Immigration Services United States

For Businesses

Whether you are running a large multi-jurisdictional immigration program, or need assistance with immigration in a particular country or region, Fragomen can help you seamlessly manage the movement of your workforce. Designed to meet your need for comprehensive support, our full range of work permit and authorization services help to ensure process compliance with immigration regulations in more than 170 countries/territories worldwide.

These services include:

• Application preparation and filing for temporary work and residence permits, entry clearances, entry visas and immigrant matters

• Visa issuance assistance

• Guidance on entry and departure procedures

• Guidance for successful security and medical clearance processing

• Guidance for complex cases, including advocacy before government agencies

• Advice on dependent and family member visa processing, ability to work matters, student-related matters and maintenance of status

• Our designated teams of experienced professionals take the time to understand your company’s business objectives, immigration goals and assignees. They communicate openly with you and your assignees throughout the immigration process, building trusted partnerships and providing holistic, customized support.

For Individuals

Even the simplest immigration requirements can be hard to understand—never mind the parameters of a multi-layered immigration scheme. If you find yourself lost in a sea of immigration regulations, Fragomen can help. We will make the complex simple as we guide you and your family through the immigration requirements of your new country/territory. With our clear, concise and personalized support, you will understand your role in the immigration process and know exactly what you need to do to get you and your family to your new home as quickly as possible.

Fragomen Connect™

At Fragomen, we blend personalized service delivery with advanced technology to modernize and elevate immigration program management.

Our proprietary software—known as Fragomen Connect™—automates significant steps within the immigration process—reducing the opportunity for errors and creating efficiencies. Designed to support the needs of your human resources and mobility teams, as well as your employees, Fragomen Connect™ will help to ease the management of your immigration program through simple-to-use features and robust integrated tools, including:
 

• 24/7/365 real-time access to your cases from anywhere in the world

• Case status, history and important dates at your fingertips

• Powerful dashboards that provide snapshots of your immigration program and statistics

• Sophisticated calendaring and reminders

• Documents, questionnaires and forms pending action

• Online document storage for materials gathered during the immigration process

• Customized reporting suite with on-demand report generation and download capabilities

• Immigration overviews and educational resources to help users understand immigration processes, procedures and terms for different countries/territories

• Access to the latest immigration regulations and news

Fragomen Connect™ is exclusive to the firm and provided to client stakeholders as part of our immigration services.

At Fragomen, we know that running a streamlined immigration program requires much more than transactional immigration services. It requires strategic “big picture” guidance; information that allows you to keep up with evolving laws; training for your employees; leading-edge technologies and analytics, and much more.

While many of these services incur a fee at other immigration firms, at Fragomen, we believe that providing these types of services helps us to build strong and trusting relationships with our clients, improve the transparency of our services, and increase the value of your immigration spend.

Our value-added services include (but are not limited to):

Strategic Planning Recommendations

Strategic immigration program planning can help you meet your global mobility goals in a timely and cost-effective manner. To support this, Fragomen leverages our experience to provide you with specific ideas about strategies and practices that reduce your immigration compliance risk and offer you the greatest chance of success.

Client Alerts and Updates

We send Client Alerts and updates to notify you when significant changes in regulations, requirements, policies or procedures are anticipated or implemented worldwide. You can sign up to receive alerts automatically, or access current or past alerts via our Immigration Alerts section.

Client Training

We know that immigration is often a complicated field, and believe that true partnership involves the sharing of information. Fragomen offers our clients training on a wide range of immigration topics, as well as training on the use of our proprietary technologies for case and information management. (In some instances, extensive training may incur a fee.)

Case Management Technology

In an effort to make the complex simpler, Fragomen’s proprietary, state-of-the-art case management technology gives clients a detailed view of their case matter(s) and acts as a central resource for information transfer and document upload and storage. Whether you need to see a specific population for program management purposes or need to see a specific case matter for a foreign national and his or her dependents, our case management system is a one-stop shop for all your case and program management needs.

