The process of obtaining an immigrant visa can be a complicated one. There are a lot of factors to navigate through to make sure that you’re getting one suited to your purposes and maximizing your chances for approval. You may not know some of these factors, and they might open up new pathways to obtaining one more quickly than you had expected. There are, however, certain facts you must also keep in mind even if you do get approved for a visa.

The experienced attorneys at the Tampa Immigration Law Center have helped countless other immigrant visa applicants through the process of obtaining one. In this post, you’ll learn some of the important facts they stress to every client that are critical to ensuring you get approved, and that you receive the right one for your needs.

Not all visas require sponsorship

One thing you may not know is that the process of obtaining different types of immigrant visas is not a single, uniform path. Immigrant visas are divided into many different categories based on ways in which you can obtain them. The majority are obtainable through sponsorships from a person or entity already located within the United States, though diversity visas (also referred to as green cards) don’t carry this requirement.

This doesn’t necessarily mean something like a diversity visa is easier to obtain, however. In fact, to qualify and even begin the application process in the first place, you need to enter and win the Diversity Visa Lottery. If you meet the eligibility requirements upon winning, though, you may begin applying and, if accepted, enter the United States as a permanent resident. Read more about green cards and the naturalization process here.

The diversity visa isn’t the only option available to you that doesn’t require a sponsor within the United States. Other pathways exist for applicants with enough funds to be considered eligible.

Self-sponsorship

Most immigrant visas are obtained through sponsorships from a family member, spouse, or employer, as mentioned previously. Among your employer sponsorship options is also the ability to sponsor yourself as an investor, though it may be an even more difficult task than receiving a diversity visa.

Immigrant investor visas are available to applicants who invest $1,800,000 into a qualifying enterprise with money they haven’t borrowed, or $900,000 into a similar enterprise in a rural, high-unemployment area. If you meet this requirement and haven’t engaged in any illegal activities which would make you ineligible, you can begin the application process along with any family members or spouses you plan to take with you.

A visa isn’t a guarantee

Even with the numerous options and alternative pathways toward obtaining an immigrant visa, it’s important to remember that even the visa itself isn’t a guarantee of entry into the United States; it only makes you eligible for entry. You must apply for entry no later than your visa’s expiration date, and even then, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has its own guidelines by which they determine whether you’ll be admitted into the country.

Obtaining a visa is, however, the first and most important step to take toward gaining entry into the United States to live and work. Whether it’s through the methods listed in this post or any of the necessary steps for each other category of immigrant visa, it’s important to have as much information as you can get about the application and admissions process to give you the best chance possible of gaining entry into the country.

Get experienced help obtaining an immigrant visa

The best way to get accurate, helpful information based on your specific circumstances is to get the help of an experienced immigration attorney. You can find these attorneys at the Tampa Immigration Law Center. Schedule a call with them now.