Immigration Visa Petition Options

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Many people here in U.S. would like to petition for family members, friends, and colleagues but they are finding out that there is a tremendous backlog to file family based petitions. In some instances family based petitions can take up to 20 years before a visa can be current. So what are some options?

1. H-1B employment petition. This is a 3 year work visa that can be renewed for another 3 years. The applicant must have a 4-year degree or experience working in a field with specialized knowledge. The alien must find an employer who can petition for them. The process opens up on April 1 of every year and the visas are filled up in about one week. If approved, the alien can come to the U.S. by the end of the year that he files. This visa is available to people of every country.

2. E-1 or E-2 investment visa. This is an investment visa that is available to citizens of countries where the U.S. has a treaty. The investor can open a new business or purchase an active business in the U.S. and usually gets up to a 5 year visa that can be renewed indefinitely. There is no minimum amount of investment but it cannot be marginal. This basically means that it has to be enough to pay operating expenses for at least one year, such as hiring someone to help run the business, pay for rent and utilities and other expenses. The business has to be active meaning the investor can’t just buy a house or apartment. The investor has to prove the source of his money. The process only takes about 2 to 3 months.

3. EB-5 green card. This application allows people from any country to invest $1,000,000 and employ 10 people to receive their green card. If they put their money into a regional center or if they open a business in an area with high unemployment, the minimum amount to invest is $500,000 but they would still have to create 10 jobs. Some good examples are opening a restaurant, a supermarket, or hotel where at least 10 people can be employed. The investor has to prove the source of his money. The process takes about one year after the investor proves the source of his funds.

4. EB-3 employment based green card. The alien does not need to have a 4-year degree but he has to have experience in the job offered. Anyone form any country is eligible as long as they find an employer to petition for them. The U.S. employer has to prove that they could not find a suitable employee in the U.S. to fulfill the job. Some examples are ethnic cooks or chefs, jewelers, and any other occupation where we have a shortage of workers in the U.S. The process can take between 3 to 5 years but it is still much shorter than family-based petitions.

Find Out How Garmo Group Can Help

We know how important your goals of coming to the United States are, and we also know how difficult the immigration process can be. We are ready to help you navigate this process, so you can realize your dream of living in the US. To discuss your or your loved one’s immigration case, contact Garmo Group online or call us at 619-441-2500.

If you have family members who are stuck in Iraq or any other country and you wish to help them come to the U.S. faster, please call our office at 619-441-2500 so we can go over these possibilities in more detail.