What is the best way to move to the USA?
Last updated October 29, 2026 · Reviewed by Sandro Riccardo Presta, founder of The Bridge Alliance
Key facts
- TN status lets citizens of Canada and Mexico work in the U.S. in professions listed under the USMCA. (USCIS)
- The E-2 visa is only for nationals of treaty countries; Canada is one. (U.S. Department of State)
- EB-5 is an immigrant investor program leading to permanent residence. (USCIS)
Moving from Canada? Read Moving from Canada to the USA or your province: Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta. Considering Panama too? See Panama visas.
Your Path to the United States, Step by Step
Investor, employment, family and study routes, explained in plain English. We help you understand your options and coordinate every step with our licensed partner immigration attorneys.
How We Help
Find the right pathway
We listen to your nationality, background, finances and goals, then map the U.S. options worth discussing with an attorney.
We coordinate your file with licensed attorneys
Our partner immigration attorneys give the legal advice and prepare and file your case. We organize your documents, keep the timeline clear and make sure nothing falls through the cracks.
We support you before and after you land
From preparing for your visa interview to settling in (housing, banking, schools, and more), we stay with you after approval.
Choose Your Pathway
There is no single ‘USA visa.’ The right route depends on who you are, what you want to do in the U.S. and your country of citizenship. Eligibility is assessed case by case with an immigration attorney.
E-2 Treaty Investor Visa
In plain English: A temporary (renewable) visa for people who invest a substantial amount in a real U.S. business that they will direct and develop.
Who it suits: Entrepreneurs and business owners who are citizens of a country that has an E-2 treaty with the U.S. Eligibility depends on your nationality: the U.S. Department of State publishes the list of treaty countries. The investment must be committed and at risk, and the business must be real and active, not just a way to hold money.
How The Bridge helps:
- Check whether your country of citizenship is a treaty country.
- Review your business idea or existing company and your source of funds with our partner attorney.
- Help you prepare a business plan and organize your supporting documents.
- Coordinate filing and your visa interview preparation through the attorney.
- Support your move and set-up in the U.S. once approved.
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
In plain English: A green card (permanent residence) route for investors who put qualifying capital into a U.S. commercial enterprise that creates jobs for U.S. workers.
Who it suits: Investors who want permanent residence for themselves, their spouse and unmarried children under 21, and who are comfortable with the risks of a long-term investment. Investments can be made directly or through an approved regional center. The program rules and any renewal dates are set by Congress and can change.
How The Bridge helps:
- Discuss your goals, family and source of funds in a first consultation.
- Our partner attorney explains the structure options (direct or regional center) and the legal risks. We do not give investment advice.
- We help you gather and organize source-of-funds documentation.
- The attorney prepares and files the petition; we coordinate timelines and keep you updated.
- We support you through the visa or green card steps and your arrival.
L-1 Intracompany Transferee
In plain English: A temporary visa that lets a company move a manager, executive or specialized-knowledge employee from a foreign office to a related U.S. office, including a new office set up in the U.S.
Who it suits: Business owners and employees of companies that already operate abroad and want to open or grow a U.S. presence. Generally the employee must have worked for the company abroad for at least one continuous year within the last three years. Some L-1 managers and executives may later be able to pursue a green card.
How The Bridge helps:
- Review your company structure and your role to see whether the L-1 could fit.
- Plan the U.S. entity, office and staffing with your attorney and advisers.
- Organize corporate and employment documents.
- Coordinate filing by the attorney and prepare you for the next steps.
- Help your team and family settle in the U.S.
H-1B Specialty Occupation
In plain English: A temporary work visa for jobs that require specialized knowledge and at least a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in a related field. A U.S. employer must sponsor you.
Who it suits: University-educated professionals (technology, engineering, finance, health, research and similar fields) with a U.S. job offer. Most new H-1B cases are subject to an annual cap and an electronic registration/selection process, and the rules and costs around it have changed repeatedly, so current requirements must be checked with an attorney.
How The Bridge helps:
- Review your degree, experience and target roles.
- Help you connect your profile with U.S. employers’ needs (we do not guarantee any job offer).
- Coordinate with the employer and its attorney on registration and filing timelines.
- Prepare you for the visa interview or change-of-status steps.
- Support your move and the long-term plan, including a possible green card.
TN / USMCA Professionals (Canadians and Mexicans)
In plain English: A temporary work status for citizens of Canada and Mexico who work in certain listed professions under the USMCA trade agreement, with a U.S. employer or clients.
