What do you need to go to America. What is the easiest way to come to the USA on vacation from Russia? Do-it-yourself visa application
Recently, my friend and I remembered our common good friend who went to America for three weeks. Knowing that he was paid for airfare and accommodation, we began to wonder how much of his money he would end up spending on this trip. Laughing, they suggested that it would be 100-200 dollars. True, they did not guess. Later, Alexei, thoughtful, said that he spent his money only on buying a laptop. The travel allowance was enough for everything else.
So, how is it possible to live in America for 22 days for free, not as a volunteer, without touching on religious topics and without working in the standard sense of the word?
Meet Alexey Avgustinovich - a man who loves educational programs and thanks to them he gets a fantastic opportunity for many to visit various countries of the world for free and at the same time benefit and meet interesting people (For skeptics, I will add - I have not been a student for a long time).
— Alexey, tell us, what is this wonderful program that allows you to get to America for free?
- It is called Community Connection, for many years it has been organizing various cultural exchange programs and professional internships. The theme of the program, which I got (by the way, the second time) was called "Corporate Social Responsibility". And what can be especially valuable for the Slavs - knowledge of English is not necessary to participate in this and some other programs! In fact, all the 22 days that I was in America, we were taken to various organizations, banks, universities, etc., where we met with the management and watched how everything was arranged. And most of the time we lived in host families, that is, we also watched how Americans really live, what problems they have, how life works, whether they are happy, what inspires them. It was very interesting to see the American family from the inside, as far as possible. In general, everything I like is not a tourist trip to standard places, but the opportunity to see real life culture, way of life.
— Where exactly have you been?
- We traveled a lot in Vermont, and also were in Boston and New York.
— Do you know how big the competition was and what do you think helped you to pass the selection?
- As I said, I got into the program only the second time. I know people who managed to fly only from the 4th. We must be aware that writing a motivation letter, interviews, collecting documents takes a lot of time, but it seems to me worth it.
The competition is very dependent on the theme of the set. Every year, 5-6 topics are announced for which you can apply. And for some topics, many people initially want to get involved, and for some, few people, and an additional set is announced. So everyone has a chance to get in. I know that over a thousand people have already traveled to America from Belarus over the years that the program has existed.
- Did they tell you how business is done in America?
- The main idea that I got is that the business there is built on 3 main principles - these are Profit, People, Planet - that is, Profit, People, Planet. That is, first of all, you should take care of profit, then people and the planet - this is the main message. And yet - a very big emphasis is placed not just on the sale of goods, but on the constant improvement of quality, exclusivity, zest. And of course, they love to ask themselves and answer the question: “How does my business change the world?”.
— I know that you were in American schools too. Tell me what you saw, what impressed you.
- Although it was not included in the program, but the first family in which I lived worked as teachers, and they suggested that I go on a tour. I liked that there is a very open layout - some of the walls between the rooms can be removed and thus conduct classes for several classes at the same time. It is very convenient for various practical work. And in general, technically everything is very well equipped, there is also a good library. Although this school is the most ordinary, in a very small town, one might say, “rural”. Children with disabilities and children with Down syndrome study in regular classes. As teachers say, this helps other children to be more attentive, tolerant, and the people with disabilities themselves to withdraw into themselves and feel like a full member of society. It is also interesting that labor lessons for girls and boys are the same. They learn to cook and wash. And make robots. And you can't finish school if you don't dedicate a certain number of hours to volunteering.
- One of the most difficult issues in the Slavic countries is the standard of living of pensioners. How is America solving this problem?
— The system there seemed very interesting to me. If a person has worked all his life for normal work and earned a standard pension - not quite enough to live on (the pension is about $700 a month). Therefore, many companies for their employees make a separate Pension Fund. If the company does not have this, people themselves invest in one or another pension fund, often even several. That is, they themselves take care of their old age. And they retire at the age of 60 to 70 years - both men and women. About when exactly to leave work - they decide for themselves, based on their desires, finances and opportunities.
