Duane Morris' Immigration Group serves a diverse group of clients including multinational and Fortune 500 publicly-traded corporations, medium-sized privately-held companies, and smaller sized start-up ventures. Our attorneys have experience in a wide range of industries, including: information technology, biotechnology, security, telecommunications, manufacturing, retail, market research, banking, shipping, healthcare, entertainment and food and beverage. In addition, we represent numerous universities, embassies, religious organizations, and other non-profit entities, as well as individuals, with immigration needs. We also handle immigration-related litigation and government compliance matters.
On the U.S. side, our attorneys provide clients with a full range of immigration and naturalization legal services which are carefully crafted to reflect each client's goals and objectives.
Our practice has grown to include representation of our multinational clients in global visa, work and residence permit applications, as well as compliance audits in countries on a worldwide basis. This is a rapidly expanding and changing area of law, as countries struggle to protect domestic work forces while addressing the needs of international business. At Duane Morris, we provide a seamless home-host model that involves an in-house team working in conjunction with local expert counsel.
Through a comprehensive knowledge of the legal, political and business context in which immigration and naturalization concerns arise, the Immigration Group assists clients to operate successfully in a world in which capital and business opportunities have no borders. Our team's thorough understanding of the bureaucratic intricacies and our frequent interaction with decision makers at the Departments of Homeland Security, Labor and State in the United States as well as these agencies’ counterparts around the world, provide a solid foundation upon which we provide effective representation to our clients. Our immigration attorneys also work with members of the firm's trade, customs, international, tax, corporate, business reorganization, healthcare and litigation groups when issues arise which require the skills of lawyers practicing in a variety of disciplines to provide clients with a full range of legal services.
About Our Unique Experience
Immigration law has become an even more exciting and dynamic field as a result of the opening of world markets, and expanding trade. Our worldwide immigration practice has attorneys throughout the U.S,, including our California, Florida, Pennsylvania, New York and Washington D.C. offices, as well as local resources in our Singapore and London offices, and comprises lawyers and paralegals with long and varied experience that uniquely positions us to address our clients' immigration needs globally.
Our partners' diverse backgrounds include serving as advisor to presidential administrations and participating in delegations to foreign countries involving immigration and human rights issues. Several of our lawyers have been national and state bar association liaisons to various Department of Homeland Security agencies, as well as the Departments of State and Labor, and are frequently asked to present authoritative programs on immigration issues across the United States and globally.
Our immigration partners are experienced in handling large volume employment-based transactions, and possess unique knowledge and experience with global visa work — e.g., requirements for U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents or non-immigrants to secure work and residence permits and visas for countries across the globe.
Range of Immigration Services
As many employers know, immigration and naturalization laws globally are enforced by government agencies that often provide restrictive responses to immigration and the legitimate needs of businesses to employ the best workers regardless of nationality. Our Immigration Practice Group assists employers in meeting their needs efficiently and effectively, while endeavoring to minimize the inconvenience, delay, expense and potential liability related to immigration issues. We offer advisory services to help navigate the complex areas of work authorization and immigrant and non-immigrant visa services. We also develop foreign national workforce policies, training programs, and corporate compliance strategies, such as I-9 Compliance and other countries' right to work programs to respond to workplace needs. Further, we conduct on-site preventive training programs designed to meet clients' specific needs.
U.S. Non-Immigrant Visas
There are several types of non-immigrant visas which allow a foreign national to work in the United States. They include H-1B (professionals), L (intracompany transferees), E (treaty traders/investors), F (students with practical training) and J (exchange visitor). We have assisted numerous clients in negotiating the complex maze of regulations, policies and operational instructions that must be navigated to obtain these visas. Issues of current concern include the impact of H-1B quota cap restrictions, portability for H-1B workers, acceptable wage surveys, the interplay between practical training for foreign students and H-1B petitions, changing visa procedures at U.S. embassies worldwide, corporate restructurings, layoffs and terminations, and work authorizations for spouses of L and E visa holders.
