Recent reports have indicated that it can take months, even years, to get your non-immigration related visa processed. This is not only frustrating, but potentially damaging to your career as well.
It seems like every week there’s a new story of someone who was waiting weeks or even months for their visa processing to begin and they eventually gave up and left the country.
This article will talk about some things you can do to help ensure your visa is processed quickly. However, before we start talking about what you can do, let us discuss why this happens in the first place.
This is one of the most common questions that non-immigration professionals are not very aware of. People believe that once their application is submitted, it will quickly get processed but this is not always the case.
Many countries require additional documents or paperwork before they can process your application. These administrative processes could take anywhere from weeks to months depending on the country!
It is important to know how long it takes to process visas so you do not have to repeatedly check the status of your applications. Many times, there are no clear guidelines as to what time frame we should expect, so being informed is essential to knowing when to make next steps.
One of the things you can potentially do is look up what services are available to you in the country you will be visiting. You may find that some places have basic amenities like grocery stores, restaurants, hospitals, or even an embassy you already have contact with.
If possible, try to speak with people who have visited before so you know how well-equipped their destination’s public resources were. Some countries only offer limited access to certain services, so it is best to be aware as early as possible!
Another option if you don’t live in the area is to see if anyone else does. There might be a friend or family member who lives close by and could help you out during your stay. Or maybe there is a local organization that offers similar services as professional ones but at much cheaper prices.
There are typically two main categories of expenses that come along with applying for a non-immigration related job. The first is fees paid to hire your as an employee at the company you are seeking employment at. These include I-9 forms, employment verification documents (like a passport photo), health certificates, and salary documentation.
The second major cost comes in the form of administrative processing fees. This includes things like having your interview scheduled, running background checks, and confirming employment eligibility. All of these take time so they are not free.
There is some leeway when it comes to how long it takes to process visas. For example, what country you are applying from or whether you have proof of sufficient income can delay the process. But beyond that, one must be aware of how much additional paperwork is needed for every stage of the process.
All visa applications require you to tell the consulate or embassy who you are, where you’re going, and why. This process is called “admission into the United States.”
It’s also known as “visa issuance.” The length of time it takes depends on the type of non-immigrant visa you apply for.
There are five main categories of nonimmigrant visas: tourist (90 days), business (one year), student (up to four years) medical (3 months – 6 months), working (green card) You can find out which one applies to you by reading your admission letter.
Timeline __________ Application date _______ Approval date
The timing in between varies depending on how long it takes to process your application! It could take anywhere from 2 weeks to several months. There’s no way of knowing exactly when yours will be ready so we recommend being aware of the latest status updates and staying in close touch with friends and family back home.
Hopefully that helps you get some more sleep at night! If you have any questions about the process, don’t hesitate to contact us here at VISA HQ. We’d be happy to answer them for you.
The next step in getting your non-visa document is to actually apply for it. This can be done through a third party visa consultant, by visiting a U.S. embassy or consulate in person, or online via their website.
Many employers use an external organization to handle employee visas so why not you! There are many reasons (cost being one of them) that companies use these organizations to help with immigration paperwork.
This way, you will have to spend time looking for work and spending money traveling to visit embassies and consulates, which takes away from your time spent seeking employment and earning more income.
Using our services free up your time and resources to look for new jobs while reducing cost as we pay for the process. Plus, we connect you with qualified professionals who can help you navigate the process even further.
We’ve paid close attention to how long administrative processing times are at each country’s embassy/consulate and have listed only those countries where there is at least a month’s worth of wait here.
A non-immigration related reason to have a working visa is for business. You can not run a business without one so it is necessary to get yours quickly.
Businesses need to hire employees, which means they must process work visas for these new hires. This includes getting their I-9 forms completed correctly, medical exams done, and proof of income.
The more time spent doing this, the longer it will take to start hiring and running your business. So why are there so many delays in processing employment visas?
It is because of the bureaucracy that works under our immigration system. There are always people behind other people who want their job!
There are also agencies that help with employment visas, like local government offices or nonprofits, and they cannot do their jobs until those before them finish what they are doing.
This whole process takes too long and things can easily slip through gaps in the system.
While waiting for your visa to be processed, you will need to look presentable for your appointment. You do not want to arrive at your destination looking sloppy or in poor taste because it makes you seem unprofessional which may negatively affect your chance of being granted entry into Canada as well as the potential to work once here!
If possible, dress in casual clothes that can be cleaned easily and are comfortable so you feel relaxed and able to move around. We recommend wearing jeans or leggings under yoga pants or tracksuit bottoms as they are durable and heavy weight. A nice long sleeve shirt with collar and leather shoes are good general fashion staples.
You do not have to bring many things since most likely everything you plan to take with you has been approved already, but we would suggest bringing one pair of each item (shirt, shoe, coat) just in case there is an inspection.
The next step in processing your visa is to confirm that you have enough money to support yourself while you are in Canada. This includes ensuring you have sufficient funds to return home after your stay here has ended, as well as supporting yourself during your trip!
It’s very important to make sure you don’t need these extra funds before coming to Canada. A lot of times, non-Canadian citizens are asked to provide proof of sufficient income one or two months prior to their departure from their country. It’s best to ensure your finances are stable at least six months out so this doesn’t happen.
You also must prove that you will be able to live safely outside of family back home. For example, can you survive on less than $2,000 per month for six months? If not, then it's possible your plans may be delayed, if not derailed altogether.
Lastly, there is an allowance given to most tourists where they're allowed to bring only modest amounts of cash overseas - usually up to $5,000. If you fall into this group, check to see whether this applies to you by speaking with a consulate employee.
