Indians need a visa to work or travel in the United States. The US has two major visa categories: Immigrant and Non-Immigrant. Non-Immigrant visas are issued to those who want to work in the US temporarily. This section describes the various non-immigrant visas and the procedure to obtain them. Immigrant visas are not dealt with here.

VISA TYPES

Temporary workers to the US require non-immigrant visas. These are classified into the following types:
H VISAS

H-1B Visas apply to persons in a specialty occupation that requires the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge requiring completion of a specific course of higher education.

H-2A Visas apply to temporary or seasonal agricultural workers.

H-2B visas apply to temporary or seasonal agricultural workers

H-3 Visas are for trainees other than those in the medical or academic fields. This classification also applies to practical training in the education of handicapped children.

H-4 Visas are awarded to persons who are dependants of H Visa holders.

L VISA
The L visa is issued to intra-company transfers who, within the three preceding years, have been employed abroad continuously for one year, and who will be employed by a branch, parent, affiliate, or subsidiary of that same employer in the U.S. in a managerial, executive, or specialized knowledge capacity.

O VISA

• O-1 Visas apply to persons who have extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, or extraordinary achievements in the motion picture and television field.
• O-2 Visas are for persons accompanying the O-1 Visa Holder.

For Further information refer to the following:

Official sites:

• US State Department
• US Embassy-New Delhi
• US Consulate-Mumbai

Unofficial sites:

• USVisaNews.com
• Murthy.com

VISA PROCESS

The following sections provide an overview of the visa process:

REQUIREMENTS
Your employer files for your visa with the authorities in the US. You need to submit the following documents:

• Original, recent resume (in printed form) signed by you.
• All certificates and marksheets starting from Std. X to your most recent qualification, including those of Diploma/Certificate courses (copy of transcript, if necessary). If any Certificate or marksheet is in a language other than English, please send the translated copy of it along with the copy of the original.
• Experience Certificates from the Current Employer, which may be any TWO of the following:
  • Appointment Letter,
  • Appraisal/Promotion letter,
  • ID Card,
  • Payslip of last two months,
  • Certificate from the employer/reporting officer, along with their Original visiting card (Reference letters).
  • Form 16-A (IT deductions) given by the employer
  • Any other document confirming your work experience
  • Appointment letter/Relieving Letter/Promotion Letter from the previous Employers.
• Signed Offer Letter
• Passport photocopies (all entry pages). In case of prior stay in USA on H1 approval, copy of the respective H1 Approval Notice (Blue Form) and the Social Security Number along with the period of stay.

For further information on consulate requirements click here: US Consulate-Chennai

VISITING THE CONSULATE
For security reasons, all electronic equipment, including phones and calendars, are not allowed in the Consulate. Cigarettes, lighters, and briefcases are also not permitted. Carry all your documents in a plastic bag.

APPLICATION FORMS
You need to fill in a form at the consulate when you go there to get the visa stamped on your passport. This form is available at the consulate, or download it here: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/79964.pdf

APPROVAL PROCESS
It takes About U.S.A two to three months for the INS to approve the visa application. Once the visa has been approved, your employer will mail you the visa application and the LCA. You will now have to go to the US consulate nearest to your residence and get your passport stamped.

APPLICATION FEES
The visa application fee is $45 and is non-refundable. You need to pay the fees in Indian Rupees. Due to exchange rate fluctuations, the rupee amount may vary from time to time so check the rupee amount here: https://www.vfs-usa.co.in/ApplnForms/FeeDetails.aspx before you go to the consulate. However, the consulates allow a week's "grace period" to the applicants during which they are asked to make up the difference in exact change.

All fees must be paid by demand draft drawn on any nationalized bank payable to:

• New Delhi: American Embassy, New Delhi
• Mumbai: American Consulate General, Mumbai
• Calcutta: American Consulate General, Calcutta
• Chennai: American Consulate General, Chennai

VISA FEES
Once your application is accepted, the consular office will ask you to pay the Visa Fees. Visa Fees vary depending on the duration of the visa.

• For upto 6 months: $25
• For upto 12 months: $50
• For 12 months or more: $100

This fee must also be paid via a Demand Draft as described in the previous section.

CONSULATE ADDRESS

Lincoln House
78 Bhulabhai Desai Road
Mumbai-400026
Telephone 022 - 23633611
Email webmastermumbai@state.gov
Website http://mumbai.usconsulate.gov