IMMIGRATION

     Whether you are applying for a green card, asylum, an investor visa, a marriage visa, fiancé visa, tourist visa, temporary worker visa, student visa or any other type of visa, your best chance to obtain entry into the United States of America (US) is to hire a lawyer experienced in immigration law.  Also, don’t attempt to use do-it-yourself application packages or hire companies that advertise they guarantee you entry into the US.  There are no guarantees and you may only get one opportunity to gain entry. Increase your chances of living the American Dream; hire our Law Firm to represent you when applying for entry into the US.  Our firm prepares most types of immigration petitions for entry into the US i.e. visas, green cards, business, pleasure, temporary workers, naturalization, citizenship, asylum, extensions, renewals, etc.  Following are a few of the more popular petitions for entry into the US.

MARRIAGE WITH U.S. CITIZEN SPOUSE
     Marriage with a U.S. citizen spouse is a family immigrant visa categorized for immediate relatives and is consisted of a petition made by the USC (petitioner) on behalf of the foreign national (beneficiary) for permanent residency based on their marriage. This process is the simplest and fastest means for foreign nationals to receive their green card or obtain relief from a deportation order.

B-1 / B-2 VISA - BUSINESS, TOURISM OR MEDICAL
     Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. The visa allows a foreign citizen, to travel to the United States port-of entry and request permission of the U.S. immigration inspector to enter the U.S. The "visitor" visa is a nonimmigrant visa for persons desiring to enter the United States temporarily for business (B-1), for pleasure or medical treatment (B-2), or combination of both (B-1/B-2) purposes.

E-2 TREATY INVESTOR
     An E2 visa is a non-immigrant visa reserved for investors from countries that have commerce and navigation treaties or bi-lateral investment treaties with the United States who have invested substantial capital in a U.S. company and who wish to come to the United States to develop and direct business operations of the enterprise.

F-1 VISA – ACADEMIC STUDENT
     The F-1 Visa allows one to enter and remain the United States for academic or language studies.  The F-1 Visa permits the holder to enter the United States for the duration of status given by the school (he or she may stay as long as they are full time students). The F-1 visa can only be extended at the school or institution.  The F-1 also allows the academic student to bring a spouse or other dependent under an F-2. Students may apply for a work authorization in the following conditions:

H-1B VISA –PROFESSIONALS AND SKILLED WORKERS
     This specific H-1B visa is categorized as an EB-3 third preference “Professional and Skilled Workers” in employment based immigration. This visa is reserved for U.S. employers that wish to employ temporarily or eventually permanently, foreign nationals in professional positions for “specialty occupations.” A U.S. employer must file the petition and follow requirements and guidelines as stated by the Department of Labor. More than one H-1B visa petition may be in effect simultaneously, allowing the temporary worker to work for two employers during the same time period. The H-1B visa is granted in increments not to exceed a total stay of 6 years and it is also subject to annual quota restrictions.

L-1 VISA - EXECUTIVES AND MANAGERS
     An L-1A visa is categorized as an EB-1 first preference “Priority Workers” in employment based immigration. This visa is reserved for multinational executives and managers that are intra company transferees to be employed permanently by U.S. businesses and that have a parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or home office business abroad. A U.S. employer or foreign employer must file the petition, but a foreign employer must have a legal business entity in the United States.

O-1 VISA – INDIVIDUALS OF EXTRAORDINARY ABILITY
     The O-1 visa is a nonimmigrant visa that can be also be categorized as an EB-1 first preference “Priority Workers” in employment based immigration for obtaining permanent residence. This visa is reserved for foreign nationals who have extraordinary abilities in the arts, sciences, education, business, or athletics, which has been demonstrated by sustained national and international acclaim. A U.S. employer or foreign employer must file the petition (only through a U.S. agent), and the foreign national must only seek U.S. entry to “continue work in the area of extraordinary ability.” The initial admission period for the O-1 nonimmigrant temporary visa is 3 years with extension increments of 1 year.

R-1 VISA –RELIGIOUS WORKERS
     The R-1 visa is a nonimmigrant visa that can be also be categorized as an EB-4 fourth preference “Religious Workers” in employment based immigration for obtaining permanent residence. This visa is reserved for foreign nationals who have been a member of a religious denomination having a bona fide profit and a religious organization in the United States, and has worked as a minister, in a professional religious occupation, or religious vocation for at least two years preceding the time of application. Nonimmigrant religious visas are normally granted initially for up to three years, with a two year extension, for a maximum total of five years.

GREEN CARDS
     A green card also known as a "Permanent Resident Card" is a life-long visa ("pass") allowing a foreigner to live and work in the United States. The card itself is a government-issued plastic identification. card that serves as proof of this permanent resident status in the United States. A green card is not citizenship. A green card can be revoked if a person does not maintain permanent residence in the United States, travels outside the country for too long, or breaks certain laws.

U.S. CITIZENSHIP/ NATURALIZATION
     Naturalization is the process by which an alien may gain U.S. Citizenship. Generally, the alien must have become a permanent resident first and must have maintained permanent status for five continuous years before applying for naturalization; three years are for permanent residents that are married to a U.S. citizen. A permanent resident may file up to ninety days before the end of the five or three year residency period. Presently, processing times for naturalization cases are estimated to be 1 year.

ASYLUM AND WITHOLDING OF REMOVAL
     Marriage with a U.S. citizen spouse is a family immigrant visa categorized for immediate relatives and is consisted of a petition made by the USC (petitioner) on behalf of the foreign national (beneficiary) for permanent residency based on their marriage. This process is the simplest and fastest means for foreign nationals to receive their green card or obtain relief from a deportation order.

ABUSE: BATTERED SPOUSES OF U.S. CITIZENS
     An abused spouse U.S. citizen is a “special immigrant.” That person may file an immigrant visa considered as part of  “immediate relatives” category and is consisted of a self petition made by the battered and abused spouse of USC (petitioner) on behalf of herself/ himself (beneficiary) for permanent residency based on the marriage to their ex USC spouse. This process is the simplest and fastest means for foreign nationals to receive their green card.

TEMPORARY PROTECTION STATUS ( TPS )
     Temporary Protected Status (TPS) allows aliens from war-and-disaster stricken countries to remain lawful in the U.S. The Attorney General may designate countries for TPS if they have “extraordinary and temporary conditions” that prevent their nationals from returning in safety. Presently these include: Haiti, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Sudan. It protects the eligible alien from removal and detention and allows work authorization, but it does not cure past violations of status.