Starting a Business with an F-1 Visa and PATHWAYS TO

Starting a Business with an F-1 Visa and PATHWAYS TO PERMANENT RESIDENCE FOR IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS David J. Kalson, Esq., Cohen & Grigsby, P.C. Lawrence M. Lebowitz, Esq., Cohen & Grigsby, P.C. February 2018

Foreign Students (F-1 Visa) Business ownership/investment Curricular Practical Training Optional Practical Training STEM OPT Cohen & Grigsby, P.C., 2017

H-1B “Specialty Occupation” Visas Ownership of business – possible? Beneficiary of H-1B petition Basic requirements Process Timing/costs H-1B “cap”/quota Cohen & Grigsby, P.C., 2017

E-2 “Treaty Investor “ Visa Ownership of business Other requirements How much money needs to be invested? Immigration process Not a path to a green card Cohen & Grigsby, P.C., 2017

Other Potential Nonimmigrant (Temporary) Visa Categories TN (Trade NAFTA) L-1 (Intracompany Transfer) O-1 (“Extraordinary Ability”) Cohen & Grigsby, P.C., 2017

Green Cards – General Standard process Expedited process Self-petition – possible? Business/employment-related issues Other things to know/consider Cohen & Grigsby, P.C., 2017

Standard Process Labor certification Immigrant visa petition Adjustment of status Timing – India/China – All other countries Cohen & Grigsby, P.C., 2017

Expedited Processes EB-1A (“Extraordinary Ability”) EB-2/NIW (“Advanced Degree Professional” and “National Interest Waiver”) EB-5 (Investor visa) Business-related factors for each Cohen & Grigsby, P.C., 2017

Entrepreneurial Visa Status/Options Recent proposals Current situation Cohen & Grigsby, P.C., 2017

What Does the Future Hold? Cohen & Grigsby, P.C., 2017