JW Practice Group provides individualized and specialized legal services in major areas of US immigration and nationality laws.

All countries impose restrictions on the ability of foreign nationals to enter, live, and work in their territories, as well as on foreign businesses that plan to set up business operations within their national borders. These restrictions are reflected in various visas issued to foreign nationals coming to the United States. As attorneys practicing immigration and nationality laws of the United States, we have the passion, knowledge and ability to help those foreign nationals and their US employers navigate the highly complex restrictions and requirements of the United States immigration laws in order to obtain the appropriate visas.

Visas can be divided into two broad categories: the immigrant visa (permanent residence or green card), which allows foreign nationals to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis; and nonimmigrant visas which allow foreign nationals to stay in the United States temporarily and under strictly enforced requirements for various purposes.

US immigration law practice can also be roughly divided into two basic areas: employment-based and family-based immigration processes. Employment-based immigration is the process by which foreign nationals obtain temporary or permanent visas in order to work and live in the United States. The process is based on job offers from employers in the United States, or foreign nationals’ professional accomplishments, or their investment in the United States. Meanwhile, family-based immigration is the process by which individuals obtain lawful permanent residence in the United States based on qualifying family relationships with individuals who are US citizens or lawful permanent residents. JW Practice Group provides specialized legal services in both employment-based and family-based immigration processes.

The following is a list of selected employment-based and family-based immigration processes, as well as major nonimmigrant visas:

• Aliens of Extraordinary Ability—individuals who have extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics.
• Outstanding Professors and Researchers—Researchers or professors who are internationally recognized as “outstanding” in a specific academic area.
• Multinational Executives and Managers—Executives or managers, who have been employed abroad by a multinational company, may transfer permanently to assume executive or managerial positions in the U.S. subsidiary, parent, affiliate or branch office.
• Advanced Degree Holders—Foreign national must hold a Master’s degree or its equivalent and have a qualifying job offer from a U.S. employer. This category requires an approved Labor Certification Application from the U.S. Department of Labor certifying that there are no qualified, able and available U.S. workers to fill the position offered to the foreign national.
• National Interest Waiver—Foreign national is seeking a waiver of the Labor Certification Application process because it is in the interest of the United States. Although not defined by statute, this category generally applies to those who have exceptional ability and whose employment in the United States would greatly benefit the country.
• Professionals/Skilled Workers – Foreign national must have a baccalaureate degree or be a member of a skilled profession (those requiring at least two years experience) and have a qualifying job offer from a U.S. employer.
• Immigrant Investors

• B-1/B-2 visas for business visitors and visitors for pleasure
• E-1 visas for foreign nationals coming to the United States temporarily for the purpose of carrying on substantial trade between the individual’s country of nationality and the United States.
• E-2 visas for foreign nationals coming to the United States temporarily to develop and direct enterprises in which they have made substantial investment, or as essential employees of treaty trader investors.
• E-3 visas for Australian citizens coming to the United States to work temporarily in a specialty occupation.
• F-1 visas for foreign nationals coming to the United States to pursue academic studies.
• H-1B visas for foreign nationals coming to the United States to work temporarily in a specialty occupation.
• H-3 visas for foreign nationals coming to the United States temporarily to receive training, other than graduate or medical education training, that is not available in the foreign national's home country, or to participate in a special education exchange visitor training program for children with physical, mental, or emotional disabilities.
• J-1 visas for foreign nationals coming to the United States to pursue a temporary educational or cultural objective, including but not limited to medical residency or fellowship training, teaching, and conducting research.
• K-1 for foreign nationals who are fiancé(e)s of U.S. citizens.
• L-1 visas for multinational companies to transfer managers, executives, and employees with “specialized knowledge” from an office abroad to a U.S. entity.
• O-1 visas for foreign nationals of extraordinary ability to come to the United States to be employed temporarily.
• P-1 visas foreign national athletes, coaches and entertainers with significant international recognition.
• P-3 visas for foreign nationals coming to the United States temporarily to perform, teach or coach as artists or entertainers, individually or as part of a group, under a program that is culturally unique.
• Q-1 visas for foreign nationals seeking to participate in international cultural exchange programs taking place in a school, museum, business or other establishment where the American public, or a segment of the public sharing a common cultural interest, is exposed to aspects of a foreign culture as part of a structured program.
• R-1 for foreign nationals coming to the United States temporarily as religious workers to be employed in religious occupations and perform services for their sponsoring religious organizations.
• TN for citizens of Canada and Mexico coming to the United States to temporarily engage in specific business activities at a professional level and employed in specific occupations as designated in the legacy North American Free Trade Agreement.