Reporting

Reporting is a critical tool for program managers. Recognizing this, Fragomen offers standard reports free of charge, including:

• Monthly dashboards

• Monthly and quarterly consolidated usage reports

• Open case status reports

• Expiration reports for employees and accompanying dependents

• Comparative spend reports

• Quarterly business reports

Business Review Meetings

To keep your immigration program on-course, Fragomen provides periodic business review meetings. These meetings are designed to assess the success of Fragomen’s service delivery; review client changes to corporate goals, policies or practices that could affect their immigration program; analyze and determine potential program modifications; and discuss “big picture” strategies based on current and anticipated needs.

Many successful companies operating in the international business landscape share a common element—they have partnered with Fragomen to develop strategic, world-class international immigration programs. Fragomen helps you structure your immigration program to reflect your unique corporate preferences, policies and practices, and take advantage of processing and cost efficiencies.

We partner with you every step of the way as you grow and evolve, making adjustments where needed and introducing new opportunities and technologies to support the immigration aspects of your assignees’ relocation or travel.

Program management support includes:

• Immigration policy and program design assistance, or refining your existing policies and procedures

• Strategic planning and comprehensive regional and/or global program management, utilizing Fragomen’s case management technology, reporting capabilities, performance metrics, and industry benchmarking for best practices

• Workflow analyses to achieve maximum efficiency in case preparation and data-sharing

• Due diligence guidance regarding the impact of immigration regulations and requirements on corporate restructuring, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, and reductions in force 

• Short-term assignment planning and back-to-back assignment strategies

• Country/Territory-specific information and reports for more than 110 countries/territories, including country/territory snapshots, process flows and document checklists
• Client alerts, firm-wide alerts and immigration updates
• Benchmarking products, including heat maps and other analytics
• In-depth guidance pieces on complex multijurisdictional issues and projects
• Internal guidance and advisory services
• Legislative, regulatory and policy analysis
• Training on current and future trends and changes
• Oversight of our proprietary business travel solution—the Business Visa Matrix
• Content development and curation of information on the Fragomen Way—a dynamic platform that provides users with 24/7 access to real-time knowledge on key issues affecting our clients

Working with governments—whether it is to file an application, resolve an incorrect application of laws, or advocate for benefits on behalf of your company—can be time consuming, confusing and overwhelming for you and your employees. Fragomen leverages our experience working with and advising government immigration authorities worldwide to appropriately make your government processes smoother, simpler and manageable, where possible.

Several of our top immigration professionals have held important immigration-related government positions in the past. This knowledge allows us to give you a bird’s-eye view of the complexities and solutions available to you, and helps us to work cohesively with government authorities to advocate on your behalf and help you to face your challenges and achieve your goals.

Fragomen’s dedicated Government Strategies and Corporate Compliance Group has resources located in each region worldwide. This gives us a unique vantage point and allows us to offer innovative strategies for success.

Remaining in compliance with requirements for verifying employment eligibility is paramount. Employers who violate these laws are subject to significant civil fines and penalties, along with public relations issues and interruptions to day-to-day business operations in the event of an audit. Flawed processes, inadequate record retention procedures, and errors and omissions can heighten your risk.

To help employers meet these requirements, Fragomen has developed comprehensive service models that range from guidance and training on all aspects of employment verification compliance to advanced, web-based solutions. Our professionals around the globe understand country-specific requirements and best practices for implementing and maintaining a sound program.

Our services include:

• Guidance on employment verification compliance and best practices

• Process, procedure and policy review and development

• Preventative employment verification audit and review

• Training for human resources professionals and teams

• Customized program design, management and support

• Representation in the case of government visits and investigations

• Sophisticated, online software solutions that automate process compliance and help protect you from risk

  • visaOntrack® (Australia)

  • Fragomen Employment Verification Tool (EVT) (United Kingdom)

  • I-9 Service Center (United States)

visaOntrack®

Not only are reporting requirements for companies that sponsor staff on subclass 457 visas time sensitive, but noncompliance can impact the ability to sponsor expatriates in the future. Employer obligations continue well beyond the departure of sponsored staff, and violations can lead to extensive financial penalties, administrative sanctions, business interruptions and reputational damage.

