What are the different types of visas available for individuals seeking to immigrate to the United States?

There are several types of U.S. visas available for individuals seeking to immigrate to the United States. These include:

1. Family-based visas: These visas are available to close relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (green card holders). There are two categories of family-based visas: immediate relatives, which includes spouses, minor children or parents of U.S. citizens and, family preference, which includes adult children and siblings of U.S. citizens and spouses and unmarried children of green card holders.
2. Employment-based visas: These visas are categorized based on the type of job offer that an individual receives from a U.S. employer. Employment-based visas include the EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, and EB-4 visas for specific job categories such as advanced degree professionals, skilled workers, unskilled workers, religious workers and certain other special categories of workers.
3. Diversity Visa Lottery: This visa program provides visas to individuals who come from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the U.S. Each year, approximately 50,000 individuals are selected at random from a pool of applicants, for this visa.
4. Temporary or non-immigrant visas: This category of visas is meant for those who wish to visit the U.S. for a temporary period, such as for tourism, study or work. Examples of non-immigrant visas include the H-1B visa for highly skilled workers, J-1 visa for exchange visitors, B-1/B-2 visas for tourist or medical purposes, F-1 visa for students, and L-1 visa for intra-company transfers.

It is important to note that there are specific eligibility criteria for each category of visas, and some of the employment-based visas require a job offer from a U.S. employer. Additionally, visa processing times and application fees may vary depending on the visa category, and there are also certain limitations on the number of visas available each year. It is advisable to consult with an experienced immigration lawyer to determine the best visa option based on individual circumstances.