About United States
Whether you’re looking to visit, live or work in the United States of America (U.S.)—we can support your immigration needs at every stage of your journey.
If you're a foreign national looking to visit, live, and/or work temporarily in the United States, several options may be available.
- Business Visits: If you're looking to visit the U.S. for certain business-related activities, you'll either need to apply for a B-1 visa, or you may be eligible for the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), depending on your country of citizenship. B-1 visa holders are generally admitted for a period that aligns with their intended activities – typically 180 days or less. If you're eligible and approved for the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), you may enter the U.S. visa-free for up to 90 days.
- Work Authorization: Depending on your nationality or type of work, many distinct employment-based nonimmigrant visa categories provide temporary work authorization in the U.S. The most common types are the H-1B for a specialty occupation, L-1 for intracompany transferees, TN for Canadian or Mexican professional workers, E-1/E-2 for treaty traders/investors, E-3 for Australian specialty occupations, O-1 for persons of extraordinary ability and P-1 for certain athletes and entertainers.
- Internships/Exchange Programs and Traineeships: The J-1 visa category provides the ability to work in the United States in certain roles, including interns, trainees, scholars, specialists, professors and teachers, in the context of a cultural exchange program. The H-3 visa category may also be an option for you to participate in company-sponsored training for up to two years.
- Investors/Trade and Entrepreneurs: The E-1/E-2 visa may be an option if you are a national of a country with which the U.S. maintains a treaty of commerce and plan to carry on trade or invest specific amounts in the U.S. If you're an entrepreneur seeking to grow your start-up business in the U.S., you may be able to receive temporary parole status to enter and live in the U.S. The EB-5 Investor Program, which leads to a green card, is another route to live and work in the United States permanently. In general, to qualify for EB-5, you must invest at a required level, demonstrate lawful sources of funds, and create ten U.S. jobs directly or indirectly.
Fragomen can also consult on citizenship matters and, as permitted within the confines of local law, may be able to offer citizenship assistance.
Fragomen in the United States is Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP.
