Business Visa Cases

Technological and scientific corporations often require workers with world-class talent and skill, and in many instances, the people who possess the necessary attributes live in other countries. While employers can sponsor employees to work in the United States, the process of obtaining an appropriate visa or authorization can be complicated. As such, it is wise for any company that wishes to hire a foreign national to seek the assistance of a knowledgeable immigration attorney. At O’Neil & Hauser P.C., our trusted immigration attorneys regularly handle business visa cases, and immigration comprises over ninety percent of our practice. All of our lawyers have handled immigration cases for over twenty years, and if you need help with a corporate immigration matter, we have the knowledge and resources needed to provide you with prompt and accurate service. We have an office in Boston, and we regularly represent people in immigration matters around the world.

There are multiple types of work visas available to foreign nationals who want to work in the United States, but some are more commonly sought than others. Generally, the type of visa a person should obtain depends on the kind of work to be performed and the duration of the work. Non-immigrant visas allow workers to remain in the United States on a temporary basis, while immigrant visas enable foreign employees to stay in the United States permanently. Determining which kind is appropriate and compiling and filing the necessary paperwork can be complicated, which is why it is sensible for parties attempting to obtain business visas to hire an attorney.

There are five main types of immigrant work visas. First preference EB-1 visas are granted to people who excel in their field, outstanding researchers and professors, and multinational executives. A person seeking an EB-1 visa must provide detailed documentation demonstrating his or her sustained international or national or recognition in his or her field through detailed documentation. The employee must continue the same type of work when admitted to the United States.  

Professionals that have an advanced degree or a minimum of ten years of experience in a particular field or who can demonstrate that their employment would be in the best interest of the United States may be able to obtain second preference EB-2 visas. Third preference EB-3 visas may be granted to people with bachelor’s degrees or their foreign equivalent and skilled and unskilled laborers who received an offer of non-temporary employment in the United States. Fourth preference EB-4 visas are granted to retired employees of international organizations, some religious workers, and employees of United States foreign service posts. Finally, fifth preference EB-5 visas are granted to those people who invest statutorily defined amounts in qualifying ventures.  

There are many visas available for workers with offers of temporary employment in the United States. For example, H-1B non-immigrant visas allow people working in certain specialty professions to live and work in the United States for up to three years. Employers are responsible for petitioning for the entry of foreign workers via H-1B visas, and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services limits the total number of applications for H-1B visas it accepts annually. L-1A visas allow United States companies to transfer managers or executives from foreign offices to United states offices for up to one year.

There are numerous types of visas foreign nationals can obtain to work in the United States, and which visa is appropriate will depend on numerous factors. If you need help with business visa matters, it is in your best interest to speak to a lawyer as soon as possible. The skillful Boston corporate representation immigration attorneys of O’Neil & Hauser P.C. are adept at helping businesses seek the appropriate solutions to their immigration issues, and if you hire us, we will work diligently on your behalf. We have many bilingual attorneys and offer translation services in several languages, including Portuguese, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Greek, Italian, French, and Arabic. We have developed a strong relationship with numerous government agencies over our many years in practice, and we are members of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. You can reach us via our online form or by calling our Boston office at (617) 426-8100 to set up a conference.