USA Immigration Pathways for Indians

US Immigration Pathways for Indians The United States is one of the most popular destinations for immigrants from India due to its vast career opportunities, multicultural society, and access to world-class education and healthcare. The US has a large and advanced economy with diverse industries providing job opportunities across different skill levels. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 7.7 million job opportunities, mainly in the professional and business services industry.

In 2024, 49,700 Indians were naturalized as US citizens, making up 6.1% of all new citizens. As of December 2024, Indians are the second-largest group to obtain citizenship or Green cards in the US. Indians mostly reside in major states like California, Florida, New York, Texas, New Jersey, Illinois, Virginia, Georgia, Massachusetts, and Washington.

Also, read… U.S. needs Indian talent to fill skills gap: Nasscom

US Immigration Visas for Indians There are several types of visas for Indians to migrate to the US, including tourist, student, work, and immigrant visas. Given below is the list of various types of US visas:

US Student Visas There are three types of student visas in the US: F, J, and M. Each visa type differs and is based on the applicant’s purpose of study.

F-Visa The F-Visa is issued for international students studying at an accredited university or college in the US. Allows visa holders to do part-time, on-campus employment for 20 hours per week. There are three subtypes of F-Visa:

· F-1 Visa: Issued for full-time students

· F-2 Visa: Issued for dependents of F-1 visa holders

· F-3 Visa: Issued for Mexican and Canadian students

J-Visa The J-Visa is issued to international students and other participants in exchange programs in education, arts, and Science in the United States. The visa holders may stay in the US for one or two semesters and return to their home country. There are two sub-types of J-visas:

· J-1 Visa: Issued for students participating in the exchange programs

· J-2 Visa: Issued for dependents of J-1 visa holders

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M-Visa The M-Visa is issued for international students pursuing vocational or non-academic programs. Applicants must be accepted by a US institution certified by the Student Exchange and Visitor Program (SEVP). M-1 visa holders cannot stay in the US for more than one year except for medical reasons. There are three types of M-Visa:

· M-1 Visa: Issued for students pursuing vocational or non-academic programs

· M-2 Visa: Issued for dependents of M-1 visa holders

· M-3 Visa: Issued for Mexican and Canadian students

*Want to apply for a US student visa? Y-Axis is here to provide with all necessary support!

*Want to apply for a US student visa? Y-Axis is here to provide with all necessary support!

US Tourist Visas The US B-2 tourist visa allows foreign nationals to visit the United States for tourism purposes. A combined US B1/B2 visa allows foreign nationals to enter the US for business (B1 visa) and

tourism/medical purposes (B2 visa). B-visas are valid for up to 10 years from the date of issue. The USCIS announced in July 2024 that B1 and B2 visa holders can apply for jobs in the US.

There are two types of transit visas available in the US, C-1 visa and C-1/D visa.

· C-1 Transit : Allows foreign nationals to transit through the US to another country

· C-1/D Transit: Allows crew members of airplane or ship who need to transit the US *Want to apply for a US tourist visa? Let Y-Axis guide you through the process!

US Work Visas The United States offers different types of work visas, such as H, L, P, O, and R. The visa type depends on the job you have applied for and your qualifications. Below is a list of different work visas in the US.

H-1B Visa The H-1B visa type is issued for skilled professionals in specialty occupations. Master’s degree for higher is a minimum requirement for H-1B visa.

Also read 2026 H-1B cap will open at noon EST on March 7

H-2A Visa The H-2A visa type is issued for temporary or seasonal agricultural workers. Applicants must obtain a valid temporary labor certificate from the US Department of Labor to be eligible for the program.

H-2B Visa The H-2B visa type allows US employers to hire skilled professionals for non-agricultural jobs in the US.

Also, read… DHS to grant nearly 65,000 additional H-2B visas in FY 2025

H-3 Visa The H-3 visa type is issued for trainees other than academic and medical to work and train in the US temporarily.

L-1Visa The L-1 Visa type allows a US employer to transfer an executive or manager to the United from one of its offices outside the US. There are two types of L-visas:

· L-1A Visa: Issued for executives and managers of MNCs

· L-1B Visa: Issued for employees with specialized skills

P-Visa The P-Visa type is issued for athletes, artists, etc., to perform in the US. There are three types of P-visas:

· P-1 Visa: Temporarily issued to a member of an internationally recognized entertainment group

· P-2 Visa: Temporarily issued to an artist or performer who will perform under an exchange program between an organization in the US and an organization in another country

· P-3 Visa: Temporarily issued to an artist or performer who will perform in a culturally unique program

O-1 Visa The O-1 Visa type is issued for individuals with expertise in business, education, athletics, art etc.

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Immigrant Visas in the US The US offers several immigrant visas for permanent residence based on family, employment, and other categories. Given below is the list of permanent immigrant visas in the US:

Family based immigration visas This visa is issued to foreign nationals sponsored by an immediate relative who is a US citizen or US lawful permanent resident.

Employment based immigration visas These visas, also known as Green Cards, allows individuals to permanently stay in the US based on their employment skills. There are five types of EB visas in the US such as

· EB-1: Issued to individuals with extraordinary skills in Science, arts, athletics or business.

· EB-2: issued to individuals holding advanced degree and at least five years of professional experience

· EB-3: Issued to Skilled workers, professionals and other workers

· EB-4: Issued to certain special immigrants

· EB-5: Issued to immigrant investors

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US Immigration Requirements for Indians The requirements differ for each visa type. However, the general requirements are as follows:

· Applicant must above 18 years of age

· Applicant must meet the desired educational Qualification

· Applicant must score above 6 in the language proficiency test, IELTS or TOEFL

· Applicant must have at least one year of professional experience

· A valid employment offer if applicable

How to migrate to the USA? The step-by-step procedure for US immigration is as follows:

Step 1: Check your eligibility

Step 2: Gather necessary documents for the visa application

Step 3: Fill the visa application

Step 4: Wait for visa approval

Step 5: Upon approval, migrate to the US

*Are you looking for step-by-step assistance with US immigration? Sign up with Y-Axis, the world’s number 1 overseas immigration company, for end-to-end support at every process step. Email us at [email protected] or drop a message on our WhatsApp number 8802219999