Visa Application Assistance

I am already in the U.S.
If you are already in the United States, the documents you need for a work visa or other change of status will depend on your new category, but most cases require a core set of items. You generally need proof of your current lawful status (I‑94 record, approval notices, and copies of your passport and visa), the correct USCIS forms, and supporting evidence for the new status (such as employer letters and credentials for work visas, or qualifying documents for other categories).

Our attorneys simplify consular processing with a tailored document checklist and carefully prepared submissions designed to minimize delays and additional requests.

I am applying for a visa outside the U.S.
If you are outside the United States, most applicants need a valid passport, the correct online application (such as the DS‑160 for nonimmigrant visas or the DS‑260 for immigrant visas), and the approval notice issued in the U.S. for the underlying petition. For employment-based visas, you also need an employer letter, job details, and proof of your qualifications; for family-based visas, you need proof of the relationship, financial sponsorship from the U.S. petitioner, and the approved petition notice.

Our attorneys simplify consular processing with a tailored document checklist and carefully prepared submissions designed to minimize delays and additional requests.

Processing times vary widely depending on your visa type, where you are applying from, and how busy USCIS and the consulate are when your case is filed. Fiancé and spouse visas involve multiple steps (petition, National Visa Center, and consular interview), so they generally take longer than most temporary work visas. H‑1B and other work visas can sometimes be expedited through premium processing, which shortens only the government’s decision time on the petition, not the entire process. Employment‑based green cards can be among the longest, especially for applicants from countries with high demand, while some categories move more quickly than others. Our firm monitors current processing trends and will walk you through realistic timelines for your specific category and discuss any options to help reduce avoidable delays.

Working with our firm from the start can significantly reduce the risk of a denial by ensuring your application is thoroughly documented, clearly presented, and tailored to the legal requirements of your case. If your visa is denied, we carefully review the decision and help you decide whether to refile with stronger evidence, pursue a motion or appeal, or consider an alternative visa option.

Whether you can work while your case is pending depends on your category, your current status, and the type of application you filed.

If you are relying on an EAD, it must normally be approved and in effect before you start working; a pending EAD application alone does not authorize employment.

Some EAD categories qualify for automatic extensions, which can let you keep working for a limited period after your old EAD expires while the renewal is pending, if all regulatory conditions are met.

If you already have a separate, independent work-authorized status (for example, valid H‑1B status with the same employer), you may often keep working on that basis while your new case is processed, as long as that underlying status remains valid.

If you are outside the U.S., you generally cannot begin working in the U.S. until your visa is issued, you enter the country, and you are formally admitted in the correct work‑authorized status at the port of entry.

A visa is a travel document in your passport that allows you to appear at a U.S. port of entry and request admission for a specific purpose and period of time. Nonimmigrant visas are temporary and subject to specific conditions, such as an H‑1B being tied to a particular employer and position.

A green card (Permanent Resident Card) grants lawful permanent residence, allowing you to live and work anywhere in the United States indefinitely. Green card holders may work for any employer, travel in and out of the country subject to residency rules, sponsor certain family members, and, after the required residence period, apply for U.S. citizenship if eligible. The underlying status does not automatically end when the card expires, but the physical card is typically valid for 10 years and must be renewed to keep your proof of status current.

Some permanent residents receive conditional status, most often through a recent marriage to a U.S. citizen or certain investor categories. Conditional residents are issued a 2‑year card and must apply to remove conditions in the 90‑day window before it expires or risk losing their resident status. Many people first come to the United States in a temporary visa status and later transition to a green card through an employer (for example, an H‑1B worker sponsored via PERM) or a qualifying family relationship, and our attorneys help design a clear strategy from temporary status to permanent residence and, when appropriate, citizenship.