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U.S. immigration law provides two main gateways for a foreign born individual to enter and be physically present in the United States:
The first gateway allows for a temporary stay and requires the grant of temporary visa (also known as nonimmigrant visa) status. Each category of temporary visa is designated by a letter of the alphabet, and is granted for a specific purpose with distinct eligibility criteria. At the moment, there are different temporary visa categories ranging all the way through the alphabet from the letter "A" to the letter "V". Which visa category is right for me?
The second gateway leads to permanent residence in the U.S., or the green card, by way of the grant of an immigrant visa . Permanent residence is for those individuals who wish to make the United States their permanent and principal place of residence.
Please note that generally there is an impenetrable wall separating the two pathways into the U.S. This concept becomes important to keep in mind when you apply for a temporary visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consular Office overseas. However, in certain circumstances, and with careful planning, it is possible to switch from temporary to permanent status at the end of a temporary stay, or to find gateways into the permanent path along the way.
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