These days, the practice of Immigration Law has become ever more cross-disciplinary. Our team members bring together a wide range of legal and industry experience as you consider the following immigration avenues:
Visa Options for Employers and Foreign Workers:
We counsel corporate clients and provide them with essential support to address their global migration needs. In today’s economy, companies constantly face the challenges of timely engaging and transferring key foreign national employees to the right locations, both within, and outside the U.S. However, these business needs are often frustrated by various administrative hurdles, such as excessive background checks and onerous Audits & Requests for Evidence (RFEs) by various government agencies. At Mannam & Associates, we specialize in developing and implementing comprehensive strategies for your company’s global human capital management. We deliver clear solutions to a myriad of legal issues arising from the short-term assignment and permanent relocation of foreign employees,and: ensuring the duration of their stays, work authorization for both the workers and their dependents, and a path to legal permanent residence.
Our attorneys and staff have extensive experience with employment-related immigration process including the following:
Nonimmigrant Visas
Immigrant Visas
- H-1B Professionals
- L-1 Intra-Company Transferees
- TN/NAFTA for Citizens of Canada & Mexico
- E1 - E2 – Treaty Traders/Investors
- K-1
- B-1
Immigrant Visas
Visa Options for Entrepreneurs:
We understand the United States Government’s enthusiasm to attract immigrant investors and entrepreneurs to direct and manage businesses in furtherance of economic development and job creation. We have extensive experience with assisting nonimmigrant investors with applying for E visas (treaty trader and investor) or L-1(intra-company transferee) visas, and guiding immigrant investors through the EB-5 program for legal permanent residence. Our specialty lies in securing immigration benefits for executives, managers and essential workers of small start-up companies in various fields, such as Jewelry Stores, Mobile Services, IT Development Companies, etc.
Visa Options for Family Members:
One of the most rewarding parts of our practice involves reuniting families who are separated across the globe, as well as obtaining permanent residence status for spouses and children of U.S. citizens. In many cases, visa applications by your fiancé, spouse, parent or sibling at a U.S. Consular Posts are complicated by previous visa denials, refusals of admission at the border, or other potential inadmissibility issues. At Mannam & Associates, we specialize in devising the best strategies to address these obstacles to bringing your family together and to avoid unnecessary separation caused by administrative delays.
Visa Options for Students and Scholars:
In today’s global age, the United States continues to attract international students and scholars because of the high quality of its education, research environment, and support system. The millions of foreign students and scholars, who have studied in the United States over the years, constitute a remarkable reservoir of goodwill for this country. The United States’ economy is better served through educating international students in the United States, and hiring them to fill positions in our high-technology industries and research establishments.
International scholars constitute an equally important resource. Research at the frontiers of science is typically conducted by multinational teams. Therefore, most Universities place high priority on attracting and retaining foreign talent in Science and Engineering to enhance their academic research strength.
Relocating to the U.S. to pursue further studies and research opens up tremendous opportunities and challenges to international students and scholars and their families. Our staff at Mannam & Associates is here to help smooth the transition by facilitating our clients’ desire to continue their studies and research, pursue employment and entrepreneurial opportunities, and apply for legal permanent residence. Our specialty involves the following:
Adjustment of Status (I-485):
Naturalization:
To be eligible for naturalization, an applicant must:
The naturalization process involves completing an application, passing the Civics and English proficiency test at the interview, and taking the oath of allegiance. An applicant is exempt from taking the English proficiency test and may take the Civics test in his or her native language if the person is:
If you are a Legal Permanent Resident and are considering applying for U.S. Citizenship, please understand that any criminal conviction/record, residency and tax issues could lead to, not only a rejection of your application, but also initiation of removal proceedings by the US Department of Homeland Security. Should you have any concerns over your N-400 application for citizenship, please contact us so that we can discuss your options and help you overcome the obstacles to U.S. Citizenship.
- Be at least 18 years old;
- Have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence;
- Have resided continuously as a lawful permanent resident in the U.S. for at least 5 years prior to filing;
- Please Note: a foreign national, who receives LPR status through marriage to a U.S. Citizen, may be eligible for U.S. Citizenship three years after he or she is accorded LPR status. Specific requirements for this fast-track to U.S. Citizenship apply. Please contact us if you believe that you might qualify for this benefit.
- Have been physically present in the U.S. for at least 30 months out of the previous five years
(for spouse of a U.S. Citizen, he or she, in many cases, needs to show 18 months physical presence in the U.S. out of the previous three years):
- Continuity of Residence: if the person is absent from the U.S. for more than six months but less than one year, the absence may break the continuity of residence for the purpose of naturalization. The applicant may overcome the presumption of abandonment of residence by showing that he or she intends to maintain his or her residence during such period;
- Employees (and his or her accompanying family members) of certain U.S. government agencies, U.S. companies and certain international groups should file an application to preserve residence for naturalization purposes if he or she is going to be absent from the U.S. for more than one year.
- Have resided within a state or district for at least three months.
The naturalization process involves completing an application, passing the Civics and English proficiency test at the interview, and taking the oath of allegiance. An applicant is exempt from taking the English proficiency test and may take the Civics test in his or her native language if the person is:
- Age 50 or older at the time of filing for naturalization and has lived as an LPR (green card holder) in the U.S. for more than 20 years (the “50/20” exception); OR
- Age 55 or older at the time of filing for naturalization and has lived as an LPR in the U.S. for more than 15 years (commonly referred to as the “55/15” exception).
If you are a Legal Permanent Resident and are considering applying for U.S. Citizenship, please understand that any criminal conviction/record, residency and tax issues could lead to, not only a rejection of your application, but also initiation of removal proceedings by the US Department of Homeland Security. Should you have any concerns over your N-400 application for citizenship, please contact us so that we can discuss your options and help you overcome the obstacles to U.S. Citizenship.
Representation before Government Agencies (Liaison Services):
- U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services
- U.S. Custom & Border Protection
- U.S. Department of Labor
- U.S. Department of States and Consular Posts
- Social Security Agency
- State Department of Motor Vehicles