Visiting a foreign country requires a lot of preparation. From packing your clothes buying a travel insurance policy to booking flights and applying for a visa, every step is time-consuming and a little complicated if you are a novice.
However, with the Internet, you will no longer be struggling while going through these processes, most importantly when purchasing family travel insurance or leveraging the benefits of flight delay insurance.
Everyone knows that going to the USA demands a visa and getting it, many times, becomes a hard nut to crack. This happens especially if you are unaware of the types of visas available.
If you are planning to visit the USA, you must know about the most-discussed varieties of visas: Immigrant Visas and Non-Immigrant Visas.
Immigrant Visa
The major difference between an immigrant and a non-immigrant visa is the residence. A person who gets an immigrant visa is allowed to work and live in the USA.
According to the website of Travel State Gov, the petition and application processing fees for an immigrant visa range between $ 675-775 and $ 325-350, respectively.
This visa is only granted with the sponsorship by a USA citizen or a Lawful Permanent Resident (a person who has a Permanent Resident Card/green card). It means that there should be a link between the applicant and the sponsor, for example, a sponsor can be the employer or spouse of the applicant.
To avoid confusion, it is important to note that an immigrant visa is also called a green card and the person who has this visa is also known as a resident alien.
Non-Immigrant Visa
A non-immigrant visa is given to individuals who are planning to visit the country for a shorter period. It is generally needed by those who wish to work, study, travel, or want to get medical treatment in the USA.
After the end of its validity, the person who has been granted this visa will have to return to his home country.
Another important detail is that those people who plan to study or work in the USA need to present the necessary documentation and authorisation. Only after that, do they become eligible for applying for a non-immigrant visa.
Contrast Between Immigrant and Non-Immigrant Visas
Purpose
While an immigrant visa is for the long-term, a non-immigrant visa is given to those who seek to live or work in the USA for a short term, such as for business/travel visits or studies.
Processing Time
On one hand, a non-immigrant visa is granted easily and has a short processing time. On the other hand, obtaining immigrant visas is quite a challenging and time-consuming process.
Rights
A person having an immigrant visa is allowed to practise citizen rights given by the US govt. Along with this, he/she can work and study anywhere. However, a non-immigrant visa holder is restricted only to some privileges during their stay.
What Role Does Buying Travel Insurance Play in Your US Journey?
If you are a person who is applying for a non-immigrant visa, having international travel insurance is a prerequisite for you.
This is because travel insurance plans are protection against unexpected expenses while travelling abroad. Many overseas travel insurance plans are also available online for purchase.
You can easily get one from providers like Tata AIG without even having to make the trip down to a branch office.
Conclusion
Applying for a visa is a long process which includes a lot of things, like collecting multiple documents, participating in the interview, and getting overseas travel insurance.
However, it is all worth it, as going to the USA, either alone or with your family, is a wonderful chance to explore new things and gain global work experience. This move will most probably be the icing on the cake for your career.