Immigration Services

Our office can provide assistance to individuals seeking non-immigrant visas to visit the United States for business or pleasure, attend school or participate in an exchange program, invest in a new or existing business, or engage in temporary work. We also assist individuals who want to become permanent residents ("green card" holders) of the United States through a relationship with a qualifying family member, a job offer, or an investment.

Non-Immigrant Visas

Non-immigrant visas are issued to those who intend to enter the U.S. for a temporary stay and who intend to depart the U.S. at the end of their stay.

U.S. law establishes separate classifications of non-immigrant visas for tourism, business, temporary employment, study, transit, investment, training, and other purposes.

• A - Diplomatic Personnel and their Families (A-1/A-2/A-3)
• B - Temporary Visitors for Business/Pleasure (B-1/B-2)
• B-1 "Business" Visa includes visas to the U.S. to attend conventions, conferences, consultations and other legitimate activities of a commercial or professional nature. This may include taking steps to establish a branch office of a foreign company or to set up an investment in the United States
• B-2 "Tourist" Visa includes visits to the U.S. for pleasure involving recreation, tourism, amusement, visits with friends or relatives, rest, medical treatment, and social networking
• C - Visitors in Transit
• D - Crew Members
• E-1 & E-2 Treaty Trader & Treaty Investor
• E-1 "Treaty Traders" are persons engaging in substantial trade between the U.S. and their home country
• E-2 "Treaty Investors" are persons coming to the U.S. to develop and direct enterprises in the U.S. in which they are investing a substantial amount of capital
• L - Intracompany Transferees

Available for employees who have been employed by a multinational company abroad that seeks to open new business operations in the United States or transfer the employee to an existing business that is related to the company abroad

• L-1A for Managers/Executives
• L-1B for Employees with Specialized Company Knowledge
• L-1 regulations also recognize a visa may be issued for opening a "new office"
• H - Temporary Workers who fill an immediate and temporary need for labor
• H-1B Specialist/Professional
• H-1B1 for non-immigrant professionals from Chile & Singapore
• H-1C for Registered Nurses
• H-2A for Temporary Agricultural Workers
• H-2B for Temporary Non-Agricultural Workers
• H-3 Trainees
• H-4 for spouses and children of persons in the other H classes
• O - Persons with "Extraordinary Ability" in the fields of Science, Art, Education, Business, or Athletics
• P - Internationally Recognized Athletes, Artists, or Members of Recognized Entertainment Groups
• Q - Participants in International Cultural Exchange Programs
• F - Academic Students
• J - Exchange Visitors
• G - International Organization Representatives
• K - Fiancé(e)s and Spouses of U.S. Citizens
• M - Vocational or Non-Academic students seeking to enter the U.S. temporarily to pursue a full course of study at an established or recognized vocational or other non-academic institution
• R - Religious Workers

Other categories of visas are available depending upon individual/corporate needs

Immigrant Visas

Immigrant visas are issued to those who intend to reside permanently in the U.S. ("Green Card" holders). Under U.S. law, immigrant visas are generally reserved for individuals who are close relatives of either U.S. citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) in the United States, or for people hired to work in jobs in which it has been determined that there are not enough skilled Americans to perform.

Employment Based Immigrant Visas

Foreign nationals who are skilled or educated and who have job offers have the possibility of immigrating to the United States. Typically, the prospective employer must first obtain a labor certification and approval of a petition. An approved Labor Certification (LC) is a document issued by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) certifying that: (1) An employer needs the foreign worker's skills and abilities; (2) The employer has tried to recruit U.S. workers for the position; (3) The employer has offered the position at the normal or prevailing wage; and (4) The employer has found no qualified workers.

• EB-1 Priority Workers
• EB-2 Advanced-degree Holders & Aliens of Exceptional Ability
• EB-3 Professional, Skilled and Other Workers
• EB-4 Religious Workers
• EB-5 Immigrant Investors

The EB-5 "Immigrant Investor" Visa

The U.S. Congress created the EB-5 immigrant visa category in 1990 for immigrants seeking to enter to engage in a commercial enterprise that will benefit the U.S. economy and create at least 10 full-time jobs. The basic amount required to invest is $1.8 million, although that amount may be $900,000 if the investment is made in a "targeted employment area."

Family Based Immigrant Visas

U.S. immigration laws provide a method for a U.S. citizen or LPR to sponsor the immigration of a family member abroad. The length of time required to complete the process depends on the relationship of the family members, whether the sponsor is a U.S. citizen or an LPR, and, sometimes, the country where the family member is located.

• Immediate Relatives - spouse, parent, minor child of adult U.S. Citizens (USC's)

Preference Categories:

• FB-1: Unmarried sons/daughters of USC's
• FB-2A: Spouses/minor children of LPR's
• FB-2B: Unmarried children of LPR's
• FB-3: Married sons/daughters of USC's
• FB-4: Brothers/sisters of USC's