The San Antonio TX visa lawyers at The Lozano Law Firm have experience with all types of visas and understand the immigration laws fully. Our visa attorneys can answer all of your immigration questions and help resolve visa issues. Call 210-932-3600 to speak with a San Antonio visa lawyer. To follow, you will find more information about the different types of visas.
Learn about the different types of Visas
Non-Immigrant Visas
International visitors add greatly to our nation’s cultural, education and economic life. We continue the proud tradition of welcoming visitors to the United States, with secure borders and open doors. Most Canadian citizens and many citizens from Visa Waiver Program countries can come to the U.S. without a visa if they meet certain requirements. Visa waiver travelers from ALL 27 Visa Waiver Program countries must present a machine-readable passport at the U.S. port of entry to enter the U.S. without a visa, otherwise a U.S. visa is required. Other foreign citizens will need a nonimmigrant visa. Nonimmigrant visas are for international travelers, (citizens of other countries), coming to the U.S. temporarily. This visa allows you to travel to a U.S. port-of-entry (airport, for example) and request permission of the Department of Homeland Security immigration inspector to enter the U.S. A visa does not guarantee entry into the United States. International travelers come to the U.S. for a wide variety of reasons, including tourism, business, medical treatment and certain types of temporary work. The type of visa needed is defined by immigration law, and relates to the principal purpose of your travel. For an overview of the types of non-immigrant visas available under immigration law, please see Non-immigrant Visa Classifications on the USCIS website. If you desire specific information about an appropriate visa, please contact us by filing the form located to your right. Advance planning can smooth the visa application process for you.
- B-1 Temporary visitor for Business
- B-2 Temporary visitor for Pleasure (tourist visa)
- E-1 Treaty Trader, spouse and children
- E-2 Treaty Investor, spouse and children
- F-1 Student Visa
- H-1B Work Visas for Specialty Occupations (including fashion models)
- J-1 Visas for exchange visitors
- K-1 Fiancée and Fiancé Immigration Visa
- O-1 Extraordinary ability in Sciences, Arts, Education, Business, or Athletics
- P-1 Individual or team athletes
- R-1 Religious workers
- TN Trade visas for Citizens of Canada and Mexico
If approved, non-immigrant visas are issued to those aspiring to enter the U.S. on a temporary basis. Achieved through education, travel, or pleasure, this visa is dependent on the recipients full understanding and acknowledgment that they do not intend to stay permanently. Proof must be shown of your permanent ties to your native country, as this is a temporary visa. Note: Citizens for certain countries do not need an immigration visa at all. This program is called Visa Waiver. It enables foreign nationals, mostly from developed countries, to visit the United States for up to 90-day visa-free.
Immigrant Visas
Immigrating to the United States to live here permanently is an important, and complex decision. This section provides information to help foreign citizens desiring to permanently immigrate to determine the visas, requirements, and related materials they will need to apply to immigrate to the United States. In general, to apply for an immigrant visa, a foreign citizen must be sponsored by a U.S. citizen relative(s), U.S. lawful permanent resident, or by a prospective employer, and be the beneficiary of an approved petition. Therefore, a first step is filing a petition.
Petitions Required to be Filed in the U.S. - American citizens and lawful permanent resident sponsors residing in the United States file I-130 petitions at the USCIS Service Center having jurisdiction over their place of U.S. residence.
Filing Petitions Abroad - Petitions, Form I-130, which can be filed abroad are limited. Petitions for immediate relative immigrant classifications can be filed abroad by American citizen petitioners who have been authorized to be continuously resident in their consular districts for at least the preceding six months, including members of the U.S. armed forces, emergency cases involving life and death or health and safety, and others determined to be in the national interest. Petitions are filed with USCIS abroad or at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate (when there is no USCIS presence).
- Immediate Relatives Immigration Visa
- Special Immigrants
- Family-sponsored Immigration Visa
- Employer-sponsored Immigration Visa
- Marriage to a Foreign National
- Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, commonly know as the Green Card Lottery
- Employment Immigrant Visas
