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Immigration Overview
Frequently Asked Questions
Immigration Links

Immigration Overview

What does the term “immigration” mean? If one wishes a strict definition, it means moving to the U.S. to take up a permanent residence. In reality, most people use the term “immigration” to convey a vast array of benefits and visa types available to qualified foreign nationals. Our website contains detailed information containing most aspects of U.S. immigration law. To help organize the type of information that most people seek, we provide here a general description of the types of the most commonly sought visas.

To begin, you must keep in mind three things. First, there are two main avenues for gaining permission to enter or remain in the United States: via family or employment. Second, within the employment based avenues, both temporary (known as nonimmigrant) and permanent (known as immigrant) visas exist. Family based visas are only for immigrants, those wishing to make their permanent home in the U.S. Third, the green card that so many desire is merely a card (no longer green) evidencing lawful permanent residence. Lawful permanent residence is achieved either by changing nonimmigrant status to immigrant status in the U.S., known as “adjustment of status”, or by obtaining an immigrant visa at a U.S. consulate abroad.

Within the family-based categories, foreign nationals eligible to seek lawful permanent residence include: the children (under 21), spouses and parents of US citizens; unmarried sons and daughters (over 21) of US citizens; spouses, children and unmarried sons and daughters of lawful permanent residents; married sons and daughters of US citizens; and siblings of adult US citizens.

As stated above, the employment-based categories include both nonimmigrant/temporary and immigrant/permanent visas. Some of the more popular nonimmigrant visas include H-1B visas for holders of bachelor degrees or higher who have been hired to fill a position requiring their degree or a degree related to theirs; L-1 visa for managers, executives or persons having specialized knowledge within a company who are coming from employment abroad to work for a U.S. company legally related to their foreign employer; and F-1 visas for students wishing to study full-time in a U.S. school.

Employment-based immigrant visas are divided into five preference categories. Under the first preference are those exhibiting extraordinary ability (sustained national or international recognition in their field), outstanding researchers and professors, and multinational executives and managers. The second preference includes members of the professions hold advanced degrees or exhibiting exceptional ability. The third preference consists of skilled workers filling positions which require at least two years experience, and professionals holding a bachelor degree or higher. The fourth preference is a catch all category for special immigrants such as clergy, religious workers, certain foreign medical graduates, and certain court dependents. The last category is for foreign nationals investing a minimum of $1,000,000 (or under certain circumstances $500,000) in the US and employing a minimum of 10 workers full-time.

Last, most visas are limited in number. This means that a qualified applicant may need to wait for some period of time before receiving the desire visa.

We hope this general overview of immigration law is helpful. Please refer to the links on the left side of this site's homepage for more specific, detailed information on the immigration process.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. How can I enter the U.S. as an academic student? F-1 Visa
  2. How can I enter the U.S. as a vocational student? M-1 VISA
  3. How can I enter the U.S. to work in a specialty occupation? H-1B VISA
  4. What is the process underlying the hiring of foreign agricultural workers? H-2A VISA
  5. How do I fill a temporary need for foreign workers? H-2B VISA
  6. How can I receive training in the U.S.? H-3 VISA
  7. How can I transfer employees to a U.S. operation? L-1 VISA
  8. How can a religious worker enter the U.S.? R-1 VISA
  9. Where can I get more information about the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)? TN VISA
  10. How can an individual with extraordinary abilities enter the U.S.? O-1 VISA
  11. How can support personnel of people with extraordinary abilities enter the U.S.? O-2 VISA
  12. How can entertainers, artists or athletes enter the U.S.? P-1 VISA
  13. How can artists or entertainers involved in an exchange program enter the U.S.? P-2 VISA
  14. How can art educators enter the U.S.? P-3 VISA
  15. What is the best way to enter the U.S. to engage in a business venture? B-1 VISA
  16. What is the ideal tourist visa? B-2 VISA
  17. What is the visa classification for ‘treaty traders’? E-1 VISA
  18. What is the visa classification for ‘treaty investors’? E-2 VISA
  19. I am an exchange visitor. What visa should I apply for? J-1 VISA
  20. I am an exchange visitor interested in receiving training in the U.S. What visa should I apply for? Q-1 VISA
  21. Can I enter the U.S. for a brief period of time without obtaining a visa? VISA WAIVER PROGRAM
  22. I am traveling through the U.S. Can I visit family/friends while waiting for my departing flight? C-1 VISA
  23. What visa can I use to travel to the UN? C-2 VISA
  24. I am a foreign government official. How can I visit family/friends while waiting for my departing flight? C-3 Visa
  25. What is the visa process for crewmen? D-1 VISA
  26. What is the visa process for crewmen en route to Guam? D-2 VISA
  27. How can foreign media representatives enter the U.S.? I VISA
  28. Is there a temporary visa classification for fiancees? K-1 VISA
  29. Where can I find out more information about the LIFE Act and Amendments? Life Act and Amendments
  30. Where can I find out more information about employment-based immigration? Employment Based Immigration
  31. I am a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. Can I sponsor my family for immigration to the U.S.? Family Based Immigration
  32. What is the process for sponsoring a spouse? Alien-Spouse
  33. Where can I get more information about the Diversity Lottery? Diversity Lottery
  34. I am an asylee/refugee. How can I change status to permanent residency? Asylum or Refugee Immigration

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US Citizenship & Immigration Services (CIS)

US Department of State (DOS)

US Department of Labor (DOL)

US Customs and Border Protection

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

US Department of Justice (DOJ)

Immigration Courts

Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA)

Social Security Administration (SSA)

Statutory & Regulatory Research Resources

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Who Can We Help?

We provide expert legal advice about United States immigration law and legal representation to a wide range of clients seeking entry to the United States. We serve:

  • Foreign nationals facing deportation
  • Professional workers
  • Athletes, Artists and Scientists
  • Professors and Researchers
  • Students
  • Employers seeking to place employees in the U.S.
  • Family members of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents
  • Diversity lottery recipients
  • Religious workers
  • Refugees and those seeking political asylum
  • Those litigating immigration issues before the BIA and in federal court
  • Residents wishing to naturalize
  • Victims of Crime (including domestic violence)