us Immigration

We provide immigration & visa services for this country

The USA remains one of the most popular countries in the world as an immigration destination. Let us help you on the road to getting your USA visa.

The US has over 60 types of non-immigrant (meaning non-permanent) US visas. GRN Asiaoffers you full US immigration services if you need help, as well as many USA visa guides to get you started if you want to handle your US immigration on your own. The US immigration process can be confusing and bureaucratic, but our experts are here to help.

We have a number of US immigration guides detailing commercial US visa categories. These include the B1, H1B, L1, E1, and E2 visas.We also cover US green cards. All applications for US visas are dealt with in-house by a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).

We have also recently added information for medical doctors detailing USA immigration for them and USA visas for doctors. This includes US immigration information on the J1 exchange visitor visa, and the H1B visa for doctors. Let your immigration to USA start here!

H-1B visa

The US H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa, which allows a US company to employ a foreign individual for up to six years. As applying for a non-immigration visa is generally quicker than applying for a US Green Card, staff required on long-term assignment in the US are often initially brought in using a non-immigrant visa such as the H1B visa.

Individuals can not apply for an H1B visa to allow them to work in the US. The employer must petition for entry of the employee. H1B visas are subject to annual numerical limits.

US employers may begin applying for the H-1B visa six months before the actual start date of the visa. Since the beginning of the FY 2009 is October 1, 2008, employers can apply as soon as April 1, 2008 for the FY 2009 cap, but the beneficiary cannot start work until October 1st.

The H1B visa is designed to be used for staff in "speciality occupations", that is those occupations which require a high degree of specialized knowledge. Generally at least the equivalent of a job-relevant 4-year US Bachelor's degree is required (this requirement can usually be met by having a 3-year degree and 3 years' relevant post-graduate experience). However, professionals such as lawyers, doctors, accountants and others must be licensed to practice in the state of intended employment – e.g. a lawyer must generally have passed the relevant state bar exam.

Non-graduates may be employed on an H1B visa where they can claim to be 'graduate equivalent' by virtue of twelve or more years' experience in the occupation.

Positions that are not "speciality occupations", or for which the candidate lacks the qualifications/experience for an H1B visa, may be filled using an H-2B visa.
New H1B legislation requires certain employers, called 'H1B dependent employers' to advertise positions in the USA before petitioning to employ H1B workers for those positions. H1B dependent employers are defined as those having more than 15% of their employees in H1B status (for firms with over 50 employees – small firms are allowed a higher percentage of H1B employees before becoming 'dependent').. In addition all new H1B petitions and 1st extensions of H1B's now require a fee (in addition to the usual filing fees) of US$1,000 to be paid, which will be used to fund a training programme for resident US workers.

The initial visa may be granted for up to three years. It may then be extended, in the first instance for up to two further years, and eventually for one further year, to a maximum of six years. Those wishing to remain in the US for more than six years may, while still in the US on an H1B visa, apply for permanent residence (the "green card"): if such employees do not gain permanent residence, when the six year period runs out, they must live outside the US for at least one year before an application is made for them to enter on an H or an L visa.

Once a company has brought an employee to the US on an H1B visa, should the company dismiss that employee before the expiry of the visa, the company is liable for any reasonable costs that the employee incurs in moving him/herself, his/her effects, back to his/her last foreign residence. This provision covers only dismissal, it is not relevant when an employee chooses to resign.

J1 - Exchange Visitor Program

CONTACT US NOW to find out how we can help with your J-1 Visa application or to make an appointment with our US Attorney

The J-1 Visa

The J-1 Exchange Visitor Program (J-1 Visa Program) currently includes 13 different exchange program categories. Depending on the particular category chosen, a visa obtained under the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program will allow a foreign national to work, train, or travel legally whilst experiencing life in the United States. The J-1 Visa program also benefits US businesses by providing them with seasonal and other staff.

Entry under the J-1 Visa program

Each category of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program has sponsoring organizations designated by the US Department of State. It is their role to authorize the entry of a foreign national for the purpose of completing the objectives of a specific program which they approve on behalf of the Department of State. They then issue forms DS-2109 and DS-7002 which, along with other necessary documents must be presented at the appropriate US Embassy in order to obtain the J-1 Visa.
An applicant's spouse and children should be able to obtain a J-2 Visa to accompany the applicant to the U.S. or to join him or her at a later date. A J-2 visa application should be submitted for each dependant either at the same time as the J-1 visa application or at a subsequent date.
An applicant and his or her dependants must:

  • pay for round-trip air travel
  • bring sufficient funds to cover all living expenses to be incurred in the U.S.
  • purchase adequate health insurance which is mandatory for this visa.

They must also meet certain other specific criteria. The attorney at GRN Asia will be happy to offer advice in this respect.
At the conclusion of their program, participants are expected to return to their home countries.

The J1 Exchange Visitor Program categories

The various J1 Visa categories cover the Private, Academic and Government Sectors

The Private Sector

  • Alien Physician
  • Au Pair
  • Camp Counselors
  • Student, Secondary School
  • Summer Work/ Travel
  • Teacher
  • Trainee and Intern and Flight Trainee

The Academic and Government Sectors

  • Government Visitor
  • International Visitor
  • Short term scholar
  • Professor and research scholar
  • Specialist
  • Student College/University

How can GRN Asia help?

For the various J-1 Visa categories in the Academic and Government Sectors, the application procedure will be undertaken by the relevant Educational Facility or by the relevant Government body.
For those categories in the Private Sector however, the applicant will need to take a more active role involving contact with the relevant sponsoring organization. An applicant may consider using the services of an attorney who would offer guidance during the often complicated process.
GRN Asia will assist with applications for the Trainee & Intern, the Au Pair, and the Summer Work/ Travel categories which are part of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program in the Private Sector..

Family based Visas

Helping a family member, whether it is your spouse, fiancé(e), child, parent or brother or sister, become a permanent resident of the US, follows roughly the same procedure as outlined below. It may seem straightforward, but there are many nuances in each type of family-based visa. Please read our site carefully, and if you have any questions, please contact us for more information on family based immigration to the US.

First, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) must approve an immigrant visa petition (I-130) for you. The US citizen relative fills this out on behalf of the foreign-born relative. It must be accompanied by proof of the relationship and the other required documentation in order to begin the family based immigration process.

Second, the Department of State must determine if an immigrant visa number is available for the foreign national, according to the category of visa applied for, even if that person already lives in the United States.

The third step in family based immigration, if the foreign relative is already in the United States, he or she should apply to change his or her status to that of a lawful permanent resident after a visa number becomes available. This is one way to secure an immigrant visa number. You can adjust your status, commonly known as AOS, by submitting a form I-485 along with other required documentation, such as the results of medical examinations, police certificates, etc. I-485s are considered by the USCIS directly. In this case, principal applicants, both petitioner and beneficiary should submit their applications together (I-130 + I-485 + required documentation) through the local office rather than regional one.

If you are outside the United States when an immigrant visa number becomes available, the foreign relative must go to the U.S. consulate to complete the processing. This is the other way in which you can apply to secure an immigrant visa number for US family based immigration. If a beneficiary is based outside the United States, then his / her documents are considered by the National Visa Center (NVC) before his / her case is being sent to the US Consulate for further processing.NVC reviews the documentation and completes the required administrative processing, such as checking backgrounds and so on.

This area contains more specific information on the following visa types: