Kristopher W. Peters practices U.S. immigration law and has extensive experience in business and employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant visa sponsorship, immigration-related compliance and enforcement (I-9 and E-Verify), consular processing, international travel, and related matters.
Kris routinely advises businesses of all sizes in industries such as Media, Manufacturing, Technology, FinTech, Investment Banking and Securities, Life Sciences, Consumer Products, and Insurance on the whole lifecycle of temporary and permanent visa sponsorship for their employees and related issues related to changes in employment, maintenance of status, work authorization, and I-9 compliance that periodically arise. He also assists clients with establishing, reviewing, and tailoring their immigration sponsorship policies and processes to meet their business needs. When necessary, Kris helps represent and advise clients on immigration enforcement matters, including site verification visits, agency audits, and immigration-related discrimination investigations and enforcement actions.
Kris also assists skilled professionals, scientists, artists, entrepreneurs, and business owners in securing temporary and permanent visa sponsorship, lawful permanent residence, and naturalization in the U.S. for themselves and their family members through employer-based, family-based, and self-sponsored means. This includes evaluating visa eligibility, preparing and submitting relevant petitions and applications, and advising on nuances and complexities in the U.S. immigration system.
Kris also keeps clients informed on developments in U.S. immigration law by periodically writing on, contributing to, and speaking about developments and trends in U.S. immigration law, including immigration enforcement trends, I-9 and E-Verify compliance and best practices, O-1 and EB-1 extraordinary ability considerations, National Interest Waiver (NIW) and PERM-based visa sponsorship, and regulatory and federal immigration-related policy changes and developments.
Kris currently serves as Outside Editor-in-Chief for the New York International Law Review (NYILR), sponsored by the New York State Bar Association's International Law Section, and is a 2020 cum laude graduate of St. John's University School of Law. During law school, Kris served as executive notes and comments editor for the ABI Law Review and as a Fellow for the Center for International and Comparative Law (CICL). He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Areas of Practice
- Nonimmigrant Visa Sponsorship and Consular Assistance: U.S. Business Visitors (B); Treaty Traders and Investors (E-1/E-2); Specialty Workers (H-1B, H-1B1, E-3); Intra-Company Transferees (L); Extraordinary Ability (O); USMCA Professionals (TN-1 & TN-2); Students (F); and Exchange Visitors (J).
- Immigrant Visa Sponsorship and Permanent Residence: Noncitizens of Extraordinary Ability, Outstanding Researchers, and Multinational Managers (EB-1); PERM Sponsorship for Advanced Degree Professionals, Professionals, and Skilled Workers (EB-2 & 3); National Interest Waivers (EB-2 NIW); Family Based Petitions (I-130), and Adjustment of Status (AOS) and related applications
- Immigration Compliance: I-9 & E-Verify; Business Restructuring; Successor-in-Interest (SII); Changes in Employment; Immigration Sponsorship Policy
- Immigration Enforcement: Site Visits; Agency Audits and Enforcement Actions.
Admissions
- New York
Education
- St. John's University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2020
- Executive Notes and Comments Editor, ABI Law Journal - University of North Carolina at Greensboro, B.A., 2015
Experience
- Duane Morris LLP
- Associate, 2023-present - Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy LLP
- Associate, 2022-2023 - Jackson Lewis PC
- Associate, 2020-2022
Professional Activities
- The LGBT Bar Association of New York
- New York City Bar Association
- American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
Selected Publications
- Co-author, "New Year, New Opportunities: Trends and Upcoming Developments in Immigration Law," Duane Morris Immigration Law Blog, January 24, 2024
- Co-author, "White House Artificial Intelligence Executive Order Impacts Myriad Sectors of the Law," Duane Morris Alert, November 6, 2023
- Co-author, "New White House Executive Order Highlights Increased Complexity in AI Regulation – A Cross-Practice Overview," Duane Morris Artificial Intelligence Blog, November 3, 2023
- Co-author, "Homeland Security Announces New Form I-9 and Optional Alternative to Physical Document Examination for Employment Eligibility Verification," Duane Morris Alert, July 27, 2023
- Co-author, "Ensuring I-9 Compliance As Remote Flexibility Sunsets," Law360, May 23, 2023
- Co-author, "I-9 Remote Physical Inspection Flexibility Ending July 31, 2023: Employers Have Until August 30 to Bring I-9s into Full Compliance," Duane Morris Alert, May 19, 2023
- Co-author, "USCIS International Entrepreneur Parole Program Gets Some Guidelines," Duane Morris Immigration Blog, April 24, 2023
“O-1 and EB-1 Visa Adjudication Following USCIS Change,” National Law Review March 10, 2022
“O-1 Visas Abound: USCIS Provides Detailed Guidance on O-1 Visa Eligibility, National Law Review, January 28, 2022
“Major Immigration Law Changes in House’s Build Back Better Act, National Law Review, December 3, 2021
Media Hits
- Quoted, "High Court SEC Case May Bear On DOJ's Immigration Probes," Law360, March 29, 2024
- Quoted, "Top 4 Immigration Cases To Watch In 2024: A Preview," Law360, January 1, 2024
- Quoted, "Top 5 Immigration Policy Developments Of 2023," Law360, December 15, 2023
Selected Speaking Engagements
- Speaker, "Immigration Compliance Update 2023," Duane Morris Institute (DMi) Webinar, September 19, 2023
Representative Matters
Obtaining retroactive approval and reinstatement of status for an H-1B visa holder facing a ten year bar from entry to the U.S. based on their accidental overstay and accrual of unlawful presence.
Achieving expedited adjudication of an H-4 EAD application for a client's spouse after initiating a mandamus and APA lawsuit in federal court.
Assisting a client in overcoming criminal-related inadmissibility issues and subsequent approval of their adjustment of status (I-485) application.
Assisting a client in obtaining an I-601 Waiver of Inadmissibility and subsequent approval of their adjustment of status application based on their bona fide religious objection to all vaccinations.