International Managers & Executives  * Professionals  * Scientists  * Investors

Researchers * Professors *  Skilled Workers *  Athletes  * Artists  * Entertainers 

The regulatory framework for employment-based, self-sponsorship and investment-based immigration involves typically requires interaction with the Citizenship & Immigration Service (CIS, formerly INS), the United States Department of Labor (DOL), and the United States Department of State (DOS) – which controls all US Embassies and Consulates.

The attorneys at Visa Law Group regularly assist businesses and professionals in obtaining permanent resident status through many “fast track” programs including the following:

• Aliens of Extraordinary Ability (EB-1a) - Immigrant visa category reserved for internationally recognized experts in the sciences, arts, business, education or athletics who rank at the very top of their respective field.  This program allows for self-sponsorship (no job offer required), and expedited immigrant visa processing.

• Outstanding Professors & Researchers (EB-1b) - Immigrant visa category reserved for internationally recognized experts in the fields of education, research, and science.  This program requires a long-term job offer from a qualifying employer, but allows for expedited visa processing.   

• Multi-national Executives & Managers (EB-1c) - Immigrant visa category reserved for investors, executives and managers transferred permanently from overseas operations to a related U.S-based company.  This program allows certain L-1 and E-2 visa holders to seek expedited immigrant visa processing.

• Advanced Degree Professionals/National Interest Wavier (EB-2/NIW) - Immigrant visa category reserved for professionals with an advanced university degree whose work will continue to substantially further an important fields of national interest, such as health, medicine, security and defense technology, environment, and business/economy. This program allows for self-sponsorship (no job offer required), and expedited immigrant visa processing.

• Investors (EB-5) - Immigrant visa category reserved for aliens who invest as little as $500,000 (in some cases $1 million minimum is required) in a new, existing or troubled business which results in the creation of at least ten qualifying jobs for American workers.

• PERM/Labor Certification (EB-3/EB-2) – This immigrant visa category is reserved for skilled foreign workers who seek to fill a long term job opportunity offered by a qualifying U.S. employer. The Labor Certification program, called PERM, replaces the two prior programs (called “Reduction in Recruitment (RIR)” and “Traditional Recruitment”). , The primary test in this program is demonstrating to the government the unavailability of qualified, willing and able U.S. workers to fill the employers staffing needs.

• Professional Athletes & Coaches - Immigrant visa category reserved for professional athletes who are under contract with a U.S.-based sports team. This special program allows O-1 and P-1 visa athletes and qualifying coaches to obtain expedited immigrant visa processing.