- Yes, what you said and showed - of course, is very different from our realities. But where to find $ 7,000 for such housing? ..
Okay, rhetorical question. Let's talk about food. Unfortunately, I haven't been to America yet. And I have a stereotype in my head that there are quite a lot of really fat people there and that there is a lot of standardized, tasteless food. How really?
— As far as I understand, the level of health and quality of food strongly depends on the level of education. The more educated a person is, the more he earns and the more opportunities and desire he has to take care of himself. Yes, education is expensive there, but this is a kind of entrance ticket - the more expensive the university, the more well-mannered, educated and influential people you can meet there.
In general, it was funny to realize that the people there turned out to be completely different from my stereotypical idea of Americans. It turns out that they are not fat at all, they take care of themselves, they are actively engaged in different types sports. One of the families I lived in got up every morning at 4 in the morning and went to the gym or played basketball before work. Of course, it probably depends on the state. I know that the Vermont I've been to is considered one of the "healthiest" states.
As for the taste of food - during this time that I was in America, I ate in completely different places - both in cheap eateries and in expensive restaurants. Firstly, I did not get better at all during these three weeks. Secondly, the families where I lived followed very closely proper nutrition. Thirdly, the food was very tasty. Like this!
- Can you tell me something interesting about people? How are their moods, thoughts, lifestyle?
I was impressed that people there do a lot for various volunteer communities, for local projects. Another illustrative example: a woman wanted to get into one store, because it was quite cheap there, and she specified how to get there. To which the Americans answered her, they say, we do not recommend you buy something there, since there is not much good conditions for staff.
Also, for example, we were told about one ski resort (!), which, among other things, organized a special program for people with disabilities, both mental and physical. They use a variety of devices to make people with disabilities comfortable.
- In general, if you remember everything that happened during these three weeks - what is the most vivid impression?
— Hmm, I need to think about it… I really liked New York, I liked the people I met there… But the most vivid impression was the farewell and return)). For the first time in many, many years, I even shed a tear at the airport - I was so touched by the way we all said goodbye. That feeling when you spent so much time with good people and you realize that you may never be here again. And people - if you meet again, everything will be different.
“It seems to me that every journey changes a person a little and expands the boundaries of his consciousness. What do you think?
Yes, of course it changes. I was very impressed with a society where the level of education so strongly and so directly affects your income. And I thought that in any case it is very important not to stop in your development. I have seen people who are active even at the age of 70, they have their own companies, at this age they fly to Africa and so on.
We were warned that the first trip to America could be a culture shock. But I didn't have it. The shock came when I came back)) I still can’t understand why many of our people have such a lack of politeness and culture? With different eyes I looked at the shops, streets, houses and porches. Although it's not that important people are more important in these stores and on these streets. And everyone is floundering, pushing each other with their elbows... Although, as one American rightly said: "It's hard to think about volunteer projects and social responsibility when you have nothing to eat."
Of course, this trip was free for me, but money was paid for me, my ticket, accommodation - all this was sponsored by different companies. And in such trips, it is important to remember that experience, everything seen and heard should not be wasted, everything needs to be applied, try to transfer experience to our realities and - who knows - maybe the world will become a little better?
And on his personal page, Alexey painted
- Prepare for failure
My first two phone interviews were a complete fiasco. The connection was lost, I did not hear some words, and those that I heard I could not understand. I was asked simple questions “tell us about your experience” or “tell me why you want to work with us”, and I was terribly nervous, forgot words and confused times. - Prepare answers to common questions
After several interviews, it becomes clear which questions are repeated, so it is better to prepare answers in advance. My third interview was also a failure, but to a lesser extent: given the experience of the first two, I went outside to avoid communication problems, and after the interview I wrote down all the questions that were asked to me.