Fragomen’s visaOntrack® tool assists Australia-based companies with reporting and record keeping obligations to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP). This proprietary, web-based software is tailored to complement business immigration compliance and risk management strategies. Human resource and mobility teams can securely access subclass 457 visa records at all times and extract detailed reporting and statistics to effectively manage sponsored employments.

Features include:

• Dedicated portal that captures all key information required by DIBP

• Compliance with DIBP information retention, reporting and record keeping requirements

• Notification of events related to a sponsored worker or business

• On demand access to records and supporting documents for ongoing management or in the event of an audit

• Online notifications to Fragomen of events relating to your business and expatriate staff

• Internal management reporting and alerts

• Continuous updates in accordance with government policies

Fragomen Employment Verification Tool (EVT)

Employers in the United Kingdom can be fined up to £20,000 per person for employing illegal workers. Complying with the updated requirements of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act of 2006 is imperative to avoid penalties and manage risks.

Fragomen provides a full range of Points Based System (PBS) compliance services and resources, and understands the common mistakes and pitfalls employers face in maintaining employment verification compliance. From this, we developed our Employment Verification Tool (or EVT). This easy-to-use, online tool streamlines and automates the process of determining an individual’s immigration status prior to employment. It is designed to help simplify the process of checking a new employee’s entitlement to work in the United Kingdom, while imposing automated process compliance. Both employees and human resource staff utilize the system to streamline the process of document verification.

Features include:

• End-to-end employee and employer verification process for new employees

• Annual work status checks for applicable employees

• Online document upload and storage

• Searchable database of verifications to assist in the case of a government audit

• Continuous updates to reflect any changes in government requirements

Employment Verification

The procurement and authentication of documents is a requirement for immigration processes in many countries. In many jurisdictions, the evidentiary requirements of the application process can be lengthy, complex and difficult to coordinate. In today’s global business environment, an individual can often have documents that have been issued in multiple countries around the world. Due to these and other factors, document procurement, authentication and legalization can potentially delay work permit and visa processes.

Fragomen’s experienced team of worldwide document services professionals are adept at navigating the nuances of these requirements and plotting the optimal course of action to keep application processes on track.

Our Document Services Team can help you secure documents from government agencies and law enforcement authorities from a wide range of countries. They take a centralized and proactive approach, utilizing strategic planning to bolster organization and streamline processes for success.

Our document services include:

• Obtaining vital records, academic records, criminal history reports, and assignment documents for applicants and their family members

• Obtaining or authenticating corporate documents, including powers of attorney, technical services agreements, certificates of good standing and incorporation certificates

• Document legalization assistance

• Translation services assistance, where required

• Home-country/territory registration assistance of births or marriages abroad

• Consular assistance with document procurement and legalization matters

Full service immigration support is not as simple as merely preparing the proper documentation. At Fragomen, we understand that consulates, embassies and other diplomatic posts worldwide are integral to immigration processes for many travelers and their families. We also understand that the experience of interacting with officials at diplomatic posts can be overwhelming.

Our dedicated Consular team members and Local Advisor partners can help to alleviate these concerns by providing instructions and services supporting consular processes and requirements. This covers assistance for short term business travel visas and other consular or related matters filed in embassies, consulates and high commissions.

In countries where we have offices, and in certain other locations through our Local Advisors, we offer consular support including some or all of the following:

• Consultation regarding visa eligibility and options, procedures at diplomatic posts and corporate strategy

• Comprehensive guidance throughout the consular process, including: scheduling visa appointments, preparing visa applications, making fee payments, filing visa applications (where permitted), detailed consultative services, and assistance with gathering and authenticating necessary supporting documentation

• Liaising with local posts to support our clients’ compliance with current processes, procedures and documentary requirements

• Expedited and high-touch VIP services, where permitted

• Compliance assessments

• Guidance on compliance with destination country immigration laws and regulations

Fragomen’s U.S. Consular Team can provide the following additional services:

• End-to-end assistance with the U.S. consular process, including: scheduling visa interview appointments, obtaining MRV fee payment receipts, completing Department of State forms, assisting applicants with gathering necessary supporting documentation, providing applicants with detailed instruction letters and cover letters to the consulate/embassy, and providing a detailed pre-interview briefing

• Acting as government liaison, including at pre-clearance locations, where possible

