Nonimmigrant vs. Immigrant Work Visas for the United States: Know the Difference

If you're looking to come to the United States, the sheer amount of different visa types can be pretty overwhelming. L-1, E-2, F-4 - there are a lot of them, and the differences may not be obvious at first. 

A perfect example of this is H1-B visa and the EB-3 visa. On the surface, they're both work visas - meaning you're allowed entry to the United States on the promise of employment - but there is one crucial difference. 

The H-1B visa is what's known as a non-immigrant visa, which means you're expected to be in The United States on a temporary basis. The EB-3 on the other hand is an immigrant visa, and provides the holder permanent residency in the United States.

When considering any type of visa, the first thing you should consider is whether the visa is an Immigrant, or a Nonimmigrant visa. Once approved, the former leads to a US green card with a path to US citizenship, while the latter is a temporary visa, where you are expected to return home after its expiry (as determined by your I-94). 

If you have a nonimmigrant visa and wish to extend or change to another category, a careful analysis is warranted with an expert immigration lawyer.