I'm from Colombia. How can I get a US citizneship or work permit/visa? My purpose is to work in U.S?

Your employer must apply for the work visa for you. You can not get a work visa on your own.

Then you are not going to the US, as the employer sponsors and applies for any work visa

Well...if the company isn't willing to sponsor it's not that easy. Right now you'd have to go to a diversity lottery and you'll need luck. There is pending legislation that would affect this answer quite a bit, but it hasn't passed yet.

The best way now is to find a sponsoring company.

You can't, because your purpose is to work in the U.S. Because that is your purpose, you cannot get a visa, work permit, or citizenship. To qualify to get any other those things without the support of the company, you must have another purpose.

You have NO valid job offer. Only qualified employers can apply for any type of employment visa for their qualified foreign employee. So there is no way you can come to work in US for that employer - either the employer is not qualified to hire foreign workers & apply for their visa, or you are not qualified for any employment visa, or both.

So what are your qualifications? What degrees do you hold in which field from which universities where? What post-master's (preferably doctorate) degree experience do you have doing what, exactly, how well & how long for whom where? Is this a STEM occupation? That's what it takes to have some chance of applying for a good job with a 3-year visa. Other qualifications MIGHT qualify you for an employment visa of a much shorter term (e.g. resort work typically lasts no more than 4-6 months and cannot exceed a year).

Expect very tough competition from around the world for any job which might qualify for a temporary employment visa. It is not unusual for such a position to attract 100-1000 applicants. For one job.

Pick a visa


There are basically NINE ways that you can get a visa to live and work in the US:

(1) Marriage (or engagement in anticipation of marriage) to a US citizen.

(2) You have skills that are in short supply in the US e.g. scientific or medical training. A degree is normally a must. Or you have superior specialist skills with at least 12 years experience. (H visas)applications next received on 1st April in this current year

(3) You have an Employer who is willing to transfer you - but even the employer has to make a good case for you - so you have to be a manager unless you fall under category (2) above.(L visas)

(4) You may get a Green card in the diversity lottery (UK citizens, except N.Ireland, are not generally eligible unless you, your spouse or parents were born abroad or held a different citizenship.

(5)You own or buy business (does not get you permanent resident status i.e. no green card)You must be a national of a qualifying Treaty countries. The business must have a minimum value of around $150k (more the better) bearing in mind you will need somewhere to live and with any startup business you will need at least 2 years living money as back up. So a figure of $350k would be a nearer minimum (E-2 visas)

(6)You are an "investor" i.e. you have at least US $1m in assets to bring with you. half of that in a few areas. And your background will be investigated to the hilt. (EB-5 visas)

(7)You have a close relative (mother, father, brother, sister and no further) who is an US citizen who would sponsor you, approx time this take 2-25 years?

(8.The R1 visa is available to foreign members of religious denominations, having bona fide non-profit religious organizations in the U.S., for entering the U.S. to carry on the activities of a minister or religious worker as a profession, occupation or vocation

(9)THE UNUSUAL You are in a position to claim refugee status/political asylum. or You get a member of Congress to sponsor a private bill with legislation that applies just to you.
The S visa issued to persons who assist US law enforcement to investigate and prosecute crimes and terrorist activities such as money laundering and organized crime


Recruitment agent will not take you seriously if you are not already in the US. Writing for jobs is really a waste of time; likewise US employers have no idea what foreign qualification are or mean (except Degrees) it may pay you to get your qualification translated into a US equivalent, there are Companies that do this (World Education Services - International Credential Evaluation Expertise) ..
But if you are getting a visa under (2) above then you need a job offer before you can get the visa. Your Employer will be your sponsor this will cost them upward of $5k. So you can see you have to be offering something really special to get considered They may also have to prove to the Dept of labor that there is no American who can do the job if the position is to be permanent ©
DO NOT USE VISA CONSULTANTS

The regulations define a "specialty occupation" as requiring theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge in a field of human endeavor including but not limited to biotechnology, chemistry, architecture, engineering, mathematics, physical sciences, social sciences, medicine and health, education, law, accounting, business specialties, theology, and the arts, and requiring the attainment of a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent as a minimum