Before you can come to the United States to work as a foreign citizen, you must obtain a work visa. This process involves a lot of paperwork and the cooperation of your prospective employer in the U.S. Get help with your work visa application in Michigan from Family Visa. Our immigration lawyers can answer your questions, help you fill out a work visa application and deal with many complicated matters related to this process. Contact our Michigan family immigration lawyers today to get started with a work visa.
Temporary Worker Visa Categories
As a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the U.S. to work, you must obtain the correct temporary worker visa for your specific circumstances. There are several temporary worker visa categories available in the United States:
- H-1B: Person in Specialty Occupation
- H-1B1: Free Trade Agreement
- H-2A: Temporary Agricultural Worker
- H-2B: Temporary Non-agricultural Worker
- H-3: Trainee or Special Education Visitor
- L: Intracompany Transferee
- O: Individual with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement
- P-1: Individual or Team Athlete, or Member of an Entertainment Group
- P-2: Artist or Entertainer (Individual or Group)
- P-3: Artist or Entertainer (Individual or Group)
- Q-1: Participant in an International Cultural Exchange Program
With each of these visas, the prospective employer must first file a petition (Form I-129) with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). USCIS must approve this petition before you can move forward with your work visa application.
What Does Applying for a Work Visa in the U.S. Look Like?
- Fill out the work visa application. Start by completing Form DS-160 after Form I-129 has been approved. This is an online nonimmigrant visa application form. Print the application confirmation page to bring to your interview.
- Attend the work visa interview. Unless you are 13 and younger or 80 and older, you will most likely need to attend an interview with a consular officer where you live. The wait times for this appointment vary based on location.
- Gather required documentation. Before your visa interview, prepare your valid passport, photo, receipt number for an approved petition and L visa applicants, if applicable.
- Figure out your dependents. If you have a spouse or children who qualify for dependent nonimmigrant classification, you can apply directly for this classification at a U.S. Consulate.
- Pay taxes, if applicable. You may have a federal tax obligation as a foreign citizen working on a temporary basis in the United States. An attorney can help you understand the Taxation of Nonresident Aliens.
How Can a Michigan Work Visa Attorney Help You?
Applying for a work visa in the United States as a foreign citizen can be a long and arduous process. Even after you’ve been approved, there are legal issues you need to understand to maintain your legal status. The order of the steps required can change based on the Consulate or U.S. Embassy where you apply.
Hiring an immigration lawyer can take the burden of this legal process off of your shoulders. You can trust a lawyer to guide you through the work visa application and help you prepare for your consulate interview. If your visa gets denied, a lawyer can explore your options for immigration waivers and help you reapply.
Contact Family Visa for a Team of Experienced Michigan Work Visa Lawyers by Your Side
At Family Visa, immigration is all we do. Our slogan is, “Welcome to the United States.” We provide professional, reliable, high-quality legal services to foreign nationals looking to live or work in the United States. Our attorneys have several years of experience representing clients in work visa cases, including helping with visa applications that have been denied. We have successfully processed hundreds of visa applications and have a 100 percent success rate.
To discuss your work visa case with an immigration lawyer in Michigan, contact Family Visa at (800) 605-VISA to request a free consultation. We have a multilingual staff with virtual appointments available 24/7.