• Filing treaty trader and investor company registration applications

• Direct consular filing of immigrant petitions for alien relatives and immigrant visa processing assistance

• Filing transportation letter, abandonment of legal permanent residence applications and returning residence applications

• Preparing and filing immigrant and nonimmigrant waivers of inadmissibility

• Assisting with U.S. citizenship matters, including reports of births abroad, first-time or renewal passport applications and relinquishments of citizenship

Business travel globally is fraught with risk. If you don’t have the correct visa, you can be denied entry to or exit from your desired destination and your business trip will be ruined. Fragomen’s worldwide presence and resources give us unfettered access to current information on the latest developments in business visa rules and policies in critical business markets. We use this knowledge to help clients comply with ever-changing business visa requirements around the world, and avoid costly mistakes. 

Recognizing the critical nature of this unique area of immigration and the risks associated with noncompliance, Fragomen has a dedicated Business Visa Services Group made up of professionals around the world who are particularly well-placed to meet clients’ business visa needs. This group provides guidance and immigration support to companies and their employees in anticipation of and during the business visa application process. We also offer a proprietary and entirely unique technology for determining if and when a business visa is appropriate.

Business Visa Services

In all countries where we have offices, and in certain other locations through our Local Advisors, we offer business visa services and support.

These include:

• Up-front assessment of whether a business visitor visa or work permit is required, and strategic planning

• Preparation of business visa application support letters

• Advice on process requirements and related time frames

• Document procurement and authentication support

• Submission of applications or detailed submission guidance, where in-person filing is required by the traveler

• Follow-up with appropriate government agency and passport collection

• Guidance on anticipated processing times (where available)

• Emergency assistance for urgent applications

Passport Services

Fragomen provides instructions on process requirements and assistance with passport applications in select locations, including preparation of first-time applications; renewals; page additions; amendments; replacement of lost or stolen passports; and second passports for frequent business travelers (for certain nationals).

Business Visa Matrix

Fragomen’s proprietary Business Visa Matrix is a powerful business planning and immigration compliance tool that assesses whether a traveling employee can lawfully carry out their intended activities on a business visitor visa in the country they will be visiting, or whether they will require work authorization. Accessible online, this system provides guidance on immigration requirements in over 110 destination countries/territories across more than 160 nationalities.

M&A, Large Scale Projects, Back to Back Rotational Assignments

With an intensifying regulatory environment, businesses involved in corporate restructuring activities, large scale projects, back-to-back rotational assignments and exports face a unique set of challenges and compliance roadblocks in the cross-border movement of workers. Fragomen provides guidance and support to companies of all sizes on the immigration impact of these complex ventures. We act as a strategic partner to help you execute project needs through compliant—yet practical—immigration solutions.

M&As and Corporate Restructuring

Analysis during mergers and acquisitions (M&A), divestures and other types of corporate restructuring activities are typically focused on the “big-picture” and mitigating financial risks—often overlooking the critical area of immigration compliance. Corporate changes without adequate consideration of immigration impacts can lead to serious repercussions for essential employees and the success of the merger. 

Fragomen has been helping businesses navigate the immigration-related aspects of corporate activities for decades. Our due diligence investigations include a thorough immigration status analysis, impact determination and management of necessary immigration activities.

Project Support

Large scale projects around the world often require the simultaneous movement of dozens to hundreds of employees, presenting different challenges based on the number of employees, their roles and credentials, and the countries involved.

We can work closely with you on project undertakings to provide guidance on maintaining compliance with local immigration processes regulations. In partnership with you, we can build custom action plans in line with your priorities and targets, helping you to stay on track and achieve your project goals.

Rotational and Back-to-Back Assignments

The use of short-term assignments such as rotational and multiple or back-to-back assignments continues to rise. In reaction, many countries have tightened their programs and implemented heavy penalties for immigration violations. While helping to control costs and build your global operations, the rapid deployment of employees to foreign countries can create myriad compliance concerns.

We help hundreds of companies around the world manage the immigration risk associated with short-term cross-border travel. We can help you understand the intricacies and challenges, and guide you on proactive strategies for avoiding common pitfalls and incorporating compliance into your overall plan.