An immigration lawyer can help you in the following ways:

• Analyze the facts of your case thoroughly.
• Explain all the benefits for which you may be eligible.
• Recommend the best ways for you to obtain legal status.
• Complete and submit your applications properly.
• Stay current on the new laws that affect you.
• Avoid delays and problems with your case whenever possible.
• Discuss the status of your case with you.
• Speak for you in discussions with the Department of Homeland Security or represent you in court.
• File necessary appeals and waivers.
• Utilize the system to your advantage because he or she has the experience to do so.

If your company plans to open an office in the United States and/or relocate employees, or to bring in new employees who will work in a U.S. office or facility, you should know all your options with regard to U.S. immigration policy. For some nationalities, a short business trip to the U.S. of ninety days or less doesn't even require a visa. And longer visits don't require your employees to adopt U.S. citizenship.

They may come to work permanently (with a "Green Card") or as non-immigrants for business reasons - to work temporarily (up to five to seven years) for a U.S. or foreign based company. For these people it is critical that the visas obtained are consistent with your business plans. And that may require legal assistance.

The Complexities of Immigration Law

Without legal representation your immigration efforts can result in a protracted bureaucratic nightmare. Immigration law is the most complicated law in the U.S. legal system. When companies want to open an office in the United States or move personnel here, they must apply for visas at the U.S. Embassy. Frequently, the type of visa needed to stay in the United States on business for other than a short visit requires a complicated preliminary visa petition with the USCIS in the United States. The USCIS must then rule on the validity of the petition and, if valid, send the approval to the Consul at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate for visa issuance. Up to four separate federal departments can be involved in the process. They are the Department of Homeland Security (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of State (U.S. Consul), Department of Labor, and the Department of Health and Human Services. Going to the Embassy or Consulate to ask for a visa may result in a brief conversation with a busy Consular officer who doesn't have the time to direct busy executives in the proper methods of obtaining a visa. Further, there may be a variety of visas that apply. The short and long-term goals of the employee and the company must be taken into consideration to choose the best visa. This not only saves time; an application that is denied can create an unfavorable impression for Embassy personnel, making subsequent applications more difficult or impossible.

Planning Ahead

The time required for approval varies, so plan ahead for visa applications. Companies relocating employees to the U.S. or hiring new people to work temporarily must plan ahead, as the visa application process is often complicated and time-consuming. The application consists of two (and sometimes three) parts. When a petition with the USCIS is required to begin the process, the USCIS may take two months or more to rule upon a correctly submitted application. The actual time depends upon which regional office in the United States the application is filed. The filing location is determined by the applicant's destination. When the petition is approved, it is sent to the U.S. Consul, who will then issue the visa upon determination that State Department (Consul) regulations have been met.

Documentation for individuals and companies is critical. Preparation for obtaining the proper visa often takes time, and advance planning is essential. The documentation presented must not only be precise; it must conform to the regulations and requirements of the USCIS and the State Department (U.S. Consul.)

We Can Help

Our services are available to you wherever your business is or will be located in the United States. U.S. immigration law, being federal, is not restricted by state laws or boundaries. Therefore, an attorney with an office in any part of the United States can provide advice to companies coming to any part of the U.S., and can handle processing with U.S. Consuls around the world and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service anywhere in the U.S. We keep in touch with clients throughout the world and the United States, and with all government authorities, through the use of email, facsimile machines, the telephone, and regular United States mail. In addition, through contacts with lawyers across the United States, we can handle all non- immigration legal problems associated with the relocation procedure.

Put our experience and expertise to work for you. Our firm has attorneys with over 30 years experience guiding applicants through the immigration law maze and enabling them to relocate to the U.S. The clients we represent include multi-national, medium and small companies, as well as universities, government officials and individuals. We have represented foreign ambassadors and cabinet ministers, sports professionals and famous and ordinary people from 110 countries. Among the companies we represent are those in the fields of engineering, pharmaceuticals, consulting, computers, public utilities, research, trucking, construction, sales and machinery.