Duane Morris lawyers offer clients substantial experience in the analysis and representation of all other types of non-immigrant visas, including issues involving:
- North American Free Trade visas for Canadians and Mexicans
- Free Trade Agreement visas for Chileans and Singaporeans
- Tourist visas
- Extraordinary ability in science, education, arts, business or athletics visas
- Entertainer visas
- Foreign media visas
- Exchange visitor visas
- Foreign medical worker visas
- International organization visas
- Student visas
- International cultural exchange visas
- Religious worker visas
U.S. Immigrant Visas
Duane Morris lawyers possess extensive knowledge and in-depth experience in obtaining immigrant visas on behalf of clients. We fully understand the most recent changes in immigration laws regarding portability of labor certifications and immigrant visa petitions, tandem filing of immigrant visa petitions and adjustment of status applications, labor certifications and procedures and processing times for applications in the United States, as well as immigrant visa processing and procedures for U.S. embassies around the world. We also counsel employers regarding hiring foreign personnel who have pending applications and work authorization issues. Our attorneys have extensive experience in all facets of immigrant visas, including:
- Labor certifications
- Immigrant visa petitions
- Multinational executives and managers
- Outstanding professors and researchers
- Exceptional ability visas
- Nurses, doctors, physical therapists and other healthcare professionals
- Special immigrants, including religious workers, returning permanent residents and broadcasters/journalists
- Employment creation/investor
- Employment-related family immigrant visas (spouses/children/brothers/sisters)
- Adoption
- Divorce and widows
Global Visas
There are numerous immigration regimes across the globe. We assist our clients in understanding the options and constraints in each destination country so that the best strategy can be selected, ensuring that both the client and its employees are fully compliant with local regulations. Understanding the current global climate where both local labor market protection and the race for talent define the playing field, we work side by side with our clients to secure appropriate permits and visas.
Duane Morris’ Global Immigration professionals have extensive experience in the full spectrum of global immigration filings, including:
- Employment, investor and family based work and residence permit applications
- Permanent residency and citizenship filings
- Business and Entry visas
- Acquisition of vital records and personal documents
- Program policy development and best practices for global compliance
- Immigration project and/or program strategy
- Immigration and compliance audit assistance
- Client legal, HR, mobility, recruiter, and manager training
- Benchmarking and reporting
