UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION
TUNI prepares and submits applications for
visas, permanent residence, and citizenship to the U.S. Immigration
and Naturalization Service/Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services
and other governmental agencies related to the movement of foreign
persons into the United States.
At UNI, we have a corporate visa service team to help investors and individuals navigate through U.S immigration law. Our services range from business visitor visas through to working U.S visas and permanent immigration to America. Our qualified Immigration lawyers assist with American work permits such as the H1-B and L1 visa and assist with cases for employment based green cards such as the EB-1 and EB-2 visa, or relationship-based visas such as the K1 fiancé visa and K3 spouse visa. UNI also manages applications for USA student visas and many more.
At UNI, we have a corporate visa service team to help investors and individuals navigate through U.S immigration law. Our services range from business visitor visas through to working U.S visas and permanent immigration to America. Our qualified Immigration lawyers assist with American work permits such as the H1-B and L1 visa and assist with cases for employment based green cards such as the EB-1 and EB-2 visa, or relationship-based visas such as the K1 fiancé visa and K3 spouse visa. UNI also manages applications for USA student visas and many more.
Temporary Visas
B-1/B-2 Visitor's Visas
Available to visits coming to the U.S. for business or pleasure. B-1 business visitor visas are for a short duration and must not involve local employment. Nationals of certain countries may be eligible to visit the U.S. for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa.
E-1/E-2 Treaty Trader and Investor Visas
Investors and traders and their employees may receive visas to carry on their businesses in the U.S. if their home country has a commercial treaty with the U.S conferring visa eligibility.
F-1 and M-1 Student Visas
Persons seeking to pursue a full course of study at a school in the United States may be eligible for a visa for the course of their study plus, in some cases, a period for practical training in their field of study.
H-1B Specialty Occupation (Professionals) Visas
Professional workers with at least a bachelor's degree (or its equivalent work experience) may be eligible for a non-immigrant visa if their employers can demonstrate that they are to be paid at least the prevailing wage for the position.
J-1 and Q-1 Exchange Visitor Visas
Persons coming to the U.S. in an approved
exchange program may be eligible for the J-1 Exchange Visitor's visa.
J-1 programs often cover students, short-term scholars, business trainees,
teachers, professors and research scholars, specialists, international
visitors, government visitors, camp counselors and au pairs. In some
cases, participation in a J-1 program will be coupled with the requirement
that the beneficiary spend at least two years outside of the U.S.
before being permitted to switch to a different non-immigrant visa
or to permanent residency. We regularly handle the application process
for seeking a waiver to the home residency requirement that applies
to many J-1 visa holders.
K-1 Fiancee Visas
A Fiance(e) of a U.S. citizen is eligible for a non-immigrant visa conditioned on the conclusion of the marriage within 90 days.
L-1 Intracompany Transfer Visas
L-1 visas are available to executives, managers and specialized knowledge employees transferring to their employer's U.S. affiliate. Executives and managers holding L-1 visas may be eligible for permanent residency without the need for a labor certification.
O-1 Extraordinary Ability Worker Visas
The O-1 category is set aside for foreign nationals with extraordinary ability. This includes entertainers, athletes, scientists, and businesspersons.
P-1 Artists and Athletes Visas
This category covers athletes, artists and entertainers.
R-1 Religious Worker Visas
Religious workers may be eligible for an R-1 visa.
TN Status Under the North American Free Trade Agreement
A special category has been set up for nationals of Canada and Mexico under the provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
TN Status Under the North American Free Trade Agreement
A special category has been set up for nationals of Canada and Mexico under the provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Permanent Residency Visas ("GREEN CARDS")
Family Sponsored Immigration
U.S. citizens may petition for spouses, parents, children and siblings. Permanent residents may petition for spouses and children.
EB-1 Foreign Nationals of Extraordinary Ability, Outstanding Professors and Researchers and Multinational Executives and Managers
Individuals in this category can petition for permanent residency without having to go through the time consuming labor certification process.
