Expert Visa Support and Guidance for the USA
At John Mason International, we have over 150 years of experience in international relocation services and our team of immigration experts can provide specialist visa support for the USA.
Our comprehensive immigration services include:
- Visa and immigration consultation: we offer visa application advice, pre-screening, tracking and renewal, and cancellation services.
- Consular services: we can help you collect the relevant visa documentation, assist with your application, and provide visa insurance and delivery services.
- Employment services: we can give permit application advice and visa application support.
We have a team of customs and documentation specialists who are on hand to help you choose the right visa for you and guide you through the relocation process from start to finish. They are committed to ensuring you have everything you need to make your move to the USA seamless and stress-free.
Why Choose John Mason International for USA Visa Support?
As trusted relocation specialists, we help over 10,000 people move to locations across the world every year. Our extensive experience in international relocations means we understand that moving to a new country can be a daunting and confusing prospect. We want to make the moving process simple.
Our team of immigration experts are committed to helping you navigate the US visa application process. With specialist knowledge of US immigration law, our experts can help you understand:
- The US visa route that is best suited to you.
- The relevant travel requirements you need to meet.
- The documents needed for your application to be successful.
Let us take the work away from you and help make your move to the United States simple. Contact us today to find out how we can support you through the US visa application process.
What are the Different USA Visa Pathways?
If you are a non-US citizen wanting to visit or relocate to the USA, you will need to apply for a valid visa. Types of US visas include:
- Family Visas
- Employment Visas
- Visitor Visas
US Family Visas
If you would like to join family members in the United States who are US citizens or US Lawful Permanent Residents, you might be eligible to apply for a family visa. There are two types of US family-based immigration visas:
- Immediate Relative Visa: allows you to join a close family member, like a partner, child, or parent, if they are a US citizen.
- Family Preference Visa: allows you to join a more distant family member if they are a US citizen or some specific relationships with a US Lawful Permanent Resident.
There is not a limit to the number of Immediate Relative Visas that can be granted each fiscal year, but there is a limit to the number of Family Preference Visas.
US citizens can file an immigrant visa petition for their:
- Spouse
- Child
- Parent
- Sibling
US Lawful Permanent Residents can only file an immigration visa petition for their:
- Spouse
- Unmarried child
The exact requirements you will need to meet for an application to be successful will depend on your familial relationship and the type of family visa you are applying for.
US Employment Visas
Approximately 140,000 US employment-based immigrant visas are made available for eligible applicants every fiscal year. They are divided into five preference categories:
- Employment First Preference (E1): Priority Worker and Persons of Extraordinary Ability
- Employment Second Preference (E2): Professionals Holding Advanced Degrees and Persons of Exceptional Ability
- Employment Third Preference (E3): Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Unskilled Workers (Other Workers)
- Employment Fourth Preference (E4): Certain Special Immigrants
- Employment Fifth Preference (E5): Immigrant Investors
The requirements you need to meet will depend on the type of employment visa you are applying for. However, the general documents you will need are:
- Valid passport(s)
- Form DS-260
- Two 2×2 photographs
- Civil documents
- Financial support documents
- Medical examination forms
In most cases, family members of the main applicant such as partners and unmarried children, can apply for a visa too.
US Visitor Visas
You might need to obtain a US visitor visa if you would like to visit the USA temporarily for business reasons, tourism, or both. The B-1 visa permits visits for business reasons, while the B-2 visa permits visits for tourism.
If you are in the US on a visitor visa, there are certain activities you are not permitted to carry out. This includes:
- Studying
- Employment
- Paid performances
- Arrival as a crewmember on a ship or aircraft
- Working as foreign press in radio, film, print journalism, or other media
- Applying for permanent residence in the US
Examples of the documents you might need to provide with your visitor visa application are:
- A valid passport
- Form DS-160
- Application fee payment receipt
- Photo
- Evidence of the purpose of your trip
- Evidence of your intent to depart the US after your trip
- Evidence of your ability to pay the costs of the trip
Our Other Relocation Services to the USA
There’s a lot to consider when moving to the United States, from practicalities like finding a new home, deciding what to take with you, and transporting your belongings, to the emotional aspect of leaving your friends, family, and lifestyle behind.
Our bespoke end-to-end relocation services to the USA can help simplify the process for you:
- International removals to the USA
- Packing services
- Pet relocation to the USA
- International removals insurance
- Currency exchange
- Storage
Get in touch today for a bespoke package tailored to your personal requirements.
Helpful Guides and Resources
Explore our range of USA resources for everything you need to know about relocating to the USA and applying for a US visa:
- Different types of US visas
- Top tips for moving to the USA
- Cultural difference between the USA and the UK
- What you can and can’t take with you to the USA
Get In Touch With John Mason International for USA Visa Support
At John Mason International, our team of immigration specialists are on hand to guide you through the complexities of applying for a US visa. From consulting with you about the best visa option to suit your needs to assisting you with document collection and completion of the application form, we can help.
If you are looking for that extra bit of support with your US visa to give you peace of mind, contact us online or call 0800 093 2623 to discuss how we can best assist you.
UK to USA Visa Support FAQs
Depending on the purpose of your travel to the USA, you might need to obtain a valid visa before entering the country.
If you are a British citizen, you can enter the United States and stay for 90 days without a visa. Although you don’t need a visa, you will need to apply for travel authorisation through the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA).
If you intend to visit the USA for more than 90 days, you will need to apply for a visa. Visa types include visitor visas, family visas, and employment visas.
There are different fees associated with the different types of US visa applications:
- Immediate Relative and Family Preference applicants: $325
- Employment Preference applicants: $345
- Visitor visa applicants: $185
- Special immigrants: $205
- Diversity immigrants: $330
- Returning Resident Status applicants: $180
- K visa applicants: $265
Application fees are non-refundable and non-transferable, so you will not get the fee back if your application is unsuccessful.
A letter of support is a letter written by an individual’s friends, family, or employer to vouch for the character and relationship of the applicant.
The letter should include information about who the author is, their relationship to the applicant, the length of their relationship, personal stories about the applicant, and why they believe the applicant should be granted a visa.
While support letters aren’t always a requirement, they can be a helpful optional extra that highlights why the applicant can be trusted with a visa.
All visa applicants for the US have to complete a medical examination performed by an Embassy-approved physician in London regardless of their age. The medical examination will include a review of your medical history, physical examination, chest x-ray and blood tests for syphilis.
When you attend your medical examination, you will need to provide the following documents:
- Photo ID
- 4 photographs that meet the requirements set by the Department of State
- A UK police certificate issued within the past 24 months, if you are over 16 years of age
- Vaccination records
- A completed medical questionnaire
