Immigration Options for Citizens of the Philippines, Non-immigrant Visa Options Without Long Waits Exist.
Family based petitions for nationals of the Philippines have been backed up for years. Immediate Relative Petitions are “current”, meaning no backlog, but what are your options if you do not qualify as an Immediate Relative?
One option would be temporary employment visas. Yes, the H-1 has become almost impossible to obtain but there are other options which include O-1 visas for Aliens of Extraordinary Ability, P-1 visas for Athletes and L-1 visas for Intracompany Transferees.
O-1 Extraordinary Ability visas are available for leaders in the fields of fashion, the arts (both fine and performing), business and science. The O-1 nonimmigrant visa 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.
The O nonimmigrant classification is commonly referred to as:
O-1A: individuals with an extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business, or athletics (not including the arts, motion pictures or television industry)
O-1B: individuals with an extraordinary ability in the arts or extraordinary achievement in motion picture or television industry
O-2: individuals who will accompany an O-1, artist or athlete, to assist in a specific event or performance
O-3: individuals who are the spouse or children of O-1’s and O-2’s
P-1A Internationally Recognized Athlete The P-1 classification applies to you if you are coming to the U.S. temporarily to perform at a specific athletic competition as an athlete, individually or as part of a group or team, at an internationally recognized level of performance.
P-1B A Member of an Internationally Recognized Entertainment Group
The P-1B classification applies to you if you are coming to the United States temporarily to perform as a member of an entertainment group that has been recognized internationally as outstanding in the discipline for a sustained and substantial period of time.
P-2 Individual Performer or Part of a Group Entering to Perform Under a Reciprocal Exchange Program
The P-2 classification applies to you if you are coming temporarily to perform as an artist or entertainer, individually or as part of a group, who will perform under a reciprocal exchange program between an organization in the United States and an organization in another country.
P-3 Artist or Entertainer Coming to Be Part of a Culturally Unique Program
The P-3 classification applies to you if you are coming temporarily to perform, teach or coach as artists or entertainers, individually or as part of a group, under a program that is culturally unique.
L-1A Intracompany Transferee Executive or Manager
The L-1A nonimmigrant classification enables a U.S. employer to transfer an executive or manager from one of its affiliated foreign offices to one of its offices in the United States. This classification also enables a foreign company which does not yet have an affiliated U.S. office to send an executive or manager to the United States with the purpose of establishing one.
L-1B Intracompany Transferee Specialized Knowledge
The L-1B nonimmigrant classification enables a U.S. employer to transfer a professional employee with specialized knowledge relating to the organization’s interests from one of its affiliated foreign offices to one of its offices in the United States. This classification also enables a foreign company which does not yet have an affiliated U.S. office to send a specialized knowledge employee to the United States to help establish one.
Unlike the H-1, all of these visas are current regardless of which country you live in. Interested? Contact Perry & Spitz-Perry.
