Unless excepted, foreign nationals must obtain a visa from a U.S. consulate abroad before entering the United Stastes. The most important duties of a consulate include establishing and renewing passports and other official documents, including visas. Every U.S. consulate is a part of the U.S. Department of State, and each plays a key function in the administration of nonimmigrant visas.
Significant variations exist in the overall nonimmigrant visa application process depending on the visa classification requested. For example, before you can apply for an H-1B or O-1A visa at a U.S. consulate abroad, you must prepare and file Form I-129 and supporting documentation with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Each type of nonimmigrant visa classification – F-1, H-1B, L-1A, O-1, and E-2 – requires documentation evidencing you qualify for that specific visa type. Each visa type has specific criteria and/or standards that must be satisfied. You may proceed with nonimmigrant consular processing only after the USCIS approves your Form I-129 Nonimmigrant Petition for Alien Worker that
With your approved Form I-129, our attorneys will guide you through nonimmigrant visa consular processing. We will advise on documents – original or otherwise – that you must collect, specific to the visa classification requested. We will submit Form DS-160, Nonimmigrant Visa Application, on your behalf. Once submitted, our attorneys will immediately schedule the earliest available consular interview appointment for you. We will also engage in a one-on-one meeting with you to discuss the overall interview process and documents that you needed for your appointment. You will be fully prepared on the date of your interview.
Each dependent family member – spouse and/or children – who will enter the U.S. with you must receive separate visa approval. If your family is processing together, our attorneys will submit all your applications at the same time.