EB-2 Workers with Advanced Degrees or Exceptional Ability in the Sciences, Arts or Business
Visa holders in this category normally must have a job offer and the potential employer must complete the labor certification process. The labor certification involves a testing of the job market to demonstrate that the potential visa holder is not taking a job away from a U.S. worker. In cases where an individual can show that his entry is in the national interest, the job offer and labor certification requirements can be waived.
EB-3 Skilled Workers and Professionals
Visa holders in this category normally must have a job offer and the potential employer must complete the labor certification process.
EB-4 Special Immigrant Visas for Religious Workers
Ministers of religion are eligible for permanent residency.
EB-5 Investor/Employment Creation Visas
Under the 1990 Immigration Act, Congress
has set aside up to 10,000 visas per year for alien investors in new
commercial enterprises who create employment for ten individuals.
DV-1 Visas (the "Green Card Lottery")
55,000 visas are annually allotted in a random drawing to individuals from nations underrepresented in the total immigrant pool.
Refugee and Asylum Applications
Persons with a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion may be eligible to apply for asylum or refugee status in the U.S.
Tourist Visa
B-2 Tourist Visa is Suitable For:
1) Tourists on a pleasure trip to the U.S.
2) People visiting friends and relatives in the U.S.
3) People coming to the U.S. for medical treatment
4) Foreign nationals coming to the U.S. to
marry a U.S. citizen or Green Card holder, upon establishing to the
consular official and the INS that after the marriage, they will depart
from the U.S., even though intending ultimately to immigrate.
5) Amateur athletes, musicians etc. who participate
in their respective activities in the U.S. without remuneration .
6) People coming to participate in the conventions
of social organizations.
7) Dependents of alien members of the U.S. armed forces temporarily assigned duty in the U.S.
8) Dependents of crewmembers (D visa holders)
or B-1 visa holders solely to accompany the principal foreign national.
9) Dependents of non-immigrant for whom no
derivative classification is available. For example, the elderly parent
of an E visa holder.
10) Persons to enter the U.S. to apply for special
naturalization benefits on the basis of U.S military service.
11) Persons seeking a change to another visa
status if they so advise the U.S. Consulate, and if the consulate
is fully appraised of the circumstances.
12) U.S. citizens, green card holders and
nonimmigrant visa holders to invite their friends and relatives to
the U.S.
Work Based Visa
The Immigration and Nationality Act provides
a yearly minimum of 140,000 employment-based immigrant visas which
are divided into five preference categories. They may require a labor
certification from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), and the filing
of a petition with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
in the Department of Homeland Security (USCIS).
The cost of each immigrant visa application processing fee (per person) is (U.S) $335. Fees must be paid for each intending immigrant, regardless of age, and are not refundable. Local currency equivalents are acceptable. Fees should not be sent to the consular office unless requested specifically. USCIS charges additional fees for filing petitions.
The cost of each immigrant visa application processing fee (per person) is (U.S) $335. Fees must be paid for each intending immigrant, regardless of age, and are not refundable. Local currency equivalents are acceptable. Fees should not be sent to the consular office unless requested specifically. USCIS charges additional fees for filing petitions.
Green Cards
Permanent immigration is the ultimate goal of many people entering or planning to enter the United States. Lawful permanent residency offers individuals a multitude of benefits, including the freedom to live and work permanently in the U.S. Potential immigrants should be as informed about the laws as possible. That's why our firm is dedicated to providing you with a complete online database of immigration information.
Immigrants to the United States are divided into two categories:
Individuals who may acquire permanent residency without numerical limitation.
Individuals subject to a yearly limitation. There are three divisions of this category: family-based; employment-based; and diversity immigrants.
Please use the links in the right column to broaden your knowledge on the different paths to permanent residency in the United States.