Health and medicine
I have not yet consulted doctors in America, but everyone has heard about expensive American medicine. It is not as demonic as it is commonly believed - for example, in New York you can get free health insurance if you have no income. It is given even to illegal immigrants. However, not all cities are as generous as New York, so health issues should be addressed back home. In preparation for the move, I had laser vision correction and went to the dentist for a year. And just before leaving, I went again, because the services of a dentist in the States are cosmically high. Take a home first aid kit - in America, all prescription drugs, and again, more expensive.
Car driving
With the exception of New York, and with some stretch also Chicago and San Francisco, public transport in the US is poorly developed. Formally, it exists, but there are few routes and rarely goes, so almost everyone drives cars.
If you know how and are ready to drive - great news: getting a license is easy, vehicle registration is fast, roads (especially highways) are in good condition, the choice of cars is huge; in general, the automotive infrastructure is developed.
If you do not know how to drive a car, but are ready to start, study back at home. At the same time, it is not even necessary to obtain rights, the main thing is to find an instructor. In Russia, it is easy to learn and hard to pass, but in America it is exactly the opposite - private instructors are not everywhere, and training in a driving school requires money and time.
Immigration to the United States has long been a dream of various generations living in the CIS countries. A high standard of living, developed entrepreneurship, excellent business conditions make the country an ideal place to achieve your goals. A successful country attracts many people, but not everyone decides to move here for permanent residence. However, there are quite a few real ways move to America and stay here for a long time.
The state is spread out on the continent of North America in the Western Hemisphere and is made up of 50 states: 48 of them border on each other, and two more stand apart - this is the island of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean and the giant peninsula of Alaska.
On a large territory of the state you can find a climate for every taste. In the main part of the country, a temperate continental climate is preserved, in the east - high humidity, in the west - dry air. Alaska has an arctic climate, while Hawaii has a tropical climate. Often, residents are threatened by hurricanes, the southern states are most affected by them.
About 270 million people live in the USA, 80% of the population are Americans of European descent, the least of all here are American Jews (about 2%). The average income of the population after taxes reaches $42,000 a year, and the difference between the rich and the poor is immediately evident. Thus, citizens at the highest rung of the economic ladder receive 8 times more than those at the bottom.
Local cuisine - a real mix of national cuisines different countries peace. India, Mexico, European countries are mixed here. And each state has its own favorite dish. So, in Florida they love lime pies, in Alaska they love venison steaks, and in Connecticut they love pizza with white clams.
Emigration to the USA: where to start
Planning a move for a Russian person or a citizen of any CIS country begins with determining the method that will become the basis for obtaining permanent residence. There are a great many of them, the most popular will be discussed below.
However, the choice of a migration method is preceded by a few more rather important things. This:
- Gathering information about the country and methods to get there. It will take several weeks to find all necessary information, systematize it and decide on a suitable migration method;
- Planning life from scratch. We are moving from theory to practice: we need to finish all our business in Russia and find a “refuge” in America. For example, educational institution, which will help to obtain a study visa, or an employer who will bear part of the costs, send an invitation to the migrant and help to move. It is best to make friends in America who will initially support you in settling in a new country;
- Collecting money and learning English. To move, you will need a rather large amount (for paperwork, rent, medical examination), so it is better to start saving in advance. Moreover, excellent knowledge of the language is required. If English has already been learned, investing in its improvement will never be superfluous.
Methods of migration to America
In 2019, there are 2 legal ways to emigrate to America from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. This is direct and indirect migration.
Their details are shown in the table below.
| Type of migration | Description | Ways to enter the country |
| Direct immigration | It is necessary to obtain an immigrant visa, which is issued only at the US Embassy after an interview with the consul. An immigrant visa is the initial step on the path to US citizenship, so obtaining it is extremely difficult. |
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| Indirect immigration | Possible after obtaining a non-immigrant visa at any regional consulate. Thus, in Russia there are American consulates in St. Petersburg, Vladivostok and Yekaterinburg. A more feasible migration path for ordinary citizen but also the longest. |
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Each method has its own characteristics and principles of implementation. However, any program provides for a phased development of events:
- First, the applicant receives a visa and lives on it for a while;
- Then he submits documents for obtaining permanent residence or a green card (residence permit);
- After 5 years of living in the United States for permanent residence, a foreigner can apply for citizenship if he wants.
