US Work Visa for Indians

US Work Visa from India

A USA work visa for Indians is issued by the Consular Department of the Embassy or Consulates of the United States of America. This visa only provides temporary stay to its holder in the US and thus, is a type of non-immigrant US visa.

Indian citizens must have a valid work visa USA to be able to work lawfully in the United States of America. Besides, they are also advised to get their travel insured with USA travel insurance so that they can effectively tackle any exigencies faced during the journey.

Work Visa USA Fees

All applicants for a work visa USA are required to pay a Machine Readable Visa (MRV) application fee to complete their visa application procedure. Only after they pay their MRV application fee will they be able to schedule an appointment with the Visa Application Centre (VAC) and the US Embassy/ Consulate.

Applicants of the Exchange Visitor Program may also be required to pay an additional fee known as the SEVIS fee or the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System.

The MRV application fee can be paid both online and offline. Online MRV fee payment can be made through NEFT and IMPS. On the other hand, offline payment of the MRV application fee can be made via cash at a nearby branch of Citibank and AXIS Bank.

Types of US Work Visa for Indians

The United States has one of the most developed economies in the world. As a result, people from all over the world travel to the US to take up employment. To differentiate the foreigners as per the type of work they will be doing in the United States, the country broadly offers three types of US work visa for Indians:

• Temporary Employment Visa
• Exchange Visitor Visa
• Media Visa

All these types of work visas offered by the United States have been covered in this guide.

Temporary Employment Visa

A Temporary Employment visa can be applied for by people who will be working in the United States for a temporary or fixed period of time. The employers of the applicants under this category need to first file a petition with the USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services). Only after the petition is approved, the applicant can apply for this visa.

This type of USA work visa for Indians is divided into the following categories. They are:

1. H-1B US Visa

   This type of visa is for people who want to work in a specialised occupation in the US with highly specialised knowledge and skills. Applicants of the H-1B visa need a higher degree of education or equivalent. It includes people involved in inter-government research & development, fashion models of high ability & merit and co-production projects controlled by the US Department of Défense.

2. H-2A Visa

   This visa can be applied for by people who will plan to take up seasonal or temporary agricultural work in the US. H-2A visa is issued only to citizens of certain countries only as per the interest of the United States.

3. H-2B Visa

   This visa category is designed for foreign nationals who will be involved in seasonal or temporary work in the US that is not in the agricultural sector.

4. H-3 Visa

   The H-3 visa is meant for people who want to travel to the United States to get specialised training, which is not available in India. It cannot be applied by people who wish to obtain academic or graduate medical training in the US.

   Moreover, this type of work visa USA can also be applied for by people who will be a part of the practical training program involved in imparting education to children with physical, emotional or mental disabilities.

5. L Visa

   This type of USW work visa is for intracompany transferees to the United States. It can be applied by people who would be working at the US branch/ affiliate/ subsidiary or parent of their current employer for a position that requires specialised knowledge. An L visa can only be applied for if the applicant has been working with the same employer for at least one year continuously in the last three years.

6. O Visa

   The O visa is for foreign nationals with extraordinary ability or achievements in the field of education, arts, science, athletics or business, and want to work in the US under their area of expertise. It can also be applied by people who have been recognised for extraordinary achievements in films or television through sustained national & overseas acclaim. People who provide essential services to such recognised individuals can also apply for this type of USA work visa for Indians.

7. P-1 Visa

   This visa can be applied for by a non-American athlete or member of an entertainment group who wants to perform at a specific athletic event/ competition held in the US. Applicants for this visa should be recognised internationally for their sustained performance. Moreover, people providing support services to such individuals can also apply for this US Work visa.

8. P-2 Visa

   This type of visa can be applied for by foreign artists or entertainment groups who need to perform as part of a reciprocal exchange program between a US-based organisation and an organisation from another country. The support staff providing essential services to such artists can also apply for this work visa offered by the USA.

9. P-3 Visa

   This visa has been designed for foreign artists or entertainment groups who will be performing or teaching in the United States under a program, i.e. traditionally or culturally, ethnic or involving musical, artistic or theatrical performances. Essential services staff of the artists can also apply for this visa.

10. Q-1 Visa

    The Q-1 US visa is for those participating in an international cultural exchange program held in the United States to receive practical training, work, or to share Indian culture, history and traditions.

Exchange Visitor Visa (J Visa)

An Exchange Visitor visa is meant for foreign nationals who have been qualified to participate in exchange visitor programs to be held in the United States of America. Applicants for this US visa must first get accepted under an exchange visitor program through a designated US-based sponsoring organisation.

