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How Long Does It Take To Get A Work Visa in the United States?

By Sierra August 10, 2021 (Updated September 17, 2021) 3 min. read
us worker

Most foreign nationals seeking to start a new life abroad are looking for a country they can utilize their prior skills to create a financially comfortable life. Being able to obtain a job can also help an individual financially cover their day-to-day living expenses so obtaining a US work visa is important to most immigrants. There are a number of work visa pathways for those looking to immigrate to the United States whether it’s a temporary or permanent move. Here we break down your temporary work visa and employment green card processing times so you can start the process far enough in advance.

Related Article: US Work Visas

US Work Visa Processing Times

US Temporary Work Visas

The average time for a US temporary visa to process is 5-7 months but depends on which work visa you are applying for and how many work visa applications are before yours. Before COVID-19 shutdowns, the USCIS processed work permit applications within 90 days, but a growing backlog.

Related Article: US Immigration Application Backlog: What to Expect

US Employment-Based Green Card

Being the most long-term US visa, you can expect the processing time for permanent residence to be more lengthy than most other visas. According to USCIS, an application for permanent residence (Form I-485) will take anywhere from 6 months to 33 months to process depending on a few factors. There is an annual limit to the number of green cards available to each country. This means, applicants from countries with fewer green card applicants usually have a much shorter waiting time compared to those from countries with a large number of applicants

USCIS Premium Processing

Some applications filed with USCIS can be filed using Premium Processing, a service offered by USCIS that guarantees a response on your application or petition within fifteen (15) calendar days. Petitioners or applicants filing forms have the option of filing their petition with form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, which is currently $2,500 USD. The US Government continues to add more applications that can avail of this service going forward. To discuss whether your pending application with USCIS can be upgraded to premium processing, or if you can file your application with premium processing, please reach out to us.

Related Articles: 5 Ways to Speed Up Your USCIS Application

US Work Visa Options

When looking to immigrate to the United States based on your prior work experience, you have various options depending on if you are interested in settling permanently or temporarily. Those work visa and employment-based green cards include:

Temporary Work Permits
Permanent Employment-Based Green Card

Need An Immigration Lawyer For Your US Work Visa Application?

If so, Contact VisaPlace today. All our cases are handled by competent and experienced immigration professionals who are affiliated with VisaPlace. These professionals consist of lawyers, licensed paralegals, and consultants who work for VisaPlace Legal an award-winning immigration firm that adheres to the highest standards of client service.

Ready for the next step? Book your 1 on 1 consultation now or call us at 1-888-317-5770.

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Fill out the FREE Immigration Assessment form and get a response within 24 hours to see if you’re eligible.

The assessment form should take approximately 5-7 minutes to complete. We will get back to you within one business day to let you know if we are able to help.

Eddie de Witt Avatar

Eddie de Witt

When you get the opportunity to go to the US for work from abroad, then I would say VisaPlace would be your best option to get all your documents in place. My 5 star feedback is based on the help I received from Danielle Grbic as she was really professional, I would straight away ask for Danielle to be in charge of your process. From the time that Danielle took over my case I felt confident that it will go well and at the end it went smoother than expected. On my own I would never have been able to get this internal work transfer done as a L1 visa and was best for the professionals to take charge. After arriving in the US, Danielle was still happy to assist with documents and advise. A huge thanks to Danielle and VisaPlace

Sweet Ness Avatar

Sweet Ness

I spoke with Lilly last week and she’s incredible. Very informative and you can tell she definably cares about her job. She wasn’t pushy at all and she’s there to help you figure out if this service is right for you. I’d recommend contacting VisaPlace if you’re thinkin of traveling internationally and you have questions about the different types of permits.

Peter Gianakas Avatar

Peter Gianakas

I had a great experience with Andrew Diamond from The Visa Place. Andrew was very knowledgable and helped us every step of the way. When we had a discrepancy with my spouse’s Visa Andrew helped us navigate the system in the USA. He even offered to speak directly to the customs and border control officer to help us iron out the situation. Overall the experience was very good and smooth. I highly recommend Andrew and his services at The Visa Place.

Vanessa Gomes Avatar

Vanessa Gomes

I spoke with Lilly last week and she’s incredible. Very informative and you can tell she definably cares about her job. She wasn’t pushy at all and she’s there to help you figure out if this service is right for you. I’d recommend contacting VisaPlace if you’re thinkin of traveling internationally and you have questions about the different types of permits.

TK B Avatar

TK B

Great firm. They helped me with my visa at a reasonable cost. They were very responsive and most importantly compassionate about my situation. I have no hesitation to recommend them to others

Nirmal Singh Avatar

Nirmal Singh

Really the best immigration law firm. I got visa with their help, they helped me at every step. They answered every single question. I ‘d recommend 10/10

Krista Sparkes Avatar

Krista Sparkes

Extremely satisfied with the professionalism, expertise, efficiency, speed and thoroughness at which my file was managed. Fadi & Danielle are true class acts! Their response times were fantastic (especially during a high-stress period), their quality of work was phenomenal, and their willingness to go the extra mile (without hidden costs, no less!) to prepare me for my work permit interview was unmatched. I strongly recommend VisaPlace to anyone seeking legal counsel as it relates to cross-border services. Highest Regards, Krista

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