Employment
In America, the rights of local residents to employment are carefully protected, so it is extremely difficult for a foreigner to get a good job. An invitation from a future leader will not be enough to issue work visa: permission required Federal Service employment, after which a visa application is submitted to the Citizenship and Immigration Services.
It is easiest to obtain a work permit for a foreigner if:
- He is distinguished by outstanding abilities that may be useful to the US government;
- The position in which the migrant is employed is not suitable for any able-bodied US citizen;
- Hiring a migrant to work will not infringe on the rights of local workers (for example, due to the employment of a foreigner, the wages of workers in the company of Americans will not decrease).
A citizen, living in Russia, collects all the documents with the help of a potential employer and applies for an immigrant visa. You can start working and moving to the United States when a work immigrant visa number is assigned.
Point system for issuing visas
In 2017, America introduced a point system for issuing work visas. It lies in the fact that the applicant for employment is awarded points if he succeeded in any category.
For example:
- A candidate under the age of 21 is awarded 6 points, 22-25 years old - 8 points, 26-30 years old - 10 points, for older people the number of points gradually decreases;
- For high school diploma - +1 point, bachelor's degree - 5 points, master's degree - 7 points;
- English proficiency test, passed by 100% - 12 points, by 60% - 6 points.
Points are also awarded for the presence of the Nobel Prize and other achievements in science. To apply for a visa, you must score at least 30 points.
Business immigration
The term "business immigration" in the United States means obtaining a work visa, which makes it possible to work for yourself, do your own business or buy a ready-made business. The permit is valid for 1 year, after which it is renewed for another 3 years. If the enterprise begins to develop actively, a citizen has the right to apply for a Green Card.
A full-fledged move to America on business immigration will cost the migrant $25,000 - $40,000. This amount must be in a bank account, which is confirmed by a financial certificate. Money can be used for any needs of the company. Business migration is called the easiest and most popular way to legally leave for the United States and stay there.
Immigration through the purchase of real estate
It is impossible to obtain a residence permit in America simply by buying residential real estate there. The owner of an apartment or house in the state is only entitled to a 30-day stay in the United States throughout the year.
However, it is possible to obtain the coveted Green Card through investment in commercial real estate.
There are 2 options:
- An investment of $500,000 in a business venture designated by the Department of Immigration. 3,000 Green Cards per year are calculated for this preferential program;
- Investment of $1,000,000 in any commercial real estate. The investor needs to independently provide from 10 vacancies for working Americans and take care of the company's profitability.
Getting an education
Typically, a student visa is issued to young people and girls under the age of 25. They first apply to the chosen university, then take the exams. If a student is enrolled in a university, he issues a visa on the basis of an invitation.
At the American consulate, it is important for a potential student to prove that:
- There are strong ties to the home country that will force the citizen to return after receiving an education;
- The student has enough money to support his life in the US and pay for his studies.
However, there are often refusals to issue a student visa. The reason for this may be:
- Failure to maintain dialogue English language or not understanding the American dialect;
- Negative migration experience of past trips while studying or working in the United States;
- Wrongly selected course or university, study in which will not bring practical benefits in home country.
Family reunion
The direction that immigration law takes as seriously as possible. Family reunification of Americans is on stream, but sometimes you have to wait a long time for an application to be considered, since there are quotas for issuing such visas.
Applications for reunification of minor children with parents living in the United States or adult children from the United States with foreign parents are given priority.
- Adult children of Americans. A quota of 23,400 annual visas is allocated. At the same time, unmarried / unmarried children belong to the 1st category of priority, and married / married - to the 3rd;
- Husband/wife or unmarried children of US permanent residents. 87,900 visas are provided per year, citizens belong to the 2nd category;
- Married brothers or married sisters of an American citizen. 65,000 annual visas, priority category - 4th.
