Immigration & Visas
4guides
The main routes into the US and how they actually work.
US work visas — H-1B, L-1, O-1 and the restAlmost every US work visa is employer-sponsored: the job comes first and the visa is tied to it. That single fact shapes everything — including what happens if you lose the job.
Student and exchange visas (F-1 and J-1)F-1 is the standard student visa; J-1 covers exchange programmes. Both restrict work tightly — and breaking those rules is one of the fastest ways to lose your status.
I-94, EAD and I-797 — proving your statusYour visa sticker is only permission to travel to the border. What actually governs how long you may stay is the I-94 — and a surprising number of people have never looked at theirs.
Changing employers on a work visa — the safe wayYour visa is tied to your employer, but you're not trapped: H-1B portability lets you start with a new sponsor once the transfer petition is filed. The timing rules are where people get burned.