Duane Morris attorneys forge relationships with clients to build comprehensive, effective and sustainable immigration programs tailored to fit the needs of our clients the world over. Through longstanding relationships with local counsel on six continents, Duane Morris takes the care to develop intelligent global immigration programs and practices that suit clients' needs ranging from the individual to the program level.
Immigration Training and Workshops
Duane Morris' attorneys develop and conduct training programs for human resource managers, general counsel and supervisory level employees. The training programs and workshops are designed to meet a client's specific needs in a wide variety of workplace issues, such as:
- I-9 compliance
- Public inspection files for H-1B petitions
- Portability of H-1B visa petitions, labor certifications and immigrant visa petitions
- New immigration laws, policies and procedures globally
- General foreign assignment considerations
- Destination country specific considerations
- Project planning
- PERM labor certification applications
- Creative alternatives to H-1Bs
- Travel and security concerns in the post 9/11 world
Corporate Transactions
Our lawyers are sensitive to the immigration issues related to other transactional matters. When appropriate, we interface with our corporate, real estate, bankruptcy and tax attorneys to provide a complete range of legal services with respect to client needs. The following are representative issues on which we assist in business transactions:
- Immigration ramifications of corporate restructuring such as mergers, acquisitions, asset transfers on employees' U.S. Non-Immigrant, U.S. Immigrant, and Global Visa status
- Immigration issues for non-immigrants purchasing/financing real estate
- Effect of bankruptcy on naturalization application
- International and domestic tax ramifications for foreign corporations and foreign personnel
- Tax ramifications of immigration status
Removal (Deportation) Counsel, Hearings, Waivers and Litigation
Our immigration attorneys have handled deportation (currently referred to as "removal") hearings, waivers, material witness warrants and federal court litigation. In the post-9/11 immigration climate, more people are being placed in removal proceedings. Many of those have minor or hyper-technical immigration violations. Further, corporate executives who had youthful indiscretions are also finding themselves in removal proceedings. Our attorneys are frequently called upon to assist in providing representation for the following types clients:
- Individuals who have problems at the port of entry
- Foreign personnel who are out of status because they worked for a second employer without permission or failed to file appropriate documents with the CIS
- Returning permanent residents with old criminal convictions which, at the time of the conviction, would not have been sufficient cause for removal
