Experienced Immigration and Nationality Law Firm

Often times, obtaining a visa is critical both individually and for business reasons. It is easy to get overwhelmed by the complicated technical aspects of immigration law. Fortunately, by hiring a skilled lawyer, you can alleviate these concerns and rest assured that your immigration and nationality interests are being