Routes into United States
5 routes into United States, 1 of them closed now and listed at the end.
Work visa
United States
Run by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
Graduates with a U.S. employer willing to sponsor them for a job that needs a bachelor's degree in a related field. Most employers must win the annual registration selection first. The FY 2027 cap is already reached; the FY 2027 registration ran March 4 to March 19. Nationals of Burkina Faso, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan are under a full visa suspension under Proclamation 10998 and cannot be issued this visa.
- Job offer
- Required. A U.S. employer registers you and files Form I-129 with a certified Labor Condition Application.
- Language
- Not stated on the official page
- Education
- A U.S. bachelor's or higher degree in a directly related specialty, or a foreign equivalent, or an unrestricted state license, or education, training and experience equal to that degree.
- Work experience
- Not required if you hold the degree. Progressively responsible experience can count as an equivalent to the degree.
- Government fee
- Paid by the employer: registration USD 215 per beneficiary; Form I-129 USD 780 on paper or USD 730 online (USD 460 for a small employer or nonprofit); Asylum Program Fee USD 600 (USD 300 small employer, USD 0 nonprofit); Fraud Prevention and Detection fee USD 500; ACWIA fee USD 1,500 or USD 750 depending on employer size; USD 4,000 extra for some large H-1B employers. A USD 100,000 payment applies to certain petitions filed from Sept. 21, 2025, but a court vacated the guidance on June 8, 2026 and DHS has appealed. Paid by the worker: visa application fee USD 205 at the U.S. embassy.
- Processing time
- Not stated on the official page
- Money you must show
- Not stated on the official page
- When and to whom you pay
- The employer pays the registration fee to USCIS before registering and the petition fees when filing. The worker pays the USD 205 visa fee to the Department of State before the visa interview.
Read the official page
Checked on 18 October 2026. What the page says
Read on uscis.gov on 2026-10-18: "Attainment of a bachelor's or higher degree in a directly related* specific specialty (or its equivalent) as a minimum for entry into the occupation"; "USCIS has received enough petitions to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap"; "The fee for each registration is $215 for the FY 2027 H-1B cap."; alert: "On June 8, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued an order that vacated agency guidance implementing the $100,000 payment requirement"; fee page (G-1055): "Fraud Prevention and Detection fee" "$500"; travel.state.gov fee page: "$205.00" Another official page. Another official page. Another official page. Another official page. Another official page.
Talent and high skill
United States
Run by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
People with national or international acclaim in the sciences, education, business, athletics or the arts, or a record of extraordinary achievement in film or television, who have a U.S. employer or agent. Nationals of Burkina Faso, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan are under a full visa suspension under Proclamation 10998 and cannot be issued this visa.
- Only for people in science and research, teaching and education, business, sports, creative, media.
- Job offer
- Required. A U.S. employer or agent files Form I-129 for you.
- Language
- Not stated on the official page
- Education
- Not stated on the official page
- Work experience
- You must show sustained national or international acclaim, with at least three types of listed evidence, and a written advisory opinion (consultation).
- Government fee
- Paid by the employer or agent: Form I-129 for an O petition USD 1,055 on paper or USD 1,005 online (USD 530 for a small employer or nonprofit); Asylum Program Fee USD 600 (USD 300 small employer, USD 0 nonprofit). Paid by the worker: visa application fee USD 205.
- Processing time
- Not stated on the official page
- Money you must show
- Not stated on the official page
- When and to whom you pay
- The petitioner pays USCIS when filing Form I-129. The worker pays the USD 205 visa fee to the Department of State before the interview.
Read the official page
Checked on 18 October 2026. What the page says
Read on uscis.gov on 2026-10-18: "you must demonstrate extraordinary ability by sustained national or international acclaim"; fee page (G-1055): "If you are filing an O petition" "Paper Filing: $1,055 plus additional fees Online Filing: $1,005"; travel.state.gov fee page: petition-based visas "$205.00" Another official page. Another official page. Another official page.
Permanent residence
United States
Run by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
Professionals with an advanced degree, or people with exceptional ability, whose proposed work has substantial merit and national importance. You can file for yourself. Immigrant visas are suspended under Proclamation 10998 for nationals of Burkina Faso, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan (full suspension) and of Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia and Zimbabwe (partial suspension).
- Job offer
- Not required. You may self-petition on Form I-140.
- Language
- Not stated on the official page
- Education
- An advanced degree (above a bachelor's), or a bachelor's degree followed by at least five years of progressive experience in the specialty. Or exceptional ability shown by at least 3 of 6 criteria, where a degree is one option.
