Business Immigration & Compliance

We provide integrated legal solutions to complex problems that permit our clients to achieve U.S. immigration objectives. Working with our attorneys in multiple practice groups including Corporate, Labor & Employment, International, Real Estate, Tax, and Wealth Planning, we represent companies in their immigration matters.

Our experience ranges from foreign investors and business owners; international and domestic start-ups, small- to medium-size enterprises (SMEs) and public companies who employ individuals that need U.S. visa options to grow and expand their business; families who wish to live in the U.S. temporarily and/ permanently; and persons who wish to acquire U.S. citizenship.

We provide end-to-end or consultation services for the following areas:

  • Nonimmigrant visa processing including: B-1/B-2 visitors for business and pleasure; F-1 students; E-1 treaty traders for goods and services, E-2 treaty investors; E-3 for Australian nationals; H-1B specialty occupation; H1B1 for Chilean or Singaporean nationals; J-1 Waiver Processes; L-1 intracompany transferees; L-1 blanket petitions; O-1 extraordinary ability, P-1 athletes and entertainers, R-1 religious workers, and TN USMCA visa
  • Immigrant visa processing including: PERM Labor Certification; EB-1(A) extraordinary ability, EB-1(B) outstanding foreign researchers or professors, EB-1(C) managers and executives transferred from multinational corporations, EB-2 professionals holding an advanced degree with a U.S. job, EB-2 National Interest Waiver, EB-3 professional workers, EB-5 immigrant investors, Schedule A Matters, PERM Special Handling
  • Strategic planning concerning immigration consequences of formation, disposition, and reorganization of U.S. businesses
  • Worksite enforcement including I-9 and LCA Audits
  • Consular processing for nonimmigrant and immigrant visas
  • Family-based immigration matters
  • Complex naturalization and derivative citizenship matters
  • Renunciation of Green Card and Citizenship

Kelly D. Cobb

Kelly D. Cobb

Partner, Houston
713.752.4286

Erica Benites Giese

Erica Benites Giese

Partner, San Antonio
210.978.7791

Holly Hughes

Holly Hughes

Associate, Houston
713.752.4328

Sang M. Shin

Sang M. Shin

Partner, Houston
713.752.4408

Yenmi Tang

Yenmi Tang

Associate, Houston
713.752.4333

Catharine Yen

Catharine Yen

Senior Counsel, Houston
713.752.4429

Sang Shin headshot

March 18, 2024
Speaking Engagements

Sang Shin to Present at Annual Aberdeen-Houston Gateway

Jackson Walker partner Sang M. Shin will participate in the 12th annual Aberdeen-Houston Gateway conference, hosted by Granite PR. The event will take place on March 19 at the Norwood Hall Hotel in Aberdeen, Scotland.

February 15, 2024
Mentions

William Hornberger Featured in fDi Intelligence’s Analysis of US Relocation Trends

Jackson Walker partner William H. Hornberger was featured in fDi Intelligence’s publication, “Texas and Florida biggest winners from US relocations,” issued on January 29, 2024. The article highlights the significant appeal of Texas, which has managed to successfully allure close to a fifth of all U.S. company relocations over the past five years, reflecting companies’ strategic decisions of establishing operations in favorable business landscapes.

January 30, 2024
Speaking Engagements

Kelly Cobb and Sang Shin to Present at 22nd Annual Advanced Immigration Law Course Hosted by TexasBarCLE

Jackson Walker partners Kelly Cobb and Sang Shin will present at the 22nd Annual Course for Advanced Immigration Law hosted by the TexasBarCLE.

Kelly Cobb

January 25, 2024
Podcasts

Requirements for H1B Visa Renewal Pilot Program

JW Fast Takes Podcast | ~5 minutes

Kelly Cobb joins host Courtney White to discuss the newly established H1B Visa renewal pilot program by the U.S. Department of State. Kelly provides insights into the program, which aims to streamline the visa renewal process.

2024 Top Texas Women Super Lawyers

January 11, 2024
Attorney News

Super Lawyers Names 31 Jackson Walker Attorneys in Texas Top Women 2024 Magazine

Jackson Walker congratulates the 31 attorneys who were included in the Texas Top Women 2024 Magazine published by Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers. The annual Texas Top Texas Women edition includes the highest-rated women attorneys across the “Texas Rising Stars” and “Texas Super Lawyers” lists in a given practice area.

2024 Best Law Firms announcement

November 2, 2023
Spotlight

Jackson Walker Earns 25 National and 134 Metro Rankings in 2024 Edition of “Best Law Firms”

Jackson Walker proudly announces the firm’s inclusion in the 2024 edition of Best Law Firms® by Best Lawyers. This year, Jackson Walker observed notable improvements in the national rankings, including the rise of Appellate Practice to Tier 1, Banking and Finance Law and Litigation – Labor and Employment to Tier 2, and the addition of Energy Law and Environmental Law in Tier 3.

