· Immigration · 4 min read
What Is the Easiest Way That Someone Can Immigrate To the USA?
The easiest ways to immigrate to the U.S. include family sponsorship, student visas leading to H-1B and green cards, the E-2 investor visa for entrepreneurs, and the EB-2 NIW for skilled professionals. Your best option depends on age, education, funds, and career goals.
What is the easiest way that someone can immigrate to the USA?
The United States has one of the world’s most complex and long-standing immigration systems. While reforms are often debated, the core pathways to immigrate remain largely the same. Understanding these options can help you identify the most realistic route based on your age, education, financial resources, and personal circumstances.
Family-Based Immigration
One of the most straightforward ways to immigrate is through family sponsorship. If you have a close relative—such as a spouse, parent, or sibling—who is a U.S. citizen, they can file a petition on your behalf. While processing can take several years, this path remains the most accessible for those with qualifying family ties.
For example, in most African countries, the chances of getting a tourist visa are close to zero.
The consular officer asks: what are the chances that this person will return home? If they don’t, the officer gets penalized for issuing that visa.
Student Visas: A Starting Young Applicants
So the easiest way for someone under 30 is to start with a student visa. You can come and study anything—English, or any course.
Once you get a student visa, you can then apply for a work visa. The most common work visa is the H1B, which is for people with a bachelor’s degree. The US system is very simple: if you have education, you have options; if you don’t, there are almost no visas, and unskilled sponsorship takes forever. The typical path is student visa → H1B work visa → employer sponsorship for a green card.
If you’re under 30, a student visa is best. But what should you study? It’s better not to come only for English. US embassies are no longer excited about people just studying English without a path forward. For example, I have a client from Nigeria accepted into engineering, but because his English isn’t strong, he’s doing ESL first at the same university. At the visa interview, we showed both: English now, engineering next. That gave him a clear path.
In recent years, many young people don’t even want traditional university anymore—they want to start businesses. There’s a visa for that: the E2 investor visa. If you have about $50,000 and come from a treaty country, you can open a business in the US on a 5-year visa.
Applicants over 30 can still pursue student visas, but they must convincingly explain why they wish to study later in life. Without a clear educational or career purpose, officers may view it as an attempt to bypass immigration rules.
With work visas, you do need an employer sponsor. You can enter on a tourist visa, legally attend interviews, but not work. Once you get a job offer, your employer can file a petition for H1B or another visa. If you want to start a business, you can use the E2.
Learn more about the E2 Visa.
Another very powerful option is the EB2 National Interest Waiver. It’s a self-petition green card. If you are accomplished in your country—an engineer, inventor, entrepreneur, or professional—you can use your achievements to apply. We prepare a detailed case about your life, show your impact, and file. You don’t need a job offer. Many people from Brazil, Russia, India, and China use this. Usually, you need at least 10 years of experience. Recent graduates probably won’t qualify.
The Role of English Proficiency
English is important. Most universities require TOEFL. If you have a strong TOEFL score, you can get into most US universities.
The most common mistakes applicants make are lack of preparation and lack of proof of financial resources. For student visas, officers want to see you can pay for school. For both student and tourist visas, the biggest issue is lack of ties to the home country—no proof you’ll return. You must clearly explain why your program makes sense for your career.
Successful immigrants are those with vision. Entrepreneurs and start-up founders often come with clear goals and business plans, making them very successful in the US.
Looking at the future, immigration is a huge political issue. Recently, the Biden administration proposed helping undocumented spouses of US citizens while simultaneously restricting asylum at the border. Immigration will continue to see changes.
At Capitol Law Partners, we guide individuals and families through every step of the U.S. immigration process. Whether you are seeking a student visa, pursuing an investor pathway, or preparing a green card petition, our experienced attorneys provide personalized legal advice and strong representation. With a proven track record in immigration law, we help turn your U.S. immigration goals into reality.
