• H-1B (Specialty Worker)
• P-3 (Culture Exchange Visitors)
• L-1 (Intra-company Transferees)
• K Visa (Fiancé/Spouse of U.S. Citizen)
• F-1 Visa
• Change/Extension of Non-immigrant Status
H-1B (Specialty Worker)
Zhang & Associates proudly offers the following quality services related to H-1B:
H-1B Regular Processing
Our law firm will first evaluate your situation as to your potential H-1 case via email, fax or telephone consultation. If the evaluation result is positive and feasible, we will recommend you to further the application.
We will obtain the prevailing wage determination (PWD) for your job from a State Workforce Agency (SWA) or a private survey agency; guide you to collect all the information and documents required for the H-1 application and H-4 (for dependent spouse and children) application, if applicable; file a Labor Condition Application and obtain approval from the Department of Labor; complete USCIS's H-1B forms; draft the petition letter for the employer; and submit a set of completed and signed H-1B petition materials to the USCIS.
In case the USCIS requests additional evidence about your pending application, Zhang & Associates’ experienced attorney will submit the additional documentation required for your case in time.
H-1B Premium Processing
Our law firm will first evaluate your situation as to your potential H-1 case via email, fax or telephone consultation. If the evaluation result is positive and feasible, we will recommend you to further the application with the request of premium processing, in which the USCIS will adjudicate on your case within 15 business days.
In case the USCIS requests additional evidence about your pending application, Zhang & Associates’ experienced attorney will submit the additional documentation required for your case in time.
P-3 (Culture Exchange Visitors)
- What is P visa?
The P category covers those entertainers and athletes who cannot qualify under the O category. Usually athletes and performing artists will apply within this category.
- What is the application process?
The petition needs to be submitted by qualifying organization/employer.
The beneficiary must provide copies of credentials and award certificates.
An advisory opinion by CIS designated labor organizatio
- Can family members of the P visa holder come to the U.S. ?
Yes, family members are qualified to join under P-4 category
L-1 (Intra-company Transferees)
Zhang & Associates proudly offers the following quality services related to the L-1 petition:
Zhang & Associates experienced attorney(s) will first evaluate your and your employer's situation for the potential L-1 case via email, fax or phone consultation. If it is positive and feasible, we will recommend you to further the petition.
After you retain us, we will effectively communicate and work closely with you and your employer throughout the whole procedure. Our experienced attorney(s) will identify and solve the legal-issue(s) in preparing your case to establish the eligibility of your employer as the L-1 petitioner and the qualification of you as the beneficiary. Moreover we will review; translate and organize all the necessary application materials to present them in a good order. Our experienced attorney(s) will complete all the L-1 petition forms; draft the petition letter for your employer; submit a complete set of petition materials to the proper USCIS office; and contact the USCIS for status inquiries on your pending case.
In case the USCIS requests additional evidence on your pending petition, Z&A experienced attorney(s) will submit the additional documentation required for your case in time. As soon as the USCIS makes a final decision on your L-1 petition, we will inform you of the result accordingly.
L-1 VISAS: DESCRIPTION
Multi-national companies often have a policy of international rotation of managerial level personnel to assure that all key personnel within the company have equal opportunity for career advancement when an appropriate position becomes open in any location around the world.
The cross-fertilization of ideas among high level employees and executives will enhance the competitiveness of the company; exchanges of ideas often result in the innovation and style of service that is essential to the company's reputation and development. A regular rotation of key personnel will improve and ensure the uniformity of service and procedure within the company at a global level.
When a multi-national company is developing a new market in another country, it may become necessary to have some employees with specialized knowledge to work in the newly established office. The availability of an experienced employee with specialized and proprietary knowledge is often the determinative factor for the success of the new office.
Large multi-national companies would also like to have the flexibility to transfer their employees without being limited to any particular employee.
To facilitate the needs of intra-company transfers by multi-national companies, the L visa was specifically designed. However, smaller and even starting up companies can also take advantage of the L visa for its business needs as long as the requirements are met. USCIS (the agency that was once known as the INS) will scrutinize L visa petitions filed by a less well-known company more closely. Professional consultation with an experienced immigration lawyer is strongly recommended for a small multi-national company.