Family-Based Visas
Family-Based Immigration
Permanent immigration in the U.S. comes with a variety of rights and privileges. One method to obtaining lawful permanent residency is through a relative who is either a citizen of the U.S or a lawful permanent resident.
Steps
There are two categories for unlimited family-based immigration:
1. Immediate Relatives of U.S Citizens (IR): A spouse, widow or unmarried child under the age or 21 of a U.S citizen. This category also includes parents of adult U.S citizens
2. Returning Residents (SB): Immigrants who previously lived in the U.S under lawful permanent resident status. These individuals should be returning to live in the U.S after being abroad for more than one year.
There are four preference categories for limited family-based immigration:
1. First Preference: Unmarried children over the age of 21 of U.S citizens.
2. Second Preference: 2A-Spouses of lawful permanent residents, their unmarried children under the age of 21, and 2B-Unmarried sons and daughters of permanent residents who are 21 and older.
3. Third Preference: Married children of U.S citizens.
4. Fourth Preference: Siblings of adult U.S citizens.
For an application through either the IR category or one of the
preference categories, your relative should first submit an immigrant
visa petition, I-130 Petition for Alien Relative. This form should
be accompanied by proof of your relationship to your relative.
Upon approval of this petition, the Department of State will determine
if an immigrant visa number is available for you. Immigrant visas
are always available for persons in the IR category.When a number
become available; you may apply for an immigrant visa if you are
abroad. If you are in the U.S, you may be able to file an Application
to Register Permanent Resident or Adjust Status (Form I-485).
Documents
In order to sponsor a relative for lawful permanent residency, you must prove the following:
1. You are a citizen or a lawful permanent
resident of the U.S.
2. You can support your relative at 125% above the mandated poverty line.
You must also show proof of your relationship with your relative.
Citizenship and Naturalization
An applicant is eligible for Naturalization where he or she can meet the following requirements:
Must be 18 years old
Must have Permanent Residence Status (Green Card) for five years subsequent to application. If married to a U.S. Citizen, the permanent residency requirement is three years.
Must have resided for at least three months within the state the petition was filed.
Must be physically present in the U.S. for at least one-half of the five years (one half of the three years for spouse of a Citizen).
Must have resided continuously within the
U.S. from the date the application was filed up to the time of admission
to citizenship.
Must not be absent for a period more than
one year during the period residence is required. (Five years or three
years).
Must be a person of good moral character.
Common Reasons for Denial of Citizenship
Applicant cannot speak/write English
Applicants are required to speak, understand
and write in the English language. An exception exists where the applicant
is at least 50 years old and has maintained permanent residency for
at least 20 years, or is at least 55 years old and has maintained
permanent residency for at least 15 years. Here, the applicant may
have the examination performed in his or her native language. The
applicant may also apply for a Waiver if he or she is unable to learn
English due to a medical condition. WE SPECIALIZE IN HELPING
OUR CLIENTS FIND SOLUTIONS TO OVERCOME THIS PROBLEM.
Arrests
An applicant may be denied citizenship if
he or she is on probation for any crime committed at the time of interview.
An applicant may also be denied Citizenship if he or she committed
a crime involving moral turpitude. WE OFFER CRIMINAL WAIVERS
AND MEMOS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR CHANCES FOR APPROVAL EVEN IF YOU HAVE BEEN
CONVICTED.
Application Procedure
Once the Application is submitted, the applicant
will be scheduled for fingerprinting appointment. Applicants can file
up to three months before he or she meets the residency requirement.
The current filing fees for Naturalization are $320.00 plus $70.00
for Fingerprints.
All Applicants for Citizenship will be interviewed by the Immigration and Naturalization Service. The applicant may request one re-examination. An Attorney may accompany the Applicant to his or her Naturalization Interview.
All Applicants for Citizenship will be interviewed by the Immigration and Naturalization Service. The applicant may request one re-examination. An Attorney may accompany the Applicant to his or her Naturalization Interview.
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