US immigration: a guide

We represent multinational companies and other organizations moving employees to the United States, as well as entrepreneurs, sportspeople, entertainers and other individuals who wish to live in the United States on a temporary or permanent basis.

Non-immigrant (temporary) visas

Companies with existing US operations, or those planning to expand into the US market, will generally require the services of non-US personnel to establish, manage, and direct US operations or to implement key projects based in the US. Non immigrant and immigrant visa categories for the movement of international personnel:

Visiting on business

• Visa Waiver Program (VWP)
• B-1
• B-1 in lieu of H-1B
• B-1 in lieu of H-3

Establishing a business

• E-1 Treaty Trader
• E-2 Treaty Investor

Working as a professional

• H-1B
• E-3 Treaty Alien

Attending a training program

• H-3

Participating in an exchange program

• J-1

Transferring to a US office

• L-1

Options for extraordinary achievers

• O-1

Working as an athlete, artist or entertainer

• P-1
• P-2
• P-3

Bringing your family with you

• Derivative visas
• B-2

Immigrant visas

Immigrant visas (commonly known as green cards) are available to qualified individuals wishing to live permanently or indefinitely in the US. There are three basic immigrant visa categories: family-based, employment-based, and diversity immigrants (the visa lottery). Most immigrant visa categories are numerically limited and are subject to annual per-country quotas. Numerical limitations mean that there is often a long waiting period between the filing of an immigrant visa petition and the issuance of an immigrant visa.

• Family-based green cards
• Employment-based green cards
• The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program

Grounds of excludability from the US

In order to protect the health, welfare and security of the US, the country's immigration laws prohibit the issuance of visas (or entry to the US under the Visa Waiver Program) to certain individuals.