Quotas significantly slow down the process of issuing a residence permit. So, in rare cases, waiting for consideration of an application can last about 10 years.
Marriage
Another way to immigrate to America is to get to know a citizen of the country or its permanent resident and come to him on a fiance/fiance visa to get married. The marriage must be concluded no later than 90 days from the date of entry.
After marriage, the migrant applies for conditional permanent resident status. And after two years of life in this status, you can apply for green card.
Important! In the United States, there is a rule - if the spouses lived together for less than two years after the registration of marriage before filing a divorce, a foreigner loses the opportunity to live in American cities. His Green Card is canceled and he is obliged to leave for his native country.
Migration through refugee status
If a citizen is persecuted in his home country on various grounds or is threatened by a discriminatory law, he has the right to apply for political asylum in America. To do this, he must come to the country and write a statement about the need to remain in refugee status. In rare cases, you can apply with a petition while in your homeland.
To gain a foothold in the United States, you will need to provide documentary evidence that a person is suffering from persecution.
- If it was possible to prove the existence of a danger, the applicant is assisted under the program for the resettlement of foreign migrants;
- After one year of life as a refugee, an alien may apply for the status of a lawful permanent resident of the United States;
- When a refugee turns into a legal resident of the United States, he gets the right to work here and temporarily travel outside the country.
Important! Any attempt to move implies an honest declaration of intent and a considered desire to remain in the country. So, if a foreigner crossed the US border on tourist visa and decided to stay as a refugee, declaring persecution, the authorities will see the deception and refuse.
Consequences of illegal emigration
An illegal presence in the United States threatens the violator with expulsion from the country and a ban on entry.
The severity of the punishment depends on how long the illegal stayed in America:
- From six months to a year - an entry ban for 3 years;
- More than a year - a ban for 10 years;
- The second illegal entry is a ban for 20 years.
Pros and cons of living in the USA
On closer examination, American life is not as ideal as it seems at first glance. Its shortcomings are especially noticeable for immigrants.
The pros and cons that people from the CIS countries talk about are presented in the table below.
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Immigrants who permanently moved to America recommend saving up well before the trip. For the first time, you will need start-up capital for renting a house, buying food and other expenses. The amount of starting capital depends on the state where the foreigner is going. Over time, a foreigner can achieve good earnings, even working as a car mechanic or a salesperson in a store.
“Don't like Russia? So go to your America!” – can often be found on the web. By the way, I could have gone to America and Europe long ago, and indeed to any country in the world (except Turkmenistan). At least on the ocean, at least in a convenient big city. But I do not want. I'm fine here too. So far, I do not see any reason to bring down from Russia. Moreover, to bring down in the USA. No, are you serious? There is no normal coffee there, they demand money from you for every sneeze, but pay huge American taxes? Okay, even if all this suits you, how can a normal person live in a country where everything is measured in inches, miles, feet and degrees Fahrenheit? I pass! But if you suddenly decide to dump in the USA, I have collected 10 ways for you. Don't thank!
1. Win a green card
A green card is a certificate that gives you the right to live and work in the United States. Every year, the States hold a lottery in which 55,000 green cards are drawn. All educated or employed residents of countries with low levels of immigration to the United States are eligible to participate. To do this, you need to fill out a questionnaire on the website of the US government and wait for the computer to select the winners.
If suddenly you are lucky (the chance of winning a green card is about 1 in 200), then you will need to fill out questionnaires, undergo a medical examination, collect a huge package of documents and then come for an interview at the US Embassy. If everything goes well, then it will be possible to sell the property and leave for America.
2. Get a job offer
If you convince some American company that they need an employee like you, then with their help you can get yourself a work visa. There are two types of work visas - H1B and L1. The H1B visa is issued to skilled workers for a period of 3 years. But there is a limit on them - only 65 thousand people can apply for them per year. The employer will submit the visa documents for you, and he must prove that he could not find a suitable American for the position promised to you.
