Can you get US work visa without sponsorship?

Most US work visas require a job offer and sponsorship from a US employer. This means the employer must petition for you with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services before you can apply for the visa.

There are limited exceptions where you can work in the US without employer sponsorship. These include visas and permits that allow self petitioning, such as the EB 1A for individuals with extraordinary ability, the EB 2 National Interest Waiver for those whose work benefits the US significantly, and certain investor visas like the E 2 or EB 5 where you invest your own funds in a US business.

For most standard work visas, such as the H 1B, L 1, or O 1, you must have an employer sponsor you. Without sponsorship, your options are generally limited to self petition categories or investment based visas.