The USA at a Glance
USA: Visa Categories for Expats
There are different types of visa and resident permits for the USA.
Executives and Manager (L1A / B)
People applying for this visa must have worked for their employer for one continuous year within the three years preceding the transferral. The term “specialized knowledge” implies more than just “skilled” or “familiar with the employer´s interests”.
Employees can initially be transferred for one year in order to set up an office in the US or for three years in order to work in an already established office.
Expats with Special Abilities (O1)
This visa is intended for those who have reached national or international acclaim, recognition or distinction. This applies especially to the fields of science, education, business, sports, arts, motion pictures or the television industry. The O1 visa is designed for expats who want to work in the US for a maximum period of three years.
Treaty Traders (and Employees) (E 1)
Applicants need to be nationals of a country with which the United States maintains a treaty of commerce and navigation and must carry on principal and substantial trade with the US.
This visa is very popular with companies and independent businesses, as there is no limit to the number of extensions granted after the initial period of two years has passed.
No proof of residence in a country outside the US is required, and family members of the applicant are allowed to work in the United States without applying for a separate visa. A list of treaty countries can be found here.
Other Visa Categories
The probably best known immigrant visa is the much sought-after Green Card, or, as it is officially called, the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. For more information on this, please check the relevant website, which is provided by the Bureau of Consular Affairs.
There are five preference categories for employment-based immigration, EB 1-5. Your prospective US employer will have to prove that there are insufficient qualified US workers available to fill a particular position. Your employers also have to prove that, by hiring a foreign employee, they will not jeopardize the wages and working conditions of US workers in similar positions.
Foreign investors (EB 5), multinational executives or managers as well as outstanding professors, researchers, or people with notable achievements in a certain field (EB 1) are exempt from this rule.
Temporary Visitors
Temporary visitors for business must apply for a B 1 visa in order to conduct activities of a commercial or professional nature in the United States for a period of up to six months. Nationals of a country participating in the Visa Waiver Program are exempt from this. A list of these countries and more information on the VWP can be found on the relevant Travel.State.Gov website.
The Electronic System for Travel Authorization requires everyone to register prior to their arrival in the US, which can be done on the ESTA homepage via the Department of Homeland Security. In order to qualify for entry under the VWP, every traveler (including children) must present a valid, machine-readable passport, or, for nationals of some countries, an electronic passport.
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