Immigration

Tips for Traveling with Electronic Devices

In the September 18, 2017 Federal Register notice (see 82 FR 43556) , U.S. Citizenship and Immigration made clear it will now routinely require those applying to enter the U.S. to provide social media handles. As such, the obvious starting point for these tips must be a reminder that Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) officers may require arriving travelers to provide the unlock code to their electronic devices and user names/passwords to gain access to programs, including social media accounts, so make sure all your programs are closed when you cross the border! The contents on your devices can be examined, and that is true whether or not you are a U.S. citizen, and regardless of your profession. If you are selected for such an inspection, you can expect this two page summary may be handed to you.

The national security concerns of protecting the homeland allow CBP officers to inspect passengers and their belongings without meeting the Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure. A CBP officer is not required to articulate why he or she directs you to secondary or why you or a particular device is of interest. (more…)

Green Card Lottery

Social Security card and permanent resident on USA flag By Jaclyn Granet

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Diversity Lottery registration opens on October 3, 2017 and will remain open until November 7, 2018.

WHAT IS IT?

The Diversity Lottery makes available 50,000 immigrant visas (green cards) through random selection. The immigrant visas made available are for individuals from countries with historically low immigration rates. According to the State Department, the diversity visas (DVs) are “distributed among six geographic regions and no single country may receive more than seven percent of the available DVs in any one year.”

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

Applicants from the eligible countries must submit an application during the entry period and must have: (more…)

The Only Thing Certain is Uncertainty

Detail Of A USA Visa By Frida P. Glucoft and David S. Rugendorf

Workplace immigration law has been the focal point of increased anxiety and uncertainty because of various changes proposed by Executive Order. Discussions have heated up considerably in the offices of human resources professionals and personnel managers, in the break room, around the water cooler, as well as in the news media and on social media. Because the changes have not come in the form of formal regulatory changes through legislation, which require a prescribed notice and comment period (though those may soon be on the way), changes in enforcement priorities and how existing laws are interpreted create an unclear path about who will be impacted and when the new Executive Order priorities will be instituted.

What are these new priorities? At present they are best explained in Executive Order 13788. (more…)

Lawful Permanent Residence: How Not to Lose It

By Frida Glucoft Immigration Collage l Alert

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers at ports of entry to the U.S. routinely question returning lawful permanent residents (“green card” holders) about the length of time spent outside the U.S.A. and the nature of their activities abroad. Generally, an absence from the U.S.A. of six months or longer will result in further inquires and requests for documentation to establish the individual’s intent to retain lawful permanent residence status.

A U.S. “green card” allows the holder to reside in the U.S. as an immigrant as long as the holder’s status does not change. However, that status may be lost if the “green card” holder is deemed to have abandoned his or her U.S. residence or if the individual lacks the requisite ties to the U.S. while living abroad.

The question of whether a “green card” holder has retained his or her status in the U.S. arises when the individual departs from the U.S. for lengthy periods of time usually exceeding one year. The determination of retention of U.S. residence depends upon the circumstances surrounding the individual’s departure and his or her ties to the U.S. Among other factors considered in evaluating retention of U.S. residence are the following: (more…)

U.S. Immigration to Suspend Premium Processing for All H-1B Petitions

By Stephen Blaker and Howard Shapiro

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that as of Monday, April 3, 2017, it will not accept Premium Processing requests for H-1B visa petitions for a temporary period expected to last up to six (6) months. This applies to all H-1B visa petitions, including extensions, amendments, cap-exempt and new employment petitions, such as those to be submitted in the FY18 Bachelor’s and Master’s Caps. USCIS has indicated that the suspension is required to eliminate the backlog on long-pending H-1B visa petitions. Starting on April 3, 2017, USCIS will reject any H-1B visa petition that is filed with a Form I-907 and one (1) combined check for the I-129 filing fees and the I-907 filing fee. (more…)

President Trump’s Executive Order Prohibiting Entry of Certain Individuals to the United States

By David Rugendorf and Benjamin Lau

On January 27, 2017, President Trump signed an Executive Order that provided the following:

Suspends nonimmigrants (persons coming temporarily to the United States) from designated countries from entry to the United States for a period of up to ninety (90) days from the date of the order (January 27, 2017). At this time, the designated countries are Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. Additional countries may be added. This prohibition does not apply to foreign nationals traveling on diplomatic visas, NATO visas, and United Nations visas. It is unclear if the Executive Order applies only to (1) individuals who hold passports from the designated countries, or if it also applies to (2) foreign nationals who were born in the designated countries, but who are citizens of other, non-designated countries or who are dual nationals, or (3) whose parents were born or hold citizenship from the designated countries. However, according to the Wall Street Journal, the State Department will announce that dual nationals are subject to the ban. For example, a dual national of Iraq and the United Kingdom would be denied entry, even if the dual national travels on a UK passport.

