In this era of international interconnectivity, the idea of migrating to a new country in search of a better life is getting more and more popular. The United States, with its concept of the American Dream, is one of the most popular destinations for immigrants around the world.

But the US just doesn’t take anyone who wants to get in. If you want to immigrate to the US, you will need to hold a valid immigrant visa. There are various types of US visas, which depend on the purpose of your entry. You cannot immigrate to the US with a tourist visa: in fact, you will be required to prove that you will not immigrate when you apply for a tourist visa.

Now that we know that an immigrant visa is required, here are the top ways to immigrate to the US, based on the types of immigrant visas.

Family-based

If you have an immediate relative or a more distant family member who is a US citizen or permanent resident, you may be able to get an immigrant visa.

If an immediate relative is a US citizen or permanent resident

If your spouse is a US citizen or permanent resident, they may sponsor you for an immigrant visa. After entrance to the US, they will also be able to sponsor you for a green card.

US citizens can also sponsor their children and parents. While US permanent residents, besides sponsoring their spouses, may sponsor their unmarried children.

There is no quota for immigrant visas issued for immediate relatives.

Family reference sponsorship

US citizens and permanent residents may also sponsor relatives with more distant family relationships. However, there is a certain set quota for this visa every fiscal year.

Diversity visa

If you hail from a country with low immigration rates to the USA and fulfill certain requirements, you may also be eligible for a diversity visa. The diversity visa does not only work on a quota but is also based on a lottery.

A common complaint about the current lottery system is that it doesn’t tell you whether you applied properly. If you did not win the lottery, there are two possibilities: either your application was rejected and did not enter the lottery in the first place, or it did enter the lottery and your entry genuinely was not selected.

Therefore, it is vital to make sure that you apply correctly to maximize your chances. A common problem with diversity visa lottery applications is the application photo, which has specific requirements, yet the lottery program doesn’t check well.

Employment

The basic premise of the immigrant visas in the employment category is that the United States is looking for skilled workers to enrich their economy. Therefore, the visas in this category depend on the needs of their economy.

There are five tiers of preference for employment-based immigration.

E1: Priority Worker and Persons of Extraordinary Ability

To be eligible for this type of visa, you must fall into one of three subgroups: 

• Persons with extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or sports;
• Extraordinary professors, researchers, academics, who are experienced for at least three years and hold international recognition;
• Multinational managers or executives employed by a US business abroad.

E2: Professionals Holding Advanced Degrees and Persons of Exceptional Ability

Applicants of this category must not only show exceptional knowledge and ability, but they must generally also hold labor certification from the US Department of Labor. This visa is especially popular, as it makes up 28.6% of the US employment-based immigrant visa quota. It also takes up unused quota from the E1 program.

You must also fall into at least one of these subgroups: 

• Professionals holding a degree beyond the baccalaureate, or holding a baccalaureate degree and at least five years of experience in the field;
• Persons with higher than average ability in the sciences, arts, or business.

E3: Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Unskilled Workers (Other Workers)

The workers in this third tier of preference may have lower qualifications than the higher categories of preference, but a certificate from the US Department of Labor is also required for such workers. It takes up 28.6% of the quota of US employment-based immigrant visas issued worldwide, as well as unused quotas from the higher preferences.

While the jobs may be similar to the jobs eligible for temporary workers’ visas, do not mix up the eligible jobs for this visa with that category, as the E3 visa only looks for non-temporary and non-seasonal workers.

These are the subgroups of this category:

• Skilled workers, whose jobs need at least two years of training or work experience;
• Professionals with at least a baccalaureate degree;
• Unskilled workers, with jobs that require less than two years of training.

E4: Certain Special Immigrants

This category of employment-based immigrant visa is not necessarily based on skills, but the field or kind of work the applicants have. Workers who have cooperated with the US government in the past, such as in Iraq and Afghanistan, certain international organizations, or at the Panama Canal Company or Zone may apply to immigrate with this visa.

Besides such workers, certain religious workers and ministers may be eligible to apply, as well as certain family members of certain workers who have cooperated with the US government. 

E5: Immigrant Investors

This visa category is available for foreign nationals who have invested in the US economy and contributed to job creation in the country.