UNDERSTANDING THE UNITED STATES’ VISA RENEWAL PROCESS

 

Introduction

Getting your United States visa renewed means you want to keep staying in the US with the same kind of visa. To qualify, you have to keep meeting the visa's specific rules set by US immigration laws. You can get to know more about these rules from an immigration lawyer in Midland, Texas.

Different visas have their own time limits, which might not match up with the date the embassy says you can apply for an extension. This can cause problems when it is time to renew your visa. Talk to an immigration lawyer in Midland, Texas about your situation to make sure you think about everything you need to do to get your visa extended.

You also have to make sure you apply for your visa extension on time, or at least before your current visa expires.

In this post, we are going over the basic steps for renewing a US visa and the important things to remember to avoid any problems or delays during the renewal process.

Who can renew a US visa?

To renew your US visa, you must fulfill the following requirements:

●       You are already in possession of a US visa for which you are seeking a renewal. For instance, in the case of the B-2 visa holder, one will only be able to ask for an extension of the same type.

●       Your last application for a visa must not have been denied by the US Embassy. When a visa expires, and an individual has applied again and gotten refused, one cannot, in this case, apply for a visa renewal.

●       Your application for visa renewal is being made for multiple entries, and your stay in the US will exceed one year.

●       You still meet the qualifications for the visa. Review the types of US visas and how to qualify for one by speaking with an immigration lawyer in Midland, Texas.

●       You apply for a renewal of your US visa from outside of your home country. You can't request an extension from within the US.

●       Your visa has been valid for less than 48 months. Sometimes, even though your visa has been expired over 48 months, you might be in a position to have it renewed. You can find out how this works by contacting an immigration lawyer in Midland, Texas.

 

 

People exempted from US visa renewal

If you have been legally living in the US with a non-immigrant visa and your visa is still good, and you haven't broken any visa rules or done anything that would make you not eligible for a visa, you can go ahead and apply for your visa to be renewed.

However, you need to make sure you are in an immigration status that allows for renewals. These are some of the immigration statuses you can’t apply for a visa renewal in the US:

●       Visa Waiver Program.

●       D visa (for crew members).

●       C visa (for people in transit).

●       TWOV (for people in transit without a visa).

●       K visa (if your spouse is a US citizen or depends on them).

●       S visa (if you are an informant and your family members are with you).

An immigration lawyer in Midland, Texas, can further explain these exempted statuses to you.

 Circumstances requiring a US visa renewal

The date your stay in the US would lapse is listed on your Form I-94. This shows when you first got into the US, your type of admission, and how long you are allowed to stay here, also known as your 'admission date' or 'duration of status.'

The time from when you get your visa to when it lapses is called your 'visa validity'. This is the time you are allowed to travel to the US to try and get in at the border. The people at the border, like those at the airport, can let you in or not, and they will also decide how long you are allowed to stay each time you try to come in based on the stamp on your Form I-94. Consult an immigration lawyer in Midland, Texas, to learn more about Form I-94.

If you are from a certain country, you might get a visa that lets you come in just once, or it could be for as many times as you want. If you get one that lets you come in more than once, you can only use it to come back to the US for the same reason you were originally allowed to come in.

If you have a visa that lets you come back more than once, you will need to ask for a new visa once your current one is about to lapse or if you have already used it more times than you are allowed. The intricacies of these details makes it necessary to hiring an immigration lawyer in Midland, Texas.

The US visa renewal process

Your US visa has expired, and it is about time for renewal. What comes next?

 

You probably understand, receiving a visa is a real headache: lots of papers, rules, and stress. That is why we have put together this easy-to-follow guide that should be able to give you an overview of the US visa renewal process.

But first, note that there are approximately 185 types of US visas, and each has its own conditions and regulations. The following guide is a general guideline that can assist with the basics of renewing most visas. For further assistance or the latest information, you are encouraged to contact an immigration lawyer in Midland, Texas.

●       Step 1 - verify whether your visa is renewable.

First, verify whether your US visa is even renewable. That is not too difficult, right? But you would be surprised. Requirements for a visa can be really quite daunting sometimes. Here are some of the things to go through in determining whether you can renew your visa: You have not been denied a visa after your first one was issued.

Your present visa has to be valid in excess of one year and should permit multiple entries in the US. You would still have to meet the normal basic standards for the class of visa applied.

It is also rather vital to make sure that you apply for a visa renewal from your home country. You aren't permitted to renew it inside the United States. To be sure your visa is renewable get in touch with an immigration lawyer in Midland, Texas.

●       Step 2 - Application form DS-160/Online non-immigrant visa application.

Remember the DS-160 form? It was the very first form you needed to fill out when you began your journey in obtaining a visa.

Well, there isn't any special form for renewing visas for non-immigrants. You will be starting that long process again. Once you have completed it, don't forget to save your confirmation. You will send that with your other documents. An immigration lawyer in Midland, Texas can guide you in filling out this form properly.

●       Step 3 - See if you are eligible for the interview waiver program (IWP).

The IWP allows the renewal of some categories of people without attending another round of interviews. If it is not applicable, then you should seek another interview.

For eligibility with the IWP, these criteria should be met:

●       You have been fingerprinted during your previous visit to any US consulate.

●       You will be applying for a visa in the same category for which you previously applied.

●       The previous visa is still valid or expired within the last 12 months.

●       Your previous visa does not have a "Clearance Received" or "Waiver Granted" stamp.

●       You are a citizen of a country eligible for reciprocity fee exemptions.

●       You will not be applying for a visa in a category that your previous visa was lost or stolen.

Check with an immigration lawyer in Midland, Texas for the guidelines of your country on IWP requirements.

●       Step 4 - Visa application fee.

Of course, you remember the form; surely you will also remember the fee you needed to pay. Make sure you pay and get a copy for proof for the receipt.

●       Step 5 - Supporting documentation.

After you have submitted your application, now is the perfect time to prepare all the required documents and mail them in.

Most types of visas would demand the following:

●       Your passport. It must be valid for at least six months beyond your stay in the United States.

●       Old passports containing previous visas, if any.

●       Two recent photos meet the requirements of visa photos. These must be different from earlier ones.

●       Confirmation page of DS-160.

●       Provide proof of payment for the visa fee.

●       Any additional requirements based on your visa type?

You can send these documents back to the US embassy at which you apply. Speak with an immigration lawyer in Midland, Texas for the documentations needed for your unique case.

●       Step 6 - Attend the interview, if required.

If you do not fall under the Interview Waiver Program, then you would need to attend an interview in person at the US embassy at which you have applied. This interview will be just like the first one, so relax. You have got this!

●       Step 7 – Watch out for the decision.

Once you have completed your application, submitted the fees, and sent in your documents and have made it into your interview-if you had to-then all is left to do is wait.

 

The waiting time is also not very long; you can have your visa returned to you in as short a period as 10 business days, if you don't need to attend another interview.

For further insight into how long it will take for them to get back to you, check out with an immigration lawyer in Midland, Texas, for wait times.

Get help!

If you need help with renewing your US visa, our team at Gehi and Associates can guide you through the steps. We will help you understand what you need to qualify and how to go about applying, depending on your visa type and situation. We will also look into any limits on how long you can stay in the US with your visa.

Connect with us today if you are looking to renew your US visa!