Work visas in the United States are designed for the different skills that individual workers have. When applying for a work visa, it is important to choose the one that works best for your career goals. If you are a software engineer, you should consider applying for an O-1 visa. As a software engineer, there are a few important advantages to having an O-1 visa, including: Working For Multiple Employers O-1 visas are one of the most flexible nonimmigrant visas in the United States. You are allowed to work for an employer or organization or pick up multiple jobs from different employers. Period Of Stay O-1 visas have an initial stay period of three years. This stay can be renewed in one-year increments for as long as you have a contract with an employer. This is different from other nonimmigrant visas that require an individual to leave once the visa has expired. There is also no limit to how many times you can ask for…Read More
E-2 treaty investor visas offer foreign nationals an opportunity to begin their own business in the United States. Compared to other visas, it is not as complicated to apply for. However, it does come with some stringent requirements. There are both advantages and disadvantages to E-2 treaty investor visas. Advantages Of The E-2 Treaty Investor Visa One of the main advantages of an E-2 treaty investor visa is that you have the ability to conduct business in the United States and be employed by that business. You must play a vital role in the business in order to be eligible for the visa. This can be demonstrated by showing ownership of more than 50% or operational control through a managerial position. In addition, there is no minimum or maximum amount of investment that must be made, although the investment must be substantial. The investment should be proportionate to the nature of the business. Another advantage of the E-2 visa is that your spouse and children…Read More
The United States has always been an important destination for artists around the world and the United States has always been welcoming. From amateurs to professionals, artists and performers are eager to show off their skill to American audiences. P visas are available for artists and performers who wish to show off their talents in the United States. P-1 Visa The P-1 visa is available for artists who will be performing as part of a group project. This type of visa is generally not available for individual artists. The group must be recognized internationally as outstanding for a sustained and substantial amount of time. Along with the artists and performers, support personnel who are essential to the performance may also obtain a visa. They must perform support services that cannot be readily performed by a US worker. For the artists’ group to be eligible, at least 75% of the group must have had a substantial and sustained relationship with the group for at least one…Read More
Legal immigration to the United States has fallen by 11% in the wake of many restrictive immigration policies put into place by the Trump administration. Through these policies, Trump has done more to restrict immigration than a border wall could accomplish. Two of these new policies went into effect in February 2020, an expanded travel ban that included Nigeria, and strict wealth tests on green card applicants. Legal Immigration Down The number of people who obtained permanent legal status in the United States, besides refugees that had previously entered, was down to 940,877 in the 2018 fiscal year from 1,063,289 in the 2016 fiscal year. This was according to an analysis by the National Foundation for American Policy. Four years ago, legal immigration was at its highest level since 2006. The foundation projected a 30 percent drop by 2021. Experts believe that new immigration policies will accelerate the downward trend. Asylum seekers face tightened rules and have been forced to live in squalid camps on…Read More
When applying for work visas or other types of visas, people often ask themselves if they really need an immigration attorney to help them through the process. At first glance, the forms and instructions seem rather straightforward. You are not required to have an attorney, and the decision to hire one is personal. However, there are some important reasons why you may want to hire an attorney for your visa application. Figuring Out Your Options If you are a skilled worker or an employer hoping to hire one, you have many options for working in the United States. However, not all of these options will be right for you, and there may be some options that you have never considered. For instance, while there has been an increase in L visa applications being denied, perhaps you should explore other avenues. A worker may be eligible to come to the United States on an O visa, an underutilized but useful visa, and an experienced immigration lawyer…Read More
Since the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in 2013, the number of applications for “domestic violence green cards” has risen steadily. However, as the number of applications has increased, the percentage of applications flagged as possibly fraudulent has risen at an even faster rate. Fraud referrals have more than quadrupled over the last five years. This has many advocates concerned about the future of these green cards. Harm To Victims Under VAWA, an individual may be eligible for a green card, if they have been the victim of domestic violence. Victims can self-petition for a green card if they can establish that they have endured domestic violence at the hands of a United States citizen or permanent resident. The availability of this green card has been a great advantage and offered peace of mind and security to thousands of victims. Now with greater scrutiny being placed on these green card applications, it may have a chilling effect and be harmful to victims.…Read More
The P category of visas is for foreign nationals who intend to come to the United States to perform either in athletics or entertainment. It is the visa of choice for those who may not have the “extraordinary ability” necessary to qualify for an O visa. If you are an entertainer or group of entertainers seeking to perform in the United States, you should be aware of the different types of P visas available and the requirements for each category. P-1 Visa P-1 visas are available for entertainers who will be performing in a group. An individual will generally not be eligible for a P-1 visa. A P-1 visa will be granted to an entertainment group based on its own international reputation. They must be “internationally recognized” which is defined as “having a high level of achievement in a field evidenced by a degree of skill and recognition substantially above that ordinarily encountered, to the extent that such achievement is renowned, leading, or well-known in…Read More
In order for a foreign national to work in the United States, they need to obtain a work visa. One of the most widely used and useful work visas is the L visa, which allows a temporary worker to come to the United States for an extended period of time. What Is An L Visa? This type of visa allows a foreign company to transfer certain employees to work for an affiliated U.S. company. It is a nonimmigrant visa that is temporary in nature. An L-1A visa is used to transfer a company’s executives and/or managers. An L-1B visa is used for individuals with specialized knowledge. An L-2 visa is used for family members of an L-1 visa holder. Benefits Of The Visa One benefit of anL visa is that the worker can stay in the United States for an extended period of time. The holder of the visa is allowed to work for the company in the United States for a set amount of…Read More
Teams in the United States have been recruiting foreign athletes from around the world to compete in sports like soccer, baseball, and football. In addition, state of the art training facilities make the United States an attractive location for high caliber athletes to train for international competitions like the Olympics. In some cases, these athletes may want to become permanent United States residents. This is where EB-1 green cards can be helpful. Extraordinary Ability An EB-1 visa and green card is available for foreign nationals who demonstrate extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, and athletics. To obtain an EB-1 visa, an athlete must be able to demonstrate extraordinary ability in their sport, plan to work in the sport in the United States, and demonstrate that their work in that sport will be beneficial to the United States. The athlete must show that they have “sustained or international acclaim” and that their achievements have been recognized in their field. The athlete must show either…Read More
While there are many ways to live and work in the United States, the E-2 treaty investor visa represents a way that you can build your own business. The application for an E-2 visa is not overly complicated. However, there are a number of requirements to keep in mind. Requirements For An E-2 Treaty Investor In order to qualify for an E-2 visa, a treaty investor must: Be a national of a country with which the United States maintains a treaty of commerce and navigation. These treaty countries can be found here. Have invested or be actively in the process of investing, a substantial amount of capital in a bona fide enterprise in the United States. Be seeking to enter the United States solely to develop and direct the investment enterprise. This is established by showing at least 50% ownership of the enterprise or possession of operational control through a managerial position or other corporate device. What Is An “Investment?” An investment is the treaty investor’s…Read More