programs.

R visa: a religious person's visa to the United States. Visa stay in the United States shall not exceed 5 years. These talents include missionaries, professional religious workers and clergy, as well as religious people who work for non-profit religious organizations or tax-free religious organizations.

Documents required for a US visa

Visas to the United States can be divided into two categories: immigrant visas and non-immigrant visas. There are more than a dozen different requirements, so different documents are needed. Some of the main supporting documents required for a US visa are as follows:

1, personal identification documents-valid passport, birth certificate, ID photo.

2. Family background documents-current household registration, copy of household registration relationship, family photos, adoption certificate, adoption certificate, etc.

3. Professional certification documents-work service certificate, company application, salary and withholding certificate, position certificate, etc.

4. Marriage documents-unmarried certificate, marriage certificate, divorce certificate, engagement certificate or affidavit. Marriage documents include engagement letters, wedding photos, letters, relatives and friends' certificates and notarization.

5. Education certificate-graduation certificate, degree certificate, TOFFE report card, school report card, degree certificate, recommendation letter from professors and experts, professional papers, etc.

6. Law-abiding and good citizen certificate-no criminal certificate (or police certificate, 16-year-old exempted), prisoner release certificate, etc.

7. Proof of health status-physical examination form, chest X-ray, vaccination, proof of immunity, etc. Issued by a qualified hospital (designated by the US Immigration Service).

8. Personal property documents-usually including stocks, deeds, tax bills, bankbooks and other property documents that prove personal ownership.

If you apply for business travel, investment, factory or subsidiary in the United States (with B- 1, E-2 and L- 1 visas), you need more documents to prove your assets. The supporting documents of assets include: real estate ownership certificate, sales contract, lease contract, land price tax and property tax payment certificate, trust certificate and public debt, bank term and demand certificate, etc. In addition, the applicant also needs to provide certificates about the company or its branches, such as: articles of association, company license, register of shareholders, unified invoice of the company, tax vouchers related to business tax and stamp duty, company balance sheet, company operation, income statement, company current account number and deposit certificate, company foreign exchange certificate, and sometimes even resolutions of shareholders or board of directors, employee roster, employee tax vouchers, photos of investment projects, etc.

9. Proof of living security: Applicants usually need to provide proof of living security when applying for beneficiaries to come to the United States. The so-called living security certificate includes: the applicant's personal financial documents or employer's certificate, the applicant's life security affidavit to the beneficiary, etc.

10. Other documents that may be needed, such as some letters, business telegrams, contracts, power of attorney, consent, power of attorney, etc.

1 1. Sometimes the fingerprint card of the applicant is needed. If you apply for naturalization, you need a fingerprint card. Immigration interviews sometimes require a fingerprint card, so a notarized fingerprint card should be prepared. To apply for different types of visas to the United States, in addition to filling out different forms, you must also provide relevant documents (originals) issued by various countries and regions of origin required by the US Immigration Service.

The requirements for preparing these documents are as follows:

(1) The original certificate, together with a copy, must be provided and submitted to the immigration officer of the US Consulate for identification. The applicant can take back the original on the spot and give a copy of the document to the immigration officer.

(2) The original (copy) of the document must be completely consistent with the original. Moreover, official legal notarization must be done to prove that the copy and the original are complete, that is, "copy notarization".

(3) All documents submitted by the applicant must be translated into correct and qualified English documents. Of course, the English translation of all documents needs notarization.

(4) A copy of the document (photocopy), translated in English, notarized and submitted to the immigration officer together with relevant forms.

(5) The original of the relevant works was not saved or lost at that time, or was damaged. There are several ways to deal with it:

(1) You can take an affidavit or other alternative documents or evidence as evidence, such as admission application records and household registration records. The affidavit should usually include the name, gender, date and place of birth, relationship with the applicant and the facts proved.

② One file can be used to replace another file.

(3) the court or the relevant legislature (such as provincial and county civil affairs agencies, etc.). ) reissue legal documents, which are also legal documents after notarization.

(4) Other documents and original records. If parents sometimes apply for their children and spouses apply for each other, the Immigration Bureau sometimes requires applicants to provide one or two original letters with stamped envelopes. This kind of "original record" is also a kind of "document", but it does not need to be notarized by law.

The main documents required by the US Immigration Service include: birth certificate, marriage certificate, household registration book, etc. Prove the relationship between the applicant and his relatives. Only when it is absolutely necessary will the Immigration Bureau accept "secondary documents".

Tourist visa (B-2 visa) Tourist visa application conditions

Tourist visa is B-2 visa, which is the most common non-immigrant visa in the United States. For China citizens, B- 1 is the entry visa for those who go abroad on business, and B-2 is the entry visa for those who go abroad on private business.

To apply for a B-2 visa, you need to meet the following conditions:

1. has a clear entry purpose. There are sufficient materials to prove that the applicant's purpose is a short-term visit.

2. Have reliable economic security. There are sufficient materials to prove that the applicant has the ability to pay the round-trip travel expenses after entry and the living expenses during the stay.

There is reliable evidence that the applicant will not seek permanent residence in the United States. For China citizens, this specifically includes the following four factors:

(1) Having inseparable relatives in China mainly means having a happy family;

② Personal property is considerable in China, mainly measuring wages, houses, bank deposits, etc.

(3) Having a satisfactory job in China, mainly considering the education level and position of the applicant;

④ Other factors that urge the applicant to leave China.

References:

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