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Boston at a Glance

Boston: Visa and Immigration Legislation

Boston has many beautiful neighborhoods - but moving there often comes at a price.

A Multitude of Options

As you might be aware of, the immigration legislation in the United States is quite extensive, offering a multitude of different subcategories for different purposes, lengths of stay, and occupations the applicant is allowed to fill. In fact, we could not possibly illustrate every expat-relevant category in an article such as this one. For very detailed info on all things immigration, please consult the website of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The following is intended to offer you a rough overview of the most relevant and popular among the many existing visa categories. You should, in any case, still take your time and carefully read the info on the abovementioned website. Failure to apply for the correct visa is generally not taken lightly in the USA, so come prepared!

Non-Immigrant Visa

Before mapping out your future expat life in the heart of New England, be aware that the USCIS have two distinct visa categories available for you. If your stay in the country is limited to a predetermined time and you have no intention of permanently settling in the USA, you require a visa of the non-immigrant category. If you are issued a visa of this category, you are not only restricted in respect to the duration of your stay, but also in its purpose, i.e. your future occupation in Boston.

Non-Immigrant Categories

• Specialty Occupations: Category H1B applies to people working in a specialty occupation, which is broadly defined as an occupation which requires at least a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent thereof. Notable exceptions are fashion models, who are also included in this category. The H1B visa is issued for a period of three years. There is an annual cap on the maximum number of H1B visas issued per calendar year, which is currently at 65,000 for the entire USA.
• Executives and Managers: If you have worked in a management level position within your company for at least one year before your transfer to the USA, the visa category L1A/B is the one for you. If you are sent overseas in order to set up an office for your company, your visa will be valid for one year; if you occupy a position in an existing office, you will receive a visa for three years.
• Expats with Special Abilities: If you are among the best and most highly acclaimed professionals in your occupation (especially in the fields of science, business, sports, art, film, and others), you may enter and work in the USA with your O1 visa. The period of time is, as with most other visas, limited to three years.
• Treaty Traders and Employees: This is one of the most popular visas with expats. Visa category E1 allows for nationals of a country with which the US maintains a treaty of commerce and navigation to carry out principal and substantial trade with the USA. Two facts account for part of its popularity: An E1 visa can be extended an unlimited number of times after the initial two years have passed, and family members can join the visa holder without having to apply for a visa of their own. If you are a national of the countries on this list, you might want to take a closer look on this category.

Immigrant Visa and Green Card

Apart from the abovementioned non-immigrant visa, there is, of course, also the possibility of relocating to the USA on the basis of an immigrant visa. The most notable and well-known type is undoubtedly the Green Card, which is awarded in an annual lottery. For further information on immigrant visa, please read our article on moving to the USA or refer to the USCIS website.