Immigration Information:
· Visa Bulletin
· Green-Card lottery: 55,000 visas are annually allotted in a random drawing to individuals from nations underrepresented in the total immigrant pool.
EMPLOYMENT-BASED IMMIGRATION:
· EB-1 Priority workers: 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 Professionals with advanced degrees or persons with exceptional ability: 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 or professional workers: 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 Immigrants: Special Immigrant Visas for Religious Workers.
Ministers of religion are eligible for permanent residency.
· EB-5 Immigrant Investors: Immigrant Investors.
Under the 1990 Immigration Act, Congress has set aside up to 10,000 visas per year for alien investors in new commercial enterprises that create employment for ten individuals. There are two groups of investors under the program - those who invest at least $500,000 in "targeted employment areas" (rural areas or areas experiencing high unemployment of at least 150% of the national average rate) and those who invest $1,000,000
anywhere else. No fewer than 3,000 of the annual allotment of visas must go to targeted employment areas.
· Family-Based Immigration
· Employment-Based Immigration
· Business or Pleasure Visitors
· Temporary Workers
· Students
· Naturalization
· Asylum
· Forms and Fees
· Affidavit of support
· Required Medical Examinations
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