(more…)

Visas for the U.S.: What Are Your Options?

By Ariel Weindling

Photo credit: iStock.com/mrdoomits

This post is for the many French people who ask me on a regular basis about the U.S. visas that are available to them.

Several visa categories exist. This post will focus on the most commonly used in the case of French nationals: the E2 (for investors); the L1 (intracompany transfer); and the O1 (extraordinary ability). The H1B is also widely used but it will be the subject of a stand-alone post in the not too distant future.

The E-2 Visa: The E-2 visa is available to foreign nationals who are looking to invest a substantial sum of money into a business in the United States – either a new business or the purchase of an existing U.S. business. Although the law does not mention a minimum amount, in our experience, the minimum investment generally ranges between $120,000 and $150,000, but it can be more or less depending on the nature of the business. Additionally, that money must be spent on the business, and not merely sit dormant in a U.S. bank account. If the investment is made into an existing business then it would need to be substantial in comparison to the current value of the business. The visa can be approved for up to 5 years at a time, and extended in 5 year increments, so long as the business remains operational. There is no limitation on the number of times it can be extended. Note that primary focus of the E-2 is the creation of U.S. jobs, so it is usually critical that the applicant provide proof of U.S. jobs creation or a business plan that shows the creation of U.S. jobs in the near future.
The L-1A “New Office” Visa: The L-1A visa is an “intracompany transferee” visa that is available to foreign nationals who work in managerial or executive occupations, and are transferring from a foreign company to a U.S. parent, branch, or subsidiary. The visa includes newly formed U.S. offices and businesses, provided that the newly formed U.S. office is established as a subsidiary, affiliate, or parent of a foreign company, and that the foreign company will continue operations abroad. This visa is attractive when the foreign investment into the U.S. business is made through a foreign company, as opposed to a foreign individual investor, as it may allow multiple employees from the foreign company to be transferred to the U.S. office. The L-1A visa requires proof that the foreign national transferee has worked for at least one full year for the company abroad before entering the U.S., and that the U.S. office has sufficient financial or operational resources to conduct business in the U.S. The foreign business must also remain operational after the individual transferee begins work in the United States. An individual is allowed seven (7) years maximum stay on an L-1A, although there are exceptions for individuals who use the visa infrequently and only occasionally.
The O-1 Visa: The O-1 visa is reserved for individuals of “Extraordinary Ability” in the arts, sciences, and business. To obtain an O-1 visa, a U.S. company must petition for the individual to come to the United States to perform a service that is related to his or her area of extraordinary ability. We also need to establish that the individual is an individual of extraordinary ability in his or her field. The visa can be approved for up to three (3) years at a time, and extended in increments of up to three (3) years. There is no limitation on the number of times it can be extended, but documenting ongoing success and industry contributions with each extension is crucial.

Visa Options for Foreign Investors and Entrepreneurs

Photo credit: iStock.com/Wara1982

By John E. Exner IV

Many U.S. startups are co-founded by foreign nationals, and for those that are not, all start-ups need capital. Fortunately, it is not necessary to limit the potential investor pool exclusively to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. A large number of U.S. startups are either co-founded or funded by foreign investors, and the U.S. government understands that in order to attract foreign investment into the U.S. economy there must be designated visa categories available to those investors. These specific visa categories were established to allow investors and co-founders to travel to the U.S. to manage and oversee their investment. While a wide variety of visas may be applicable to any situation, the two most common visa categories utilized by foreign investors and entrepreneurs are the E-2 and the L-1A “new office” visa. (more…)

Immigration Tips for Startups

By John E. Exner IV

10 tips to prepare for the most frequent immigration scenarios faced by startups:

World map created with passport stamps, travel concept

Photo credit: iStock.com/Delpixart

If the company will be owned, in-whole or in-part by a foreign investor, immigration planning should start as early as possible – even before the company is established. There are visas available to foreign entrepreneurs who are investing a significant amount of money into a new U.S. business. This visa application process should be handled in concert with the creation of the business.
If the U.S. business will have a foreign office (parent, subsidiary, or affiliate) the managers, executives, and essential personnel from the foreign office(s) may be able to travel to the United States on multinational transferee visas.
If the U.S. business is recruiting from local U.S. universities and colleges, many of these candidates may be foreign nationals on U.S. student visas. These individuals may be eligible for at least one year of employment authorization in the U.S. following graduation. (more…)