L-1A visas are designed for intra-company executive transferees to come and work in the United States. The L-1A visa holders must have been employed in an executive or managerial capacity with the foreign company in an overseas location for at least one continuous year out of the past three years.
Additionally, the U.S. company and the foreign company must be related in a specific manner, such as by having a parent/subsidiary relationship or by being the same or an affiliate employer.
In addition, the L-1A holder must be coming to the U.S. to work for the U.S. company in an executive or managerial capacity. L-1B category covers specialized knowledge personnel. An example of a specialized knowledge personnel would be an individual who possesses proprietary knowledge about a company's product and who travels to the U.S. to impart his or her specialized knowledge to new U.S. employees.
USCIS has provided a special set of procedures to be used by companies that have been frequent users of the L-1 visa category or are large multi-national organizations. It is called "L-1 Blanket Petition Program." Under this program, the approved company need only receive one approval from the USCIS to transfer certain number managerial, executive and professional employees.
K Visa (Fiancé/Spouse of U.S. Citizen)
K visa is issued to the US citizen's spouse or fiancé/fiancée for their reunion or marriage in the US. To apply for a K visa at a US embassy/consulate abroad, the applicant needs to get a pre-approval from the INS. Zhang & Associates offers the following quality services related to the K visa application:
Zhang & Associates experienced attorney(s) will first evaluate your situation for the potential K visa application via email, fax or phone consultation. If it is feasible, we will be glad to take your case. If your situation is pre-mature, we will suggest the course of action you should take before initiating the K visa application or any other options if applicable.
After you retain us, our experienced attorney(s) will closely work with you to find out and solve the legal issue(s) in preparing your application. Moreover we will review and organize all the necessary application materials to present them in a good order to the INS. Our experienced attorney(s) will complete all the application forms required by the INS; draft the petition letter for you (if applicable); submit a complete set of application materials to the proper INS office; and contact the INS for the status of your pending case.
In case the INS requests additional evidence on your pending application, Zhang & Associates experienced attorney(s) will submit the additional documentation required for your case in time. As soon as the INS makes a final decision on your case, we will inform you of the result accordingly.
F-1 Visa
F-1 non-immigrants, as defined in the immigration laws, are foreign students pursuing a full course of study in approved colleges, universities, seminaries, conservatories, academia high schools, private elementary schools, other academic institutions, and in language training programs in the United States.
An F-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa issued by a United States Consulate abroad to an alien who is coming to the United States to pursue full-time studies in a US academic institution. Generally, the US consular officer has the total discretion to grant the visa or not.
An F-1status is a nonimmigrant status issued by the USCIS (formerly INS) to the alien student who is pursuing studies in the US. To obtain the F-1 status, an alien who is outside the US needs to apply for an F-1 visa first at a local US Consulate abroad. On the day that s/he is admitted into the US on an approved F-1 visa, s/he becomes an F-1 status holder. For those who are already in the United States in an another nonimmigrant status, such as B-1/B-2, H-1..., they may apply to change to F-1 status in the US or outside the U.S. through Third Country Visa processing.
Change/Extension of Non-immigrant Status
A visa is a permit that allows an alien to apply for admission to the US at the border and it bears the form of a stamp on the alien's passport. A valid status means that an alien is authorized by the INS to stay in the US for an authorized period of time. When an alien enters the US via a valid non-immigrant visa, he/she is usually given an I-94 card, which states the validity period of the alien's non-immigrant status in the US. Generally, the INS officer will attach the I-94 card in the alien's passport.
Zhang & Associates is able to file a change of status or extension of status application on behalf of the qualified applicant, who is legally staying in the US. Our experienced attorney(s) will first evaluate your situation and assist you in determining which status you may be able to apply for. If the case is doable, we will be glad to take your case.
After you retain us, our experienced attorney(s) will closely work with you in preparing your application. We will review and organize all the necessary application materials to provide them in a well-organized manner. Our experienced attorney(s) will complete all the application form(s) required; draft the petition letter or affidavit for you if applicable; submit a complete set of application materials to the proper INS office; and contact the INS for the status of your pending case. As soon as the INS makes a final decision on your case, we will inform you of the result accordingly.
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