IMMIGRATION LAW

This overview will address immigrant and non immigrant visas in general terms and highlight some of the more common categories and uses of those visas.

1.   Immigrant Visas ("Green Card")
There are 4 basic categories of immigrant visas:
   a.   Family Sponsored Immigrants 
   b.   Employment-Based Green Cards 
   c.    Diversity (DV) Visas - Green Card Lottery 
   d.   Refugees and Asylees

2.   Non-Immigrant Visas
Non-immigrant visas are usually given and referred to by a letter designation.  The most common types of non-immigrant visas are:
   a.   H-1B Visas – Employment based visa for “specialty occupations” 
   b.   B-1/B-2 Visas – Short term visitors for pleasure or business
   c.    J-1 Visas - Exchange Visitors 
   d.   O Visas - People with extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, crafts, education, business, athletics or any field of "creative endeavor"
   e.   L Visas - Intra-company Transfers 
   f.    E Visas - E-2 Treaty Investors and E-1 Treaty Traders 
   g.   R Visas - Religious Workers 
   h.   TN Visas - NAFTA Visas for Canadians and Mexicans 

There are more than 25 non-immigrant visas in all
– the visas discussed above are the most common.

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Disclaimer: This article is provided as a public service and is not intended to establish an attorney-client relationship. Any reliance on information contained herein is taken at your own risk.