Reasons someone would need a non-immigrant visa

Not everyone who enters the United States from their home country is seeking citizenship or is planning on staying. People who are not intending on staying long term need to apply for a non-immigrant visa.

There are various reasons why a person would apply for this type of visa. Even if there is an issuance of a non-immigrant visa, it does not guarantee entry into the country, and applicants should be ready for the entrance interview.

Reasons for a non-immigrant visa

According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a person would apply for a non-immigrant visa if planning on staying only temporarily in the country. Reasons for this may include:

• Tourism
• Medical treatment
• Education
• Business
• Temporary work

Tips for the application and interview process

Before approving a visa request, a U.S. consular officer will review the application. If the officer issues the applicant a visa, this individual must still convince the CBP officer at the port-of-entry that the stay is only temporary.

The Los Angeles Trade-Tech College offers some tips to improve the approval chances during the application review and entrance interview. In both cases, the applicant should be able to provide evidence of ties to the home country, such as family, home ownership, a job, investments or financial prospects. If obtaining a visa for education reasons, the applicant should be able to relate how this education ties to a future professional career back at home.

If an applicant has dependents back at home, she or he must be able to provide evidence on how the dependents will financially support themselves, as the consular does not want money from the U.S. sent to others in a different country.

During the interview, the visa holder should understand that the interview will be in English and that it is brief, so it is important to make a good impression right away.