Resource library

U.S. immigration guides: the resource library

Every USVISA.com guide in one place. Browse by topic: work visas, employment and family green cards, investment and business immigration, study and travel, humanitarian protection, forms and fees, and settling in the United States. Each guide is written in plain language, dated and linked to official sources.

Updated October 28, 2026

54 results

Work

H-1B visa

Who qualifies for H-1B, how the wage-weighted lottery works, current filing fees, the $100,000 payment status, and extensions.

Work

The $100,000 H-1B fee

Status of the $100,000 H-1B payment as of October 2026: court orders, appeals, who it would apply to, and what employers should do now.

Work

H-1B lottery

Wage-level weighting, entries per level, FY 2021–2027 selection data and the expected March 2027 registration window for FY 2028.

Work

O-1 visa

O-1 visa requirements explained: the O-1A and O-1B criteria, evidence that works, agents, fees and timelines as of October 2026.

Work

TN visa

TN visa requirements, the USMCA professions list, the Canada vs Mexico process, fees, renewals and green card planning.

Work

F-1 OPT and STEM OPT

OPT and STEM OPT eligibility, filing windows, unemployment limits, cap-gap, fees and the 2026 proposals affecting students.

Work

H-2A and H-2B visas

H-2A farm and H-2B non-farm seasonal visas: caps, supplemental visas, DOL certification, employer duties, fees and timing.

Work

EB-1 green card

EB-1A, EB-1B and EB-1C explained: who qualifies, the evidence criteria, costs and Visa Bulletin timing.

Work

EB-2 National Interest Waiver

How to self-petition under the EB-2 NIW: the Dhanasar test, evidence, costs, Visa Bulletin timing and 2026 policy changes.

Work

PERM labor certification

Step-by-step PERM: prevailing wage, recruitment, ETA-9089 in FLAG, current DOL processing times, the I-140 and costs.

Work

Visa Bulletin

How to read the monthly Visa Bulletin, with November 2026 employment and family dates for the most backlogged countries.

Work

For employers

What employers need to know to sponsor H-1B, L-1, O-1, TN and PERM: costs, who pays, I-9, site visits and compliance.

Work

Employment green cards

How EB-1 to EB-5 work, when you need PERM, how priority dates work, and how the final green card step happens.

Work

Work visas

Compare H-1B, L-1, O-1, TN, OPT and H-2 work visas with employment green cards, and find the path that fits your job.

Investment

E-2 treaty investor visa

Treaty countries, substantial investment, marginality, ownership, renewals and family rules for the E-2 investor visa.

Investment

EB-5 investor green card

Investment amounts, regional centers, set-aside visas, fees, timing, the 2027 sunset and the risks of the EB-5 green card.

Investment

EB-5 vs E-2 vs L-1

A side-by-side table and decision questions comparing EB-5, E-2 and L-1 for investors and companies.

Investment

EB-5 source of funds

How to document the lawful source and path of EB-5 capital, including gifts, loans and property sales.

Investment

EB-5 project due diligence

A framework for reviewing EB-5 offerings: documents, capital stack, jobs, escrow, redeployment, fees and red flags.

Investment

Investors

EB-5, E-2 and E-1 compared: what counts as investment, who qualifies, key 2026-2027 dates and the risks.

Business

L-1 visa

L-1A and L-1B intracompany transfers: qualifying relationships, blanket L, opening a new U.S. office, fees and the EB-1C path.

Business

Business immigration

L-1, new office L-1, EB-1C, E visas, H-1B and O-1 for companies and founders, plus entity setup considerations.

Family

Family green cards

Form I-130, F1-F4 wait times, the I-864 affidavit of support, the September 2026 public charge change and current fees.

Family

Marriage green card

Spouse of a citizen vs. green card holder, proving a real marriage, the interview, and removing conditions with Form I-751.

Family

K-1 fiancé(e) visa

Form I-129F, the in-person meeting rule, the 90-day wedding deadline and adjusting status after marriage.

Family

Adjustment of status vs. consular processing

How adjustment of status and consular processing differ, who can adjust, the 3- and 10-year bars, work and travel permits, and fees.

Family

Green card renewal

Form I-90 for 10-year cards, I-751 and I-829 for conditional cards, reentry permits, and travel and abandonment risks.

