Recently, Greenberg Traurig LLP’s Global Immigration & Compliance Co-Chair Kate Kalmykov (New York/New Jersey), Shareholder Jennifer Hermansky (Philadelphia), and Associate Luna Ma (Shanghai) visited locales in Asia to meet with clients and migration agents, and to discuss strategies for immigration to the United States.

Kate, Jen, and Luna met with more than 500 individuals, hosted over 20 seminars, and conducted numerous educational sessions as they traveled from Vietnam to Singapore. During their trip, the GT team provided valuable insights into the different types of work visas and employment-based green card options available to individuals who are seeking to work in the United States. The team discussed the E-2 visa, which is available to individuals coming to the United States to invest in and manage a business. They also discussed the L-1 visa, which is available to individuals who are transferring from a foreign company to a U.S. company to work in a managerial or executive capacity.

The team also provided insights into EB-1A and EB-1C green card options. The EB-1A is available to individuals who have extraordinary abilities in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics. The EB-1C is available to individuals who are coming to the United States to manage a U.S. company that is related to a foreign company they have worked for in the past. Both of these green card options have increased in popularity in recent years as many applicants seek permanent residency solutions in the United States post-COVID-19.

During their seminars and educational sessions, the GT team also reviewed the EB-5 program, which allows foreign nationals to invest in a business in the United States that creates 10 full-time jobs for foreign workers in order to obtain a green card. They shared valuable insights into the processing times for EB-5 applications and discussed the changes implemented by the 2022 EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act. The team also discussed the positive results they have received by filing mandamus actions in federal court to speed up processing times for I-526 and I-829 applications already in process with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

GT team members will return to Vietnam next month to meet with clients and provide valuable insights into the U.S. immigration process.

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