how to become a citizen of usa

You can apply for a U.S. visa at an embassy or consulate in your country of citizenship as well as in other countries. All visas are divided into types, such as tourist or work visas, and lettered categories.

Immigrant Invest is not involved in visa processing in the United States.
To make it easier to obtain a visa, we suggest obtaining Caribbean citizenship in exchange by investment or obtaining an electronic entry permit with Maltese citizenship.

What are the categories of visas

The visa category depends on the purpose of your visit to the United States. It is important to determine the category accurately, otherwise, consular officers may reject the application.

Visas to the U.S. that can be obtained by foreigners

Visa category	To whom and for what purpose are issued
B1	1. For business travel. 2. Athletes: amateur and professional, subject to participation in competitions with a cash prize. 3. Domestic workers who accompany a foreign employer.
B2	1. Travelers for tourist and recreational trips. 2. For travel for medical treatment.
Most often the B1 and B2 categories are combined and a general B1/B2 visa is issued to stay in the United States.
F	Students of academic institutions and language programs.
M	Students of a vocational or other non-higher education institution not related to language learning.
J	An exchange participant in a study program at a school or university.
H	1. Qualified professionals. 2. Seasonal workers. 3. Trainees for training at enterprises.
I	To media representatives
L	Employees who are temporarily transferred to a subdivision of companies in the United States
O	Foreigners with outstanding abilities in science, art, education, business, or sports.
P	Athletes, entertainers and entertainment workers.
Q	A participant in an international cultural exchange program.
R	Religious ministers.
C	Foreigners travelling to other countries via the United States and who do not have a valid B1 / B2 visa.
D	A member of an air crew and a sea vessel.
E2	Investors who open a business for a significant amount in the U.S. and create 5 or more jobs.
EB-5	Investors who invest $900,000 or more in a business in the United States and create 10 or more jobs.
К	To the bride or groom of a U.S. citizen.

What types and categories of visas are issued in Russia

The Russians won't be able to apply for a visa to the USA in Russia after May 12, 2021. The embassy in Moscow will reduce the amount of services rendered. The services are going to be limited to:

emergency services rendered to the US citizens;
processing of a limited amount of applications for immigration visas;
issuing visas for diplomatic travels.

Visas for personal, working and tourist visits won't be issued anymore. Up-to-date information about visas is updated on the official website of the U.S. Embassy in Russia.

In what other countries you can apply for a U.S. visa

If a Russian needs an interview for a visa that is not yet issued at the Russian embassy of the U.S., it is possible to enrol in the embassies and consulates of the U.S. in other countries.

Some states are beginning to lift entry restrictions because of the coronavirus pandemic. But most countries are still closed to tourists. You need a good reason to enter, such as medical treatment or studies.

A meeting with the consular or embassy staff is considered a valid reason. At the border, it is necessary to show an invitation with the date of the interview. Also, Russians need a valid Schengen visa in order to go for an interview in the European Union.

Open dates for interview appointments in other countries in 2021

Country, city	Available dates	The language of the interview
Poland, Warsaw	May 4	English, Russian
Poland, Krakow	June 28	English, Russian
Belgium, Brussels	July 27	English
Spain, Madrid	August 5	English
Israel, Tel Aviv	August 9	English, Russian
Germany, Berlin	September 7	English
Greece, Athens	December 31	English

Information about available interview dates is current as of April 15, 2021. Consulates may change the dates

How to get to the U.S. if you are an investor

The U.S. allows investors to obtain EB-5 and E2 business visas for investment programs. But Russians can only apply for EB-5 visas.

In 2021, the United States plans to issue 18,500 EB-5 visas. To get a visa, an investor participates in the U.S. government's Immigrant Investor Program. The investor invests in the country's business from $900,000. The amount must be spent to create 10 full-time jobs and keep them for 2 years.

Investors with EB-5 visa can move to the US with their family. They are allowed to live, conduct business, and study in the country. After 5 years, the investor is eligible to apply for a green card and obtain U.S. citizenship.

The terms of the program allow applying for a green card for 10 years only after 2 years after filing the application. Prior to that, the investor receives conditional status and a temporary green card. After 2 years, he confirms that the business continues to bring income and 10 jobs are preserved.

The EB-5 visa process can ultimately take from 2 to 4 years. But there is an alternative way for Russians to get a business visa – through the citizenship of Grenada, Montenegro and Turkey.

How an investor from Russia can get an E2 visa

The E2 visa is issued for business investments, just like the EB-5 visa. There is no minimum investment threshold for it. But according to the experience of Immigrant Invest, it is enough for an investor to purchase a business worth $200,000 or more. The main condition is to create 5 jobs in the USA.

Family members of the investor receive an E2 visa together with the investor. The E2 visa is a non-immigrant visa, it does not provide an opportunity to obtain citizenship. But it can be extended an unlimited number of times. This visa allows the investor and his family to live, work, conduct business, and study in the United States.

Today, citizens can get an E2 visa from the list of countries with which the U.S. has a special agreement. These are Grenada, Montenegro, Turkey, Moldova, Bulgaria and Egypt. Russian citizens cannot obtain an E2 visa, but they can get second citizenship in some of the countries on the list.

Grenada, Montenegro and Turkey offer foreigners to obtain citizenship by investment in the country's economy.

Grenada and Montenegro grant citizenship for an irrevocable contribution to a state fund or the purchase of the real estate. To become a citizen of Turkey, an investor acquires real estate or securities, opens a deposit in a local bank worth $500,000 or more, or a business on the territory of the country.