The US has no system of gradual transition from a temporary visa to resident status — you can either apply directly for a green card or get a temporary visa. Out of the many categories that exist on paper, only a handful are actually attainable: immigrant EB-1A, EB-2 NIW, and EB-3, plus nonimmigrant O-1, L-1, E-2, and H-1B.

Immigrant visas: the path to a green card

Immigrant visas in the US are effectively green cards. The country doesn’t offer a transitional scheme like Europe does — temporary status first, then permanent. Instead, you can apply directly for permanent residence.

Five main categories of economic immigration — from EB-1 to EB-5 — actually work. Family-based immigration and the lottery also lead to a green card, but in practice these paths are genuinely inaccessible for most people.

EB-1A: visa for people with extraordinary ability

This category is for top specialists who have reached the pinnacle of their field. To apply, you need to meet at least three of ten criteria, confirming status as one of the leading professionals in your area. In terms of effectiveness, this is the most workable immigrant category.

EB-2 NIW: specialists serving the US national interest

This category is designed for specialists in the exact sciences — physics, chemistry, mathematics, and similar fields. An alternative path is available to people with advanced degrees and entrepreneurial experience: you need to propose a business project to be implemented in the US. The project doesn’t have to be your own business — any project will do.

EB-3: skilled and unskilled workers

This category is divided into skilled and unskilled workers. Through the first path, you can take an ordinary position at an American company. A conditional green card is issued first, and the condition is later removed. The second path covers positions with no special requirements.

EB-4 and EB-5: narrow categories

EB-4 is intended exclusively for religious workers and suits a narrow circle of people. EB-5 is an investor visa requiring an investment starting at one million dollars. Both categories are of limited use for most applicants.

Nonimmigrant visas: temporary stay

Nonimmigrant visas are temporary by nature and don’t lead directly to a green card, though a transition is possible in some cases. Out of the many letters of the alphabet used to label these visas, only a few are actually accessible.

O-1 is a visa for people with extraordinary ability, but the bar for entry is significantly lower than for EB-1. L-1 is available to employees being transferred to another office of the same company, or to entrepreneurs opening a US branch of their foreign company. It doesn’t require outstanding achievements — having an operating company is enough. It’s issued for one year and is a dual-intent visa: you can relatively easily switch to an immigrant visa or other categories if needed.

E-2 is available only to citizens of countries that have a treaty of commerce and navigation with the US. Russia doesn’t have this option.

The P category is for creative professionals — artists, stand-up comedians coming for tours and projects. It’s usually issued for one year. Switching to other visas from this category is possible but difficult.

H-1B is a visa for specialists. After the Trump administration introduced a $100,000 fee, many stopped considering it. However, applications for this visa continued to be accepted. Applying from abroad is genuinely harder now. The fee was later rescinded, but the Trump administration filed a lawsuit to overturn that decision, and the legal proceedings are still ongoing.

Special categories

There are narrow visa categories for informants, victims of domestic violence, and other special cases. Some of them lead to a green card, but only through obtaining temporary protected status. These categories require consulting specialists, since each case is unique and complex.