Move over H1B! These 5 visa options will help Indians take up work, get green card in US

1. EB5 Visa

Under this program, entrepreneurs (and their spouses and unmarried children under 21) are eligible to apply for a green card (permanent residence) if they:

Make the necessary investment ($1,000,000 in any area or $500,000 in a Targeted Employment Area) in a commercial enterprise in the United States; and

Plan to create or preserve 10 permanent full-time jobs for qualified U.S. workers.

An Applicant can get a green card in less than 2 years as opposed to EB2 or EB3 which is filed with H1B or L1B visa and takes over a decade.

2. ​L1A Visa

The L1 Visa is an intracompany transfer visa that allows companies to transfer employees to the United States with the purpose of developing operations in the US by opening a new branch, subsidiary, or affiliate office. L1A visas are for transfer of Managers and Executives. L1A visa holders may file for a Green Card in the EB1C category. They often receive their Green Card within one year.

3. ​L1B Visa

The L1B visa is for professionals with specialized knowledge. L1B visa holders may apply for permanent residency but must also apply for labor certification. This process requires the employer to prove that there are no U.S. workers who are qualified to fill the L1B employee’s position. The green card is filed under EB2 category and may take several years to be processed.

4. ​O1 Visa

It is for the individual who possesses extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, or who has a demonstrated record of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry and has been recognized nationally or internationally for those achievements.

5. ​Changing Nationality and applying for E2 visa

E2 visa allows a national of a treaty country (a country with which the United States maintains a treaty of commerce and navigation) to be admitted to the United States when investing a substantial amount of capital in a U.S. business. This visa allows foreign nationals to establish businesses in the United States. Although India and China are not treaty countries, many Indians change their nationality in order to qualify. We have filed E2 applications for people of Indian origin who have become citizens of Australia and Canada. Some clients are in the process of obtaining Passport from Grenada in order to qualify for the E2 visa.