Immigrant visas allow foreigners to immigrate to the United States for residence and employment without any limitations that exist for the owners of non-immigrant visas. With such status, immigrants become of the United States and they are guaranteed a green card. Under the condition that they demonstrate their compliance with certain categories of working visas. Immigrant visas are issued on the basis of family ties, employment, shelter or the green card lottery win.
Immigration visa status and their types
• Family-based
Immigrants who are close family members and who are citizens or permanent residents of the US have the possibility to obtain a family based immigrant document. These family members include spouses, unmarried children aged up to 21 years or parents. The spouses applied for a IR-1, children for a IR-2 and parents of the US citizens apply for a IR-5 visa. IR-3 dealing with adopted abroad orphans and IR-4 visas dealing with orphans intended to be adopted.
• Family Preference
Could be received by family members of the US citizens. These family members include unmarried children with the minimum age of 21-years and, married children of any age, as well as brothers and sisters of the US citizens. Unmarried children refer to Family Visa of First Preference (F-1 visa), married children refer to Family Visa of Third Preference (visa F-3), the brothers and sisters refer to Family Visa of Fourth Preference (visa F-4 ). For these relatives, compared to visas for close relatives, have an annual maximum limit.
• Family for Relatives of Lawful Permanent Resident
US permanent resident family members may also become permanent residents after the receiving of an immigrant for the FB-2 category. Family members, who have the opportunity to apply for a F-2 visa include Spouses, minor children, and unmarried sons and daughters (age 21 and over) of Lawful Permanent Residents. The maximum preset number of F-2 document in a year is 114,200, and at least 77 percent of these documents are reserved for the minor children and spouses of the permanent residents.
• Diversity Program
Visas for the permanent residence are also issued to the foreigners according to the Diversity Immigrant Program. The Diversity Program allows to obtain documents for the immigrants from countries with historically low number of immigrants in the United States.
• Employment-Based
Foreigners can also obtain the status of the United States permanent residents through the receiving of the Employment-Based Immigrant Visa. Employment-Based Immigrant Visas are reserved for the foreigners coming to the US to work. These visas are available skilled and unskilled workers. The Immigration Service makes available about 140,000 of the Employment-Based Immigrant Visas each year.