U.S. visa and green card guides
One page per visa, covering who it fits, the requirements, the process, documents, family benefits and common questions. Not sure where to start? Try the 3-minute visa self-check first.
Investing and business
E-2 treaty investor visa
Invest in and personally run a U.S. business, bring your family and renew indefinitely; nationals of non-treaty countries such as China need a third-country citizenship.
EB-5 immigrant investor
Required investment amounts, targeted employment areas, 10 jobs, source of funds and removing conditions with I-829.
L-1 intracompany transfer
L-1A managers/executives and L-1B specialized knowledge employees, including new-office petitions.
EB-1C multinational manager/executive
A green card for multinational executives with no labor certification, often following L-1A.
Extraordinary talent
EB-1A extraordinary ability
The 10 criteria one by one, the final merits determination, evidence and common reasons for denial.
NIW national interest waiver
EB-2 eligibility and the three-prong Dhanasar test; self-petition, no employer needed.
O-1A / O-1B extraordinary ability work visa
For people of extraordinary ability in the sciences, business, athletics and the arts coming to work in the U.S.
EB-1A or NIW: which one?
The thresholds, evidence and wait times of the two self-petition routes compared.
Work visas and employment-based immigration
H-1B specialty occupation visa
Specialty occupations, the labor condition application, the annual cap and cap-exempt employers, extensions and changing employers.
PERM labor certification and EB-2 / EB-3
The full employer-sponsored green card process: prevailing wage, recruitment, ETA-9089 and I-140.
TN visa
The professional work visa for Canadian and Mexican citizens under the USMCA.
Family immigration and green cards
Family immigration: who can petition for whom?
The relative categories open to citizens and green card holders, and their wait times.
Marriage green card
Evidence of a bona fide marriage, the interview, the affidavit of support and removing conditions with I-751.
K-1 fiancé(e) visa
A U.S. citizen's fiancé(e) comes to the U.S. to marry, compared with CR-1.
Adjustment of status (I-485)
Who can apply for a green card inside the U.S., the process, work permits and the risks of travel.
Study and visits
F-1 student visa and OPT / STEM OPT
Maintaining status, CPT, OPT and the STEM extension, and changing status after graduation.
B-1/B-2 business and tourist visa
What you can and can't do, how long you can stay, and extensions.
What to do after a 214(b) refusal
Why visas are refused, and what to change before you reapply.
Green card holders
Reentry permit (I-131)
Apply for a reentry permit before a long trip abroad to reduce the risk of being found to have abandoned your green card.
Travel tips for green card holders
How the length of a trip matters, and what to do if you're asked to sign I-407 at the border.
N-400 naturalization requirements and process
Residence period, physical presence, good moral character and the naturalization test.
Everyone's situation is different, and a guide can only give you the general picture. Book an attorney assessment, and we'll explain the paths open to you, along with the requirements, timing and risks, based on your background.