• Overview
• Non-Immigrant Visas
  • Diplomatic Employees and Personnel (A)
  • Business Visitors (B-1) or Tourists (B-2)
  • Treaty Trader (E-1) or Treaty Investor (E-2)
  • Specialty Occupation Workers (E-3)
  • Students (F-1)
  • International Organizations Employees (G)
  • Temporary Worker (H1-B)
  • Temporary Worker (H-2B)
  • International Media Representatives (I)
  • Exchange Visitors (J)
  • Intra-Company Transferees for Managers and Executives (L-1)
  • Extraordinary Ability Workers (O)
  • Artists and Athletes (P)
  • Cultural Exchange Visitors (Q)
  • Religious Workers (R)
  • Temporary Workers: Canadian and Mexican Professionals Under NAFTA (TN)
• Permanent Residence
  • 1st and 2nd Preference
  • 3rd preference (EB3)
  • 4th preference (EB4)
  • 5th preference (EB5)
• Family and General Immigration
  • Family Sponsorship of Relative
  • Marriage to a U.S. Citizen
  • Special Immigrant Family Petitions
  • Fiance Visas (K)
  • Citizenship - General Overview
  • Naturalization
  • "Green Card" Lottery
  • Refugee and Asylum
• Immigration Forms (USCIS and Department of State)

Overview

Immigration law is governed exclusively by Federal law. The Federal Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, regulates:

• Who can come to (or "enter") the U.S. on a temporary or permanent basis
• Whom the government can remove (or "deport") from the U.S.

Immigration law is comprised of a very complex web of rules, regulations, and exceptions. Although our website is designed to provide you with general information on immigration law, it is extremely important to consult with legal counsel who is knowledgeable in immigration law before taking any action. This is advisable not only because immigration law is so complicated and the consequences of errors can be so great, but also because of rapid and frequent changes in this area of law.

In order to enter the U.S. a foreign national will need a visa. Visas are the documents that are necessary when applying to enter the U.S. on either a temporary (non-immigrant visas) or a permanent (immigrant visas) basis. Depending upon the type of visa, a person may be allowed to work, attend school, obtain specialized training, take a vacation, receive medical treatment, or remain indefinitely. Once a foreign national enters the U.S. on a visa s/he may be allowed to "change status" or "adjust status" while in the U.S.. For example:

• A person may enter the U.S. on a student visa and change to a temporary employment-based visa after completion of studies
• A person may come on a temporary visa and apply for permanent residence ("green card")

There is a program at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services which provides a vehicle to expedite the process of adjudicating certain non-immigrant petitions The process is known as Premium Processing. Under this program by paying a $1,000 premium processing fee, the USCIS guarantees that within 15 calendar days, the agency will issue either an approval notice, a notice of intent to deny, a request for evidence or a notice of investigation for fraud or misrepresentation. Currently this expedited service is available to petitioners in the following categories:

• E-1, Treaty Trader
• E-2, Treaty Investor
• H-1B, Temporary Workers in Specialty Occupations
• H-2A, Agricultural Worker
• H-2B Temporary Worker
• H-3 Trainee
• L-1 Intra-Company Transferees
• O-1 and O-2 Foreign nationals of Extraordinary Ability or Achievement
• P-1, P-2, and P-3 Athletes and Entertainers
• Q-1, International Cultural Exchange Foreign nationals
• R-1 Temporary Workers in Religions Occupations
• TN, NAFTA Professionals