Any citizen of a foreign country seeking to enter the United States to work must have employment authorization. This category is divided into two types: non-immigrant visas are issued to individuals working in the United States for a temporary, fixed period of time for a specific purposes and immigrant visas for those working and living in the United States as lawful permanent residents (“green card”).

i. Non-immigrant Employment Visas – Foreign nationals with permission to work in the United States are sponsored by a U.S. employer to work at a specific job for a temporary period of time or based on a work authorization (work permit) for specific objectives. A sampling of case types we have handled successfully include the following, but are not limited to:

• E-1/2 (treaty traders/investors)
• E-3 (Australian professionals in specialty occupations)
• H-1B (professionals in specialty occupations)
• H-1B1 (Chilean and Singaporean professionals in specialty occupations)
• L-1 (intra-company transferees)
• O (persons of extraordinary ability)
• P (certain athletes and entertainers)
• TN (certain Canadian and Mexican professionals)
• R (religious workers)
• J-1 (Trainee visas); J-1 Waiver; and J-1 Advisory Opinions
• H-2B (non-agricultural seasonal, peakload, or one-time need workers)
• F-1 (student visa issues, OPT/STEM-OPT)
• B-1 in lieu of H-1B
• B-1 (business travelers)

ii. Immigrant Employment Visas – There are five basic types of business immigrant visas, each limited by annual quota per category by country. These immigrants are granted lawful permanent residency (“green card”) to work and live permanently in the United States. These green cards are applied for by the U.S. employer or in some cases the immigrant is able to self-petition. Examples of cases we can handle are:

• NIW (National Interest Waiver)
• EB-1(a) (Alien of Extraordinary Ability)
• EB-1(b) (Outstanding Professors/Researchers)
• EB-1(c) (Multinational Manager or Executive)
• PERM Labor Certification
• EB-2 Based on PERM (Advanced Degree/Exceptional Ability)
• EB-3 Based on PERM (Professionals, skilled workers and other workers)
• EB-4 (Special Immigrant & Religious Workers)
• EB-5 (Investor Visa)
• Foreign Nurses Immigration
• Adjustment of Status
• Concurrent Filings of Immigrant visa and Adjustment of Status
• Consular Processing
• Reentry Permit
• Waivers of inadmissibility for unlawful presence, criminal convictions, misrepresentation, etc.

Audrey Allen Immigration Law also handles ancillary issues such as advising on issues related to and filing of re-entry permits, advance parole, and preservation of lawful permanent status.