Can your family enter the United States under your work visa?
Your family may be one of the main factors motivating your career efforts. You want to earn enough money to provide them with comfort and leave a meaningful legacy when you die.
Sometimes, taking the next step in your career requires dramatic changes. For example, if your employer has recently offered you a work visa to take a position in the United States, the better pay or future career opportunities may tempt you.
Still, you obviously don’t want to spend several years away from your spouse and children. Can you use your employment visa to also help your immediate family members enter the country?
Family members of those with work visas can also apply
Your family can travel with you if you secure a work visa, but only under certain circumstances. Nothing about immigration is automatic. Your spouse doesn’t just get to enter the United States because you obtained the visa. Anyone who intends to travel with you will have to pay a fee, undergo a medical examination and pass a background check just like you did.
However, provided that your family members also meet the standards for entry into the United States, they can apply for visas affiliated with yours. Your spouse and your unmarried children under the age of 21 can potentially travel with you when you come to work in the United States. Just like you, they will be subject to certain restrictions while in the country. They can also renew their visas at the same time that you renew yours.
Learning about your options when entering the country on a work-based visa can help you protect your career and maintain your family relationships.