Who it suits: Canadian and Mexican citizens in listed professions (for example engineers, accountants, scientists, some teachers, and management consultants) who meet the education or licensing requirements of their profession. Canadians generally apply at the border or airport; Mexicans apply for a visa at a U.S. consulate.
How The Bridge helps:
- Confirm your citizenship and match your job to the USMCA profession list.
- Review your degree and credentials and prepare the employer letter with your attorney.
- Organize your document package.
- Prepare you for the border or consulate step.
- Help with relocation and, if desired, a longer-term plan.
O-1 Extraordinary Ability
In plain English: A temporary visa for people with sustained national or international recognition in science, business, education, athletics or the arts, or a record of achievement in film and television.
Who it suits: Founders, researchers, artists, athletes and other high achievers who can document awards, press, original contributions, high salary or critical roles. It requires a U.S. employer or agent to file.
How The Bridge helps:
- Review your achievements with our partner attorney.
- Help you collect and organize evidence (awards, media, letters, contracts).
- Coordinate the required advisory opinion and employer or agent arrangements.
- The attorney prepares and files the petition.
- Support you through the interview and your arrival.
Employment-Based Green Cards: EB-1, EB-2 (including NIW) and EB-3
In plain English: Employment-based green cards give permanent residence. They are organized in preference categories.
- EB-1: Priority workers: people of extraordinary ability, outstanding professors and researchers, and certain multinational managers and executives.
- EB-2: Professionals with an advanced degree or exceptional ability. The National Interest Waiver (NIW) lets some applicants self-petition without a job offer when their work benefits the U.S. in a significant way.
- EB-3: Skilled workers, professionals and other workers, usually with a U.S. employer sponsor and, in most cases, a labor certification from the U.S. Department of Labor.
Who it suits: Professionals and high achievers who want long-term residence in the U.S. Availability of green card numbers depends on your category and country of birth, so waiting times vary widely.
How The Bridge helps:
- Compare EB-1, EB-2/NIW and EB-3 against your profile with our partner attorney.
- Build your evidence checklist (degrees, achievements, letters, employment records).
- For employer-sponsored cases, coordinate with the employer on the Department of Labor steps.
- The attorney prepares and files your petition and later your green card application.
- We keep you informed and ready for each next step, including the interview and arrival.
Spouse and Immediate Relative Green Cards
In plain English: U.S. citizens can sponsor their spouse, unmarried children under 21 and parents (if the citizen is 21 or older) for a green card. U.S. green card holders can sponsor a spouse and unmarried children under other family categories that may involve longer waits.
Who it suits: Families where the sponsor is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and the relationship can be documented. The sponsor must meet financial support requirements.
How The Bridge helps:
- Confirm the relationship category and who the sponsor is.
- Build the document checklist (civil records, proof of relationship, financial support evidence, translations).
- The attorney prepares and files the petition and related forms.
- We help you prepare for the interview, either at a U.S. consulate abroad or in the U.S., depending on the case.
- Support the family’s move and first steps in the U.S.
K-1 Fiancé(e) Visa
In plain English: A visa that lets the foreign fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen enter the U.S. to marry within 90 days of arrival, and then apply for a green card.
Who it suits: Couples where one partner is a U.S. citizen, both are free to marry, and they have met in person within the last two years (limited exceptions apply). Intent to marry must be genuine and documented.
How The Bridge helps:
- Check the basic requirements for both partners.
- Organize proof of your relationship and in-person meetings.
- The attorney prepares and files the fiancé(e) petition.
- We prepare the foreign partner for the consular interview and medical exam.
- After arrival, we help you plan the marriage and the green card application, which the attorney handles.
Student Visa (F-1), Then Work
In plain English: A visa to study full-time at a U.S. school approved by the government. After studying, some students may be eligible for work authorization related to their field, such as Optional Practical Training (OPT), and may later change to a work visa or green card route.
Who it suits: Students and career-changers who want a U.S. education and a possible path to U.S. work experience. A student visa is a temporary status with specific rules, and a student must show they intend to study and have the means to pay for it. Work options, while studying and afterwards, are limited and rules change.
How The Bridge helps:
- Discuss your academic and career goals and shortlist programs.
- Check whether the school is approved to enroll international students.
- Prepare your financial and academic document package and visa interview.
- Support your arrival and settling in.