After receiving acceptance, they have to get registered with the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Some of the categories under exchange visitors include:

• Camp counsellors
• Interns
• Government visitors
• Physicians
• Short-term scholars
• Students
• International visitors
• Teachers
• Professor & research scholars
• Summer work travels
• Trainees
• Au pair and EduCare
• Specialists
• Secondary School Students
• College/ University Students

No matter what your purpose for visiting America, don't forget to secure your stay with a comprehensive travel insurance policy. It will offer financial compensation in case of several emergencies like medical care, legal liability, passport loss, compassionate visit and more.

Media Visa (I - Visa)

The Media visa for the US is available for non-American citizens who are members of the foreign media and want to temporarily engage in informational & educational media activities in the US that are essential for the functioning of the foreign media. This may include media persons from the press, film, radio, print industries, etc.

Applicants should be planning to engage in media activities that involve news gathering and reporting of current events. Moreover, the foreign media with which the applicant is employed should have its home office outside the United States of America.

US Work Visa for Indians Validity

The United States offers a wide variety of work visas that come with different validities. Take a look at the table given below to know about the validity of various USA work visas for Indians:

* Please note that the validity of US visa categories cannot be more than the number of months mentioned in the table or the validity of the approved petition, whichever is less.

How to Apply for US Work Visa for Indians?

Indian citizens who want to work in the United States of America can apply for a work visa USA online. The following are the steps involved in applying for a USA work visa for Indians online.

Apply for a USA Work Visa for Indians Online

• Visit the official website of the US Department of CEAC
• Select 'DS-160, Online Non-immigrant visa application' under the non-immigrant category
• Choose your location in India from where you'll be applying for the visa, and enter the code shown on the screen
• Go to the 'Start an application' option to begin your application procedure
• Make a note of your Application ID and create a security question for your application
• Enter all the required details in your visa application form
• Submit the filled-in form
• Make payment for your MRV fee (US visa fee)
• Once the DS-160 form confirmation page appears, print it out
• Visit the official website of 'US Visa Information Services in India'
• Create your profile and schedule your appointment with the nearest US Visa Application Centre (VAC) as per your US Embassy or Consulate.
• Choose a location to pick up your passport after you've been granted the work visa USA
• Visit the VAC as per your appointment and give your biometric details, such as a photograph and fingerprints, to the officials
• Attend your US work visa interview along with all the supporting documents
• People with successful interviews will get their work visa
• Pick up your passport from the designated pick-up location after the visa has been granted

Applicants above the age of 80 years of age are not required to attend a visa interview to get their US work visa for Indians. Make sure to fix your VAC appointment at least a day before your visa interview at the US Embassy/ Consulate. You can also fix the VAC appointments by calling their call centre numbers.

Please remember that US work visa applicants should complete their visa application form within 30 days, as they won't be able to retrieve their saved application thereafter.

US Work Visa for Indians: Documents Required

All work visa USA applicant must provide the required documents at the time of their US work visa interview. These are the list of documents that you need to carry as per the US work visa for Indians

Temporary Employment Visa

• An Indian passport with at least six months more validity than the applicant's stay in the United States
• Confirmation page of the DS-160 form
• Payment receipt of the MRV application fee
• Receipt number of the approved petition from the USCIS
• Proof of applicant's ties with India, such as address proof in India, family relationships, etc.
• Evidence showcasing the applicant's financial situation

Exchange Visitor Visa (J Visa)

• An Indian passport with at least six months more validity than the applicant's stay in the United States
• Confirmation page of the DS-160 form
• Payment receipt of the MRV application fee
• SEVIS-generated DS-2019 form or the Certificate of eligibility for the status of an exchange visitor
• DS-7002 form showcasing the internship/ training plans of the applicant (for J-1 applicants under the intern and trainee categories)
• Document to support the applicant's purpose of travelling to the US, such as proof of employment and family relationship
• Evidence showing the applicant's financial ability to pay for the travel (if not sponsored)

Media Visa (I visa)

• Indian passport with at least six months more validity than the applicant's stay in the United States
• Confirmation page of the DS-160 form
• Payment receipt of the MRV application fee
• Employment contract with a media organisation in India
• Credentials issued by a designated professional journalistic association to the applicant, who is working with an independent production company

How to Track the Status of USA Work Visa for Indians?

The US Embassy & Consulates need time to process your US work visa applications. During this time, you can keep track of the progress of their visa application and get to know about any delays and other updates. To check the status of your USA work visa for Indians, follow the steps given below:

• Visit the official website of the Consular Electronic Application Centre of the United States
• Go to the non-immigrant category
• Select the 'Check my visa application status' option
• Choose the location where you've applied in India
• Enter your Case Number or the Application ID
• Fill in the code shown on the screen and click on 'submit'
• You will be able to view the current status of your visa application