The L1 visa is issued to senior managers who want to open a representative office of their company in the United States. If you have your own company with a good annual turnover and at least three employees, then you have every chance to get it. To do this, you will need to collect a huge package of documents, move to the United States, make the branch profitable, and then you can apply for an extension of a work visa or a green card.
3. Being gay
If you are gay and you are being harassed, then you can ask the US for asylum. To do this, you will need to come to the United States on a regular tourist visa and apply to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. In doing so, you will need to prove that you were persecuted in your home country or may be persecuted in the future. Documented descriptions of cases of violence, beatings and murders of gays and transgender people will be suitable as evidence. After submitting your application, you will be called for an interview, and depending on the outcome, you will be allowed to stay in the US or sent home.
4. Be talented
If you are an outstanding athlete, musician, scientist, writer, dancer or businessman, then you may qualify for an O1 visa. This is another type of work visa and should be applied for by an American who wants to hire you or promote your talent. You will need to provide all evidence of your talent - certificates, diplomas, recorded albums, paintings, recordings from concerts and everything else that can confirm your talent. Consideration of the application takes several months.
5. Get political asylum
As with gay immigration, you will need to prove that your well-being in your home country is threatened in order to be granted asylum. You will need to indicate who exactly is oppressing you - the state itself or just evil people from whom the police refuse to protect you. Cases of persecution due to political opinions, religious beliefs, nationality or affiliation to any social group. After submitting the application, the Citizenship and Immigration Service will carefully check everything and then inform you of its decision.
6. Get married or get married
You can enter into a fictitious marriage with an American citizen and apply for a green card. There are even special intermediaries who can easily find you a pair for a certain amount. But at the interview before applying for a green card, you will need to prove that your marriage is real. You have to live together, tell the same vacation stories together, visit each other's parents, have mutual accounts, mutual friends, and a bunch of photos together.
If the fictitious marriage is revealed, then five years in prison or a huge fine awaits you. Also, when looking for a fictitious lover, there is a big chance to run into scammers who will leave you for money or start blackmailing you. Therefore, the best option is to marry an American or marry an American for love.
7. Survive "physical and psychological upheavals"
To settle in America, you can try to apply for a category U visa - it is also called the “victim visa”. You will be given it if you are a victim or witness of a serious crime committed in the United States. It can be violence, the slave trade, kidnapping and murder. The essence of the “victim visa” is that America provides you with a residence permit in exchange for help in disclosing committed crime.
The validity of the visa is 4 years, and by the end of its validity, you can apply for a green card. It often happens that illegal immigrants pay someone to deliberately stab them with a knife on camera. If you decide to follow the same path, then you will have to get a good lawyer who can prove in court that you are not a fraudster.
8. Extend your tourist visa
If your visa is about to expire, you can apply for a reissue. In some cases, it can be obtained without an interview. All you need to do is pay the consular fee, fill out an electronic application, collect all Required documents and take them to the Pony Express office. If your application is approved, Pony Express will soon return your passport with a new visa.
9. Become a student
The student visa is called F1. It can be obtained for study at US universities or language courses. In order to issue it, in addition to standard documents, you will need to collect all your diplomas, certificates of passing exams, an invitation from the university, correspondence with the supervisor and various scientific publications. At the interview at the embassy, you will have to convince the interviewer that you are really eager to learn, and after studying, you will be happy to return to your homeland to put the acquired knowledge into practice.
10. Invest in an American business
The EB-5 visa gives you the right to live and work in the US. It is given to entrepreneurs who decide to invest money in a US business. The required amount of investment is calculated depending on the location and type of company. On average, it should be $1 million, but it can be halved if you invest in underdeveloped and sparsely populated regions. Your investment must create 10 new jobs for at least 2 years.