- Work experience
- At least five years of progressive post-bachelor's experience if you do not hold a degree above a bachelor's. One exceptional ability criterion is letters showing at least 10 years of full-time experience.
- Government fee
- Form I-140 USD 715 on paper or USD 665 online, plus Asylum Program Fee USD 300 for a self-petitioner. Employment-based immigrant visa application fee USD 345 if you get the visa at a U.S. embassy.
- Processing time
- Not stated on the official page
- Money you must show
- Not stated on the official page
- When and to whom you pay
- The I-140 fees are paid to USCIS when filing. The visa fee is paid to the Department of State.
Read the official page
Checked on 18 October 2026. What the page says
Read on uscis.gov on 2026-10-18: "Those seeking a national interest waiver may self-petition (you do not need an employer to sponsor you) and you do not need to obtain a labor certification from the DOL."; "A U.S. bachelor's degree (or a foreign equivalent degree) followed by at least five years of progressive experience in the specialty is considered the equivalent of a master's degree."; fee page (G-1055): "Paper Filing: $715" "Online Filing: $665" and "If filing as a Small Employer or self-petitioner" "$300"; travel.state.gov fee page: "$345.00" Another official page. Another official page. Another official page.
Study, then work
United States
Run by U.S. Department of State and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
Students admitted to a SEVP-approved U.S. school. After study, eligible students can apply for up to 12 months of OPT work, and STEM graduates for a 24-month extension. F visas are suspended under Proclamation 10998 for nationals of Burkina Faso, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan (full suspension) and of Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia and Zimbabwe (partial suspension).
- Job offer
- Not required for the student visa. OPT needs a recommendation from your school's designated school official.
- Language
- Not stated on the official page
- Education
- Admission to a SEVP-approved school. You may be asked for transcripts and test scores.
- Work experience
- Not required
- Government fee
- Visa application fee USD 185. SEVIS I-901 fee is required; the amount is not stated on the visa page. OPT: Form I-765 USD 520 on paper or USD 470 online (general I-765 fee in G-1055).
- Processing time
- Not stated on the official page
- Money you must show
- You must show how you will pay all costs. No amount is stated on the official page.
- When and to whom you pay
- The visa fee is paid to the Department of State before the interview. The I-765 fee is paid to USCIS when applying for OPT.
Read the official page
Checked on 18 October 2026. What the page says
Read on travel.state.gov on 2026-10-18: "The first step to studying in the United States is apply to a SEVP-approved school in the United States."; "Application Fee $185"; uscis.gov: "Eligible students can apply to receive up to 12 months of OPT employment authorization"; fee page (G-1055): "Paper Filing: $520 Online Filing: $470" Another official page. Another official page. Another official page. Another official page.
Closed now
These routes take no new applications. Anyone selling a place on one is lying.
Visa lottery
Closed
United States
Run by U.S. Department of State
Closed for now. The DV-2027 entry period has not opened and no start date is announced. Since August 2026 the State Department has paused all diversity visa issuance, with no exceptions. The list of countries whose natives are excluded from the next DV year is not published yet. Under Proclamation 10998, immigrant visas are suspended for nationals of Burkina Faso, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan (full suspension) and of Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia and Zimbabwe (partial suspension). Entries are made only on the official E-DV website, dvprogram.state.gov. Never pay anyone to enter for you.
- Job offer
- Not required
- Language
- Not stated on the official page
- Education
- Not stated on the official page
- Work experience
- Not stated on the official page
- Government fee
- Entry is free. If selected: Diversity Visa Application Fee USD 330 per person. The State Department fee page also lists a Diversity Visa Registration Fee of USD 1.00, paid only by the principal applicant.
- Processing time
- No DV-2027 entry period is open. The DV-2027 visa year runs from Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027, but issuance is paused.
- Money you must show
- Not stated on the official page
- When and to whom you pay
- The application fee is paid to the U.S. Department of State, per person, only by selected applicants.
Read the official page
Checked on 18 October 2026. What the page says
Read on travel.state.gov on 2026-10-18: "There is no cost to register for the DV Program."; "We will announce the start date for the DV-2027 registration period as soon as practicable"; "Effective immediately, the Department of State has paused all visa issuances to diversity immigrant visa applicants."; fee page: "Diversity Visa Application Fee (per person ...) | $330.00" and "Diversity Visa Registration Fee (paid at time of registration only by the principal applicant) | $1.00" Another official page. Another official page. Another official page. Another official page.