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Assistance With Family-Based & Employment-Based Visas From a Tampa Legal Team
Legal status can be a path to a bright future in the United States
Obtaining a family- or employment-based visa not only provides legal status in the United States, but also can be an important first step in achieving permanent status or even full U.S. citizenship. But there are a limited number of visas available each year—after identifying individuals who are the most qualified, applications are processed in chronological order based on date of application. The Law Offices of K. Dean Kantaras, P.A. has extensive experience assisting families and employers throughout the Tampa Bay area sponsor immigrants interested in visiting the United States or making it their permanent home.
Family-based visas
Four categories of visas (F1 through F4) are available for individuals sponsored by qualifying family members who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States. In general, sponsors of immigrant relatives must be at least 18 years old, live in the United States or a territory or possession, and have a household income sufficient to support those being sponsored in addition to the family members who already reside in the home.
Proving eligibility can be a complex and detailed process. An experienced lawyer at the Law Offices of K. Dean Kantaras, P.A. can help guide families through the legal process.
Employment-based visas
Within any given fiscal year, U.S. immigration law makes approximately 140,000 employment-based immigrant visas available to qualified individuals. These visas are divided into five preference categories, and allow certain spouses and children to join or follow those who have achieved employment-based immigration status.
The three most common categories are the following:
- Employment first preference (E1). E1 visas are typically granted to individuals deemed to have extraordinary ability, outstanding professors and researchers with at least three years of experience, and multinational managers or executives who have been employed by an overseas affiliate of a U.S. employer.
- Employment second preference (E2). E2 visas are intended for professionals who hold advanced degrees and for persons of exceptional ability. In most cases, labor certification must be approved by the Department of Labor, and a job offer must exist from a U.S. employer willing to file an immigration petition on behalf of the applicant.
- Employment third preference (E3). This category includes skilled workers, professionals, and unskilled workers who have an approved petition sponsored by a prospective employer.
Each attorney at the Law Offices of K. Dean Kantaras, P.A. has experience guiding both employers and prospective employees through the complex process of obtaining work visas.
Contact the respected attorneys at the Law Offices of K. Dean Kantaras, P.A.
Serving Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and Tampa with offices in Largo and Palm Harbor, the Law Offices of K. Dean Kantaras, P.A. has over three decades of experience in immigration law. Whether you need an attorney, or you just need more information on the immigration-related legal services we can offer, contact us at (727) 939-6113, or use our online contact form.