- Corporate executives with old or expunged criminal convictions
- Individuals seeking political asylum or relief from deportation under the United Nations Convention Against Torture
- Individuals subject to waivers for misrepresentations, fraud, convictions, exclusion at entry, failure to possess appropriate documents
Special Immigration Services
Duane Morris' attorneys also provide specialized immigration-related services to address the business needs of our clients. These services include:
- Strategic advice and advocacy on specific client needs
- Electronic alerts and other communications'
- Seminars and workshops on significant developments
- Customized training programs
Technology
In order to provide our clients with the most effective and transparent immigration services, Duane Morris uses ICM, a state-of-the-art immigration solution. ICM is a case management database system designed with security, usability, flexibility and scalability in mind. ICM allows clients to securely upload data and access detailed case information status updates and reports online. Client employees are also able to upload information and monitor case progress subject to any client specifications. Moreover, ICM provides encryption of client and client employee data and communications as well as constant monitoring and intrusion detection systems to keep sensitive information secure. Both company representatives and foreign national employees have access to this system through https://ww8.welcomeclient.com/.
For More Information
For more information, please contact Ted J. Chiappari or any of the practice members referenced in the Attorney Listing.
德茂
移民执业
德茂 (Duane Morris) 移民执业组为各种各样的客户服务，这其中既包 括跨国的财富 500 强的上市公司，也包括中型的私人企业和 小型的初创公司。我们律师的执业经验涉及各个产业，包 括：信息科技，生物科技，证券，电信，制造，零售，市场 调查，银行，运输，医疗，娱乐和餐饮等。
此外，我们还代表众多有移民需求的大学、大使馆、宗教团体、其他非盈利组织和个人。我 们也处理移民相关的诉讼及政府方面合规性的事宜。
在美国，我们的律师针对客户的不同需求及目标为客户量身定制全程的移民和归化方面的法律服 务。
我们的执业已经发展到代表跨国企业客户在全球各个国家申请签 证、工作和居留许可，以及相关的法律合规性方面的审查。由于各 个国家既要努力保护本国的就业，也要迎合国际业务的需求，这个 法律领域变化迅速。在 Duane Morris，我们的内部团队和当地专家 顾问合作，为客户提供无缝的本部主管模式。
通过充分了解法律、政治和商业背景及相关的移民、归化方面的顾 虑，我们的移民执业组可以帮助客户在这个资本和商业机会无国界的世界里取得成功。我们的团 队深入了解官僚机构的复杂性，与美国国土安全局、劳动和国务部门或其他国家对应的相关部门 等决策者之间的频繁互动。这一切为我们有效代表我们的客户打下了坚实的基础。我们的移民律 师也和我们贸易、海关、国际、税务、企业、商业重组、医疗保健、诉讼等方面的其他律师协 作，为客户提供全方位的法律服务。
关于我们独特的经验
作为全球市场开放和市场发展的产物，移民法正成为一个越来越令人激动及不断变化的领域。我 们的全球移民执业组的律师遍布全美，如加利福尼亚、佛罗里达、宾夕法尼亚和华盛顿特区办公 室等。在新加坡和伦敦办公室，我们也有着丰富的当地资源。众多律师和法务助理的长期广泛的 经验使我们能够处于独特位置以代表客户在全球的移民需求。
我们的合伙人有着各种各样的背景，包括总统行政班的顾问，为移民及人权事务出访外国的代表 团成员等。我们的数位律师作为国家和州的律师协会与国土安全部及国务劳动部之间的联系人， 经常获邀出席在美国和全球举办的移民相关事项的权威项目。
我们的移民方面合伙人有着处理大量的职业移民方面的经验。同时在全球签证——例如美国公民 需求，永久居民和非移民类工作居住许可及各国签证等方面——都有着独特的知识和经验。
移民服务范围
众多雇主都知道，各国政府机构对移民和归化法案的严格执行对于企业不论员工国籍雇佣最好员 工的合理需求提出了挑战。我们的移民执业组帮助雇主更快更有效的满足这些要求，努力减少移 2 民问题上可能产生的不便、延误、花销和可能的责任。我们为雇主提供咨询服务，帮助雇主理解 工作许可、移民及非移民类签证服务等复杂领域的知识。我们也帮助制定企业的外国劳工政策， 训练计划和公司法规合规性策略，例如 I-9 合规性和其他的国家要求的工作权和工作场所相关的 规定。此外，我们也实施预防性的训练计划，以满足客户的特殊要求。
美国非移民签证