Family

Citizenship and naturalization

N-400 eligibility, residence and presence rules, the 2025 civics test, fees as of October 2026, and N-600 for children.

Family

Family immigration

Immediate relatives vs. F1-F4 preference categories, who citizens and residents can sponsor, and how family cases move forward.

Study & visit

F-1 student visa

Form I-20, SEVIS fee, DS-160, interview and social media review, plus the 2026 duration-of-status rule and OPT fee proposal.

Study & visit

J-1 exchange visitor

J-1 program categories, DS-2019 and SEVIS fee, plus the 212(e) two-year home residency rule and the main waiver routes.

Study & visit

B-1/B-2 visitor visa

Allowed activities, DS-160 and interview, fees, visa bonds, travel restrictions and how long visitors can stay, as of October 2026.

Study & visit

Visa Waiver Program & ESTA

Who can travel visa-free, the 2026 ESTA fee, ineligibility rules and the strict 90-day limit.

Study & visit

Student, exchange, tourist and visa-free travel options for the U.S., with fees and screening rules as of October 2026.

Humanitarian

Detention & deportation help

Find a detained person, gather the right documents, understand bond and court in 2026, and get legal help quickly.

Humanitarian

Know your rights

Your rights at home, in public, in a car, at work and at the border, plus how to read a warrant and plan for your family.

Humanitarian

Asylum

Who qualifies for asylum, the one-year deadline, Form I-589, 2026 fees, work permit timing and the latest court rulings.

Humanitarian

Temporary Protected Status (TPS)

Which countries still have TPS in October 2026, which were terminated, what holders should do, and the new fees.

Humanitarian

Green card lottery (DV)

The court order reopening DV-2027 registration, who can enter, the $1 fee, photo rules and how to spot lottery scams.

Humanitarian

Humanitarian & urgent help

Asylum, TPS, parole, U/T visas, VAWA, SIJS and detention help, with 2026 changes and where to find free legal aid.

Moving

SSN and ID

Who can get an SSN, when to use an ITIN, REAL ID rules and state driver's licenses for immigrants.

Moving

Taxes for new residents

Resident vs nonresident alien, the green card and substantial presence tests, dual-status years, FBAR, FATCA and state taxes.

Moving

Banking and credit

Opening accounts without an SSN, building credit from scratch, the 2026 remittance tax and how to avoid money scams.

Moving

Health insurance and schools

Coverage options by status, the 2026-2027 Marketplace and Medicaid eligibility changes, school enrollment rights and vaccines.

Moving

Moving to the U.S.

A practical first-30 and first-90-days checklist for new arrivals: records, ID, banking, health, schools and taxes.

Forms & basics

USCIS notices explained

Receipts, biometrics, RFEs, NOIDs, NOIRs, approvals and NTAs explained, with deadlines and next steps.

Forms & basics

USCIS fees

Current USCIS, immigration court and visa fees in one table, including October 2026 increases.

Forms & basics

Immigration glossary

Plain-English definitions of 60+ immigration terms and acronyms, A to Z.

Forms & basics

Immigration planning checklist

A three-stage plan with a document checklist, attorney questions and budget items.

Forms & basics

Official visa sites

Reach the real visa appointment system for your country and avoid lookalike sites and fake fees.

Forms & basics

Avoid immigration scams

Spot notario fraud, fake lottery emails, impostor calls and job scams, and learn where to report them.

Forms & basics

Free legal help

Where to find free or low-cost immigration help, and how to verify an attorney or accredited representative.

Forms & basics

Forms and guidance

Notices, fees, glossary, checklists, official links and scam warnings, in plain English.

Forms & basics

Immigration options

The six main routes to the U.S. compared: family, work, investment, study and visit, humanitarian and the lottery.

This library lists all of our guides, grouped by topic. If you are not sure where to start, try the options explorer, our free immigration tools or our overview of U.S. immigration options. Every guide shows when it was last updated and links to the official government sources it relies on, so you can confirm details before you act. Our guides are general information, not legal advice; for your own situation, speak with a licensed immigration attorney or an accredited representative.

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General information, not legal advice. Immigration rules change and every case is different; talk to a qualified immigration attorney about your situation. USVisa.com is not a government website. Spot an error? Tell us.

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