Thursday, June 12th, 2025
On June 9, 2025, a new Presidential Proclamation went into effect restricting travel to the United States for nationals of 19 countries. While the ban is broad, the government has confirmed that exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis where travel is found to serve a U.S. national interest. Although formal criteria for these
Thursday, June 12th, 2025
Evolving Standards for E-2 Visa Interviews Recent reports from the U.S. Embassy in London indicate a marked change in how E-2 visa applications are being handled. Interviews that were once brief and largely procedural are now significantly longer and more detailed, with applicants being asked to provide far more information about their businesses, roles, and
Monday, January 23rd, 2023
United States Visa Options for Actors (B, H2, O, and P Visas) I. B-1 / B-2 Visitors Neither the Immigration and Nationality Act (“INA”) nor Title 8 of the Code of Federal Regulations (“Immigration Regulations”) define the work “entertainer”. However, Note 8.1(b) to §14.05 of Volume 9 of the Foreign Affairs Manual (“FAM”), the manual
Friday, December 9th, 2022
The Importance of a Well-Crafted Business Plan in L1, E2, and EB5 Matters The United States government expects to see a well-drafted business plan as support for applications in both the E Treaty Visa category and the EB-5 Immigrant Entrepreneur category. Additionally, USCIS often kicks back a request for a “feasibility study” in L1 “New
Friday, December 9th, 2022
L1 Visa Renewal Challenges Ortega-Medina & Associates has conducted a thorough review of selected published decisions in which L1 visa renewal petitions were denied. Following is a discussion of the elements common to most of these cases. The L1 visa is one of the most popular vehicles by which the owners of foreign businesses can
Friday, December 9th, 2022
Frequently Asked ”E” Visa Questions and Answers Treaty Investor visas (“E-2” visas) to the United States are authorized on the basis of treaties between the United States (US) and approximately sixty other countries. The US Embassy in London is responsible for processing E visas for all of the United Kingdom. Following are common questions that
Friday, December 9th, 2022
Common US Visa and Immigration Myths The law firm of Ortega-Medina & Associates often receives inquiries from HR Professionals regarding employees who have suffered United States immigration consequences due to their reliance on erroneous information found on the Internet. While much information found on the internet may be accurate, we are aware of an abundance
Wednesday, August 2nd, 2017
THE E1 VISA ADVANTAGE by Ortega-Medina and Associates Options for foreign nationals wishing to open a business in the United States are often limited by the need to invest a significant amount of capital to meet stringent immigration requirements. The EB5 category, for example, requires a minimum investment of $800,000 USD in a new business;
Friday, March 17th, 2017
Automatic Employment Authorization Document (EAD) Extension Starting Jan. 17, 2017, USCIS is automatically extending certain expiring EADs for up to 180 days for applicants who: Properly filed for a renewal EAD before their current EAD expired, and Are otherwise eligible for a renewal, which means that: • Your EAD renewal is under a category that
Friday, February 5th, 2016
Myths Associated with the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa by Ortega-Medina & Associates As a full-service EB-5 immigration law firm, we frequently receive enquiries from prospective immigrant investors who have been misinformed regarding the EB-5 program requirements and eligibility. Unfortunately, the misinformation they receive often comes from retaining an inexperienced EB-5 immigration lawyer or consulting with