- Plan next steps toward work authorization and longer-term options with the attorney.
Visitor Visas (B-1 / B-2) — for visits, not for immigrating
In plain English: Short-term visas for tourism, visiting family, medical treatment (B-2) or business meetings and conferences (B-1).
Who it suits: People traveling to the U.S. for a temporary visit who will return home. A visitor visa is not a way to immigrate, work or study in the U.S., and visitors must show strong ties to their home country. Rules for applicants vary by nationality and can include additional requirements.
How The Bridge helps:
- Confirm a visitor visa matches the purpose of your trip (and tell you honestly if it does not).
- Prepare your application and supporting documents.
- Coach you on what to expect at the interview.
- If your plans change to living, working or studying in the U.S., we map the correct pathway with an attorney instead.
What Every Applicant Should Expect
- A valid passport, with enough validity for your plans
- Civil documents (birth and marriage certificates) and, where needed, certified translations
- Police or background certificates when required
- Evidence for your category (for example business, education, employment, relationship or financial documents)
- Medical examinations for immigrant (green card) cases and some other categories
- An interview at a U.S. consulate or a USCIS office in many cases
- Honesty in everything you submit: errors or misrepresentation can cause serious problems, including long-term bars
- Processing times vary by pathway, location and government workload. Some categories also have annual limits or waiting lists.
- Government rules and policies change frequently. We confirm current requirements with your attorney and the official sources (USCIS, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Labor) before filing.
How It Works
Free consultation
Tell us about your situation and goals.
Pathway review
We outline the options worth exploring and arrange a case review with a licensed partner immigration attorney, who assesses your eligibility case by case.
Document preparation and filing
We build your checklist and coordinate your documents; the attorney prepares and files your case.
Interview, approval and settling in
We help you prepare for each step and, once approved, support your move and set-up in the U.S.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on your nationality, education, work history, finances, family ties and what you want to do in the U.S. Start with a free consultation. We will outline the options and arrange an attorney review, because eligibility is assessed case by case with an immigration attorney.
No. The Bridge Alliance is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Immigration services are provided through licensed partner attorneys. We coordinate your case, organize your documents and support you before and after you arrive.
A visa generally lets you enter the U.S. for a specific purpose and period of time (for example to work, study or visit). A green card gives you lawful permanent residence, which means you can live and work in the U.S. long term. Some visas can lead to a green card, but many do not.
No. A visitor visa is for temporary trips only and cannot be used to live, work or study in the U.S. Entering on a visitor visa with the plan to stay can cause serious immigration problems. If you want to move, we will help you identify the proper pathway.
The E-2 is open only to citizens of countries that have a qualifying treaty with the U.S. If your country is on the list, you may be able to invest in and run a U.S. business, subject to the requirements. An attorney will confirm whether your nationality and investment plan fit.
It varies. Timing depends on the category, your country of citizenship, the government agency and the consulate involved, and it can change. We never promise a timeline, but we will explain what to expect for your case and keep you updated.
Many visa and green card categories allow a spouse and unmarried children under 21 to be included or to follow, but the rules differ by category. For example, work authorization for dependents is not the same in every case. We will review this for your family with the attorney.
Your attorney will explain the reasons and what options may exist, such as a different category, additional evidence or another path. No outcome is guaranteed, which is why we start with an honest, case-by-case review before you commit to a route.
Not sure which visa fits?
Who we are
About The Bridge Alliance
The Bridge Alliance (legal name The Bridge Cross Border Consulting) is a cross border relocation consultancy founded in 2025 by Sandro Riccardo Presta, with offices in Greenville, Texas and Toronto, Ontario.
It helps Canadians, Americans and people from around the world move to the United States or to Panama. Its all inclusive relocation package handles everything:
Visas & residency
Coordination with licensed partner attorneys.
Banking setup
Opening the accounts you need to get started.
Housing & settling in
Finding your home and getting settled.
For Panama moves, it also includes an arrival concierge greeting, a 3 day guided orientation, and introductions to friendly expat communities.
Pricing is explained in a free consultation. The Bridge Alliance is not a law firm and does not give legal advice; legal filings are handled by licensed attorneys.
The Bridge Alliance is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Immigration services are provided through licensed partner attorneys.
This page is for general orientation only. Eligibility is assessed case by case with an immigration attorney. Requirements, policies and eligibility rules change, and we confirm current rules with your attorney and official sources before any filing.