Visas for Professionals in Fort Lauderdale

B-1 Visa for Business Travelers

This visitor-type visa is available for individuals who are planning travel to the United States for purposes of meeting with business associates; attending a convention or conference of a scientific, professional, educational, or business nature; to negotiate a contract, or to settle an estate. The B-1 visa is not for employment-based immigration but is rather for temporary business travel, and the holder must either depart the country by the date of expiration or petition to have the visa extended. The application may be denied, but you have the right to file a new application with evidence to contradict the stated reason for the denial. It is necessary to demonstrate that you plan to come for only a limited time and that you have substantial ties and obligations at home, which will ensure that you will return at the conclusion of your business in this country.

L-1 Visas

This category includes both the L-1A and L-1B visas and is available for intra-company transferees who work either in executive or managerial positions or in positions that utilize specialized knowledge. The L-1 visa is available for individuals who work for employers that are both a parent company, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate of a foreign company, and which employs workers in the U.S. and one other country for as long as the visa is in effect. You will most likely be able to bring your spouse and any unmarried children who are under the age of 21 years old, provided that they are approved for an L-2 visa.

H-1B Visas

The H-1B visa applies to individuals who will be coming to the United States for the purpose of working in a specialty occupation, which is characterized as a position which requires a Bachelor's degree, and is characterized by a high degree of complexity and specialized professional knowledge, or which will require you to have a state license or certification or extensive training and experience in the field. There is also an H-1B2 visa for workers who are going to participate in a Department of Defense research and development project, as well as an H-1B3 for fashion models of "distinguished merit and ability." For those who don't qualify for any of the above visas, there are also H-1C visas for registered nurses, H-2A visas for agricultural or seasonal workers, H2-B visas for temporary nonagricultural jobs, H-3 visas for those coming to the U.S. to receive training, or to participate in a special education exchange visitor training program for children with disabilities.

E Visas

The E visas are often associated with the movie industry and the performing arts. E-11 visa is an employment-based immigrant visa that permits those with extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics work in the United States. The employer would apply for the visa and provide information about the employment and anticipated length of stay in the U.S. E-12 visas concern outstanding professors or researchers, and E-13 visas involve multinational executives or managers. E-14 and E-15 visas respectively allow spouses or children of visa holders to enter the U.S. The visas for athletes and others are taken into consideration for approval on previously established priorities per the immigration laws.

Investor Visas

There are several different types of visas available to investors. The EB-5 Immigrant Investor visa is for people who plan to invest funds in a new commercial enterprise, characterized as being established after November 29, 1990, or one which was established earlier and will either be substantially reorganized or which will expand to the degree that the net worth or the number of employees will increase by at least 40%.

There is also an E-2 Treaty Investor visa provided for citizens of certain countries with which the United States has entered a treaty of commerce and navigation. This type of visa requires that the individual is investing a substantial amount of capital in an enterprise in this country, and be intending to enter the country specifically to work on the development and management of the enterprise. You must have an ownership stake of at least 50% in the company.

J Visas

The Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 was established to increase the mutual understanding between people of other countries and people of the United States. A means to accomplish this is through educational and cultural exchange opportunities provided by the Exchange Visitor Program. It allows sponsors in the U.S. for au pair, Edu Care, students, physicians, teachers, and others who qualify for this type of visa and program.

F-1 Visas

The F-1 visa is a non-immigrant student visa that makes it possible for foreign students to pursue their academic studies in universities and other approved school levels in the United States. Particular to this type of visa is that issuance only occurs in U.S. embassies and consulates that are located outside of the U.S. The prospective student would apply to the various schools and apply for a Form I-20. The demand is high for these types of visas, and they are limited to full-time students who must, in addition, demonstrate they are able to support themselves while in the U.S.

O-1 Visas

The O-1 nonimmigrant visa is intended for those individuals who possess an extraordinary talent in the arts, sciences, education, business, or athletic departments, or someone who has demonstrated extraordinary achievement in the television or motion picture industries, and who has been nationally recognized for their achievements. To qualify for an O-1 visa, the individual must demonstrate an extraordinary ability that has received national acclaim, and the person must be coming to the United States temporarily to continue working in their area of extraordinary ability. There are several versions of the O visa and these include the O-1 A, the O-1B, O-2, and O-3.

P Visas

The P-1A visa is for the internationally recognized athlete, this classification means the athlete is coming to the U.S. temporarily for athletic competition at an internationally recognized event. The P-1B visa is for members of an internationally recognized entertainment group. The P-1B is for someone that is coming to the U.S. temporarily to perform as a member of an entertainment group that has been recognized internationally for being an outstanding group.

The P-2 visa is for someone that is coming to the U.S. temporarily to perform as an artist or an entertainer, either individually or as a part of a group under an exchange program between the United States and another country. The P-3 visa is for artists coming temporarily to the U.S. to perform; teach; or coach as artists or entertainers, individually or as a member of a group, and as a part of a culturally unique program.

TN NAFTA Professionals

The TN nonimmigrant classification allows qualifying Canadian and Mexican citizens to enter the United States temporarily to engage in business activities on a professional level. These professional positions include accountants, attorneys, engineers, scientists, pharmacists, and teachers.