在美国，允许外国人就业的非移民类签证有几个不同类型，包括 H1-B（专业人员）、L（公 司内部调动）、E（协定国商人/投资人）、F（学生毕业实习）和 J（访问学者）。我们帮助 客户理解必须符合的法规、规定及政策，以取得以上的签证。目前此领域比较敏感的问题包 括 H-1B 配额限制，H-1B 持有人的工作转换，可接受的工资调查，外国学生的毕业实习及 H-1B 申请，在全球的美国大使馆申请更换签证，企业重组、裁员和解雇，以及为 L 或 E 签证持有 者的配偶申请工作许可等。
德茂 (Duane Morris) 的律师也在为客户代理其他的非移民签证领域有丰富的经验，包括：
- 针对加拿大和墨西哥籍的北美自由贸易签证
- 针对智利和新加坡籍的自由贸易签证
- 旅游签证
- 在科学、教育、艺术、商业或运动领域杰出人才的签证
- 艺人签证
- 外国新闻媒体签证
- 交换互访学者签证
- 外国医疗工作者签证
- 国际组织签证
- 学生签证
- 国际文化交流签证
- 宗教工作签证
美国移民签证
德茂 (Duane Morris) 的律师在代表客户取得移民签证方面有着大量的知识和深度的经验。我们充分理 解最新的移民法所带来的变化，诸如：在美国本土的劳动许可和移民签证申请的转移、移民 签证和身份调整的同时申请，劳动申请的步骤及处理时间；以及在全球的美国大使馆的移民 签证的处理和步骤。我们也为雇主在雇佣有未决签证申请或工作授权问题的外籍劳工方面提 供专业咨询。
我们的律师在移民签证的各个方面都有着丰富的经验，包括：
- 劳工许可
- 移民签证申请
- 跨国企业高级管理人员及经理
- 杰出教授和研究人员
- 特殊才能签证
- 护士、医生、理疗师和其他医疗专员
- 特殊移民，包括宗教工作者、返回的永久居民和广播员/记者
- 就业创造人/投资人
- 雇佣相关的家庭移民签证（配偶/子女/兄弟/姐妹）
- 领养 离婚和丧偶
全球签证
全球有众多的移民制度。我们帮助客户理解每个目标国的选择和限制，以便选择最好的策略，确 保客户和他们的雇员完全符合当地的法规。鉴于当前本地劳动市场保护和人才争夺并存的情况， 我们和客户一起协作，帮助客户取得合适的授权和签证。
德茂 (Duane Morris) 的全球移民专员在各国移民文件提交上都有着丰富的经验，包括：
- 雇佣、投资者和家庭方面的工作、居住许可的申请
- 永久居留和公民身份申请
- 商业签证
- 获取必要记录和个人文档
- 计划策略制定及全球法律合规性遵循
- 移民项目和/或计划策略
- 帮助移民及其合规性的审查
- 客户的法务、人事、调派、征召和管理等部门的培训
- 基准及报告
德茂 (Duane Morris) 的律师和客户建立紧密的联系，根据客户的需求定制全面的、有效的和可持续的移 民计划。通过和遍布六大洲的当地法律顾问所建立的长期的合作关系，我们所制定和实施的全球 移民计划可以满足从个人客户到计划层面所有的需求。
移民、培训和专题讨论
德茂 (Duane Morris) 的律师针对人力资源经理、公司法律总顾问及管理层的雇员制定并实施培训计 划。这些培训计划及专题讨论涵盖客户可能遇到的各式各样的问题，例如：
- I-9 的合规性
- H-1B 申请的公开文件查阅
- H-1B 签证申请、劳工证和移民签证申请的转移
- 全球的新移民法律、政策和手续
- 一般的跨国人员调动方面的顾虑
- 目标国的特殊顾虑
- 项目计划
- PERM 劳工证申请
- 可替代 H-1B 签证的选择
- 9/11 之后旅行和安全方面的考虑
公司业务
我们的律师对于一般公司事务产生的移民方面问题非常敏感。在必要的时候，我们移民职业 组会和我们的公司、不动产、破产和税务方面的其他律师合作，为客户提供全面的法律服 务。以下是我们协助公司业务方面的有代表性的实例：
- 企业重组例如兼并、收购、资产转移后雇员的美国非移民类、美国移民类和全球签证状态 等方面的后续处理
- 非移民类人员购买/投资不动产产生的移民方面问题
- 公司破产对归化申请产生的影响
- 外国企业和个人在国际、国内的税务问题
- 移民状态产生的税务问题
遣返（驱逐出境）的咨询、听证、豁免和诉讼
我们的移民律师处理过驱逐出境（现在被称为“遣返”）方面的的听证、豁免、重要证人搜 查和联邦法庭诉讼。在后 9/11 的移民环境下，越来越多的人被置于遣返流程中。他们中的很 多人有小的或者技术层面以外的移民方面的违规。此外，一些公司管理人员也因为不当言行 举止被置于遣返流程中。我们的律师经常代表以下客户处理相关事务：
- 在入国关口遇到问题的个人
- 外籍人士因为在没有许可的情况下为第二个雇主工作，或者没有向移民局递交合适的文件 所导致的签证状态作废
- 回国的永久居民有犯罪历史，但是在定罪的时间点上并不足以成为被驱逐的理由
- 企业的管理人员有老的或被抹去的犯罪定罪记录
- 个人根据《联合国反折磨惯例》所提出的政治避难或政治救济
- 个人获得虚假陈述、欺诈、定罪、拒绝入境方面的豁免，但是未能持有相应文件
特别移民服务
德茂 (Duane Morris) 的律师也提供特殊的移民相关服务。这些服务包括：
- 针对客户特殊需求的策略建议和支持
- 电子警告和其他的交流
- 重大事件的学习讨论会
- 定制的培训计划
科技
为了向客户提供最高效和透明的移民服务，德茂 (Duane Morris) 采用了被称为 EDGE 的最先进的移民解决 方案系统。 EDGE 是一个注重安全性、易用性、灵活性和可扩展性的案例管理数据库。EDGE 允 许客户安全的上传资料及在线获取案例的状态更新及报告。客户的雇员也可以根据要求上传信息 及监视案例进度。除此之外，EDGE 对客户及客户雇员的资料及通信实施加密，并且依靠不间断 监视和入侵侦测系统保证敏感信息的安全。所有公司代表和外籍雇员都可通过 https://ww8.welcomeclient.com/访问此系统。
代表案例
- 代表大量遍布全美的高科技公司，其中包括财富 500 强企业，为他们的电脑方面专业雇员 获取 H-1B 工作签证、劳工证及永久居留身份。
- 代表外籍医生依靠他们的医疗专业特长获取 J-1 豁免，继续在美国为贫困人群服务。
- 代表加利福尼亚一大型医疗仪器公司获得复杂的 L 类签证，将管理层经理和有专业知识的 雇员调派至美国。
- 代表最大的车辆保险公司之一为其加拿大专家获取 TN 类签证。
- 代表一美国参议院办公室 为临时雇佣的专家获取 H-1B 类签证。
- 代表一位于华盛顿特区的设计公司，参与为其设计师获取 H-1B 签证相关的复杂案例。
- 代表一家非营利但是在美国有小额贷款业务的机构，为其商业顾问获取 H-1B 签证。
- 代表一长期永久居民获得遣返令的撤销。
- 代表后 9/11 时代的一些人出席秘密听证会，确保他们的释放及案件的撤销。
- 代表 9/11 后的重要证人客户。
- 出席大使馆演讲，讨论 9/11 后公民自由和被捕后的权利。
更多信息
要获取额外信息，请致电 415 957 3069 联系 Lisa Spiegel，或联系任何 www.duanemorris.com 名下的律师。