Christian Triantaphyllis

October 18, 2023
Attorney News

Christian Triantaphyllis Named to ‘EB5 Investors’ List of “Top 25 Immigration Attorneys” for Sixth Consecutive Year

In EB5 Investors Magazine’s listing of the “Top 25 Immigration Attorneys” of 2023, Christian Triantaphyllis was featured among the industry’s most distinguished EB-5 attorneys for the sixth consecutive year.

September 29, 2023
Insights

Government Shutdowns and Immigration Processes: What to Expect

By Yenmi Tang

If Congress does not pass appropriations legislation or a stopgap spending bill by September 30, 2023, the federal government will experience a shutdown on October 1, 2023. A federal government shutdown will disrupt certain U.S. immigration processes and visa programs, but not all of them. Immigration agencies that rely on appropriations from the federal government will shut down, while fee-funded agencies will continue to operate.

September 27, 2023
Insights

Employers Navigate Post-Pandemic Compliance and Regulatory Changes in a Shifting Immigration Landscape I Texas Lawyer

By Kelly D. Cobb

Now more than ever, it is vital that businesses review their internal immigration policies and processes, internal audit procedures, and training.

USA flags

August 17, 2023
Attorney News

‘The Best Lawyers in America’ Honors 287 Jackson Walker Attorneys in 2024 Edition, Including 12 “Lawyers of the Year” and 80 “Ones to Watch”

The Best Lawyers in America has recognized 287 Jackson Walker attorneys across 5 offices and 82 specialty practice areas in its 2024 edition, including 12 Lawyers of the Year and 80 Ones to Watch. In this year’s guide, Jackson Walker saw the largest number of attorneys in the areas of Commercial Litigation (66 attorneys) and Real Estate Law (60 attorneys) and the addition of 35 attorneys as Best Lawyers.

More Business Immigration & Compliance News

EB-5 Foreign Investment Visas

Jackson Walker’s EB-5 foreign investment and real estate team has the breadth of experience to advise clients on investments offering the opportunity to immigrate to the United States. The group’s multidisciplinary approach combines highly-skilled business immigration advisors with a nationally-recognized real estate team and corporate/securities counsel to achieve clients’ immigration objectives through investment transactions. The services provided to clients seeking the EB-5 process are organized around four major practice areas:

  • EB-5 Immigrant Visas filed through your own company
  • EB-5 Immigrant Visas filed through a Regional Center
  • Development of Regional Centers and EB-5 projects
  • Regional Center and EB-5 project compliance advice

L-1A And L-1B Intra-Company Transferee Work Visas

L-1 intra-company transferees are foreign workers who have been employed outside the U.S. by an affiliate, subsidiary, branch or parent of a U.S. company for at least one continuous year within the three years preceding the filing of a petition (or for at least one continuous year within the three years preceding admission to the U.S. if filing the petition while the foreign worker is in the U.S.), in a capacity that qualifies as executive, managerial, functional manager (L-1A), or specialized knowledge (L-1B), and who will perform services for the U.S. company in one of these categories as well.

EB-1(C) Multinational Manager or Executive Visas

The Multinational Manger or Executive (or EB-1C) category is designed for employees who:

  • have been offered a regular full-time position in a managerial or executive capacity with a U.S. employer who has been doing business in the United States for at least one year, and
  • have worked for a qualifying employer abroad in a managerial or executive capacity for one of the three years prior to entering the United States in nonimmigrant status.

Our investment immigration team is able to assist clients in determining if they qualify for this program, and walk them through the process from beginning to end.

EB-1(A) Extraordinary Ability Immigrants

The EB-1(A) category provides immigrant visa processing for individuals of extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics. “Extraordinary ability” is defined as a level of expertise indicating that the individual is one of a small percentage who have risen to the very top of a field of endeavor.

EB-1(A) applicants do not need a U.S. employer, and they are exempt from the normal labor certification process. In order to qualify, the individual may file an immigrant visa petition himself or herself. The alien must seek entry into the U.S. to continue work in the area of extraordinary ability, and the alien’s entry will substantially benefit prospectively the United States.

Jackson Walker’s investment immigration team is equipped to assist clients in all aspects of compiling, documenting, and filing their evidence of qualifications, including documentation of national and international acclaim, or recognition in their field of expertise.

  • L-1 and EB-1(C) multinational manager petitions – Submission of petitions for managers and executives including functional managers.
  • E-1 Treaty Trader Applications – Submission of multiple E-1 applications including start-up operations to facilitate the expansion of businesses in involved in cross-border trade of goods and services.
  • E-2 Treaty Investor Applications – Submission of multiple E-2 applications including start-up operations and to facilitate the growth and further development of investment in the U.S.O-1 Extraordinary Ability petition – Submission of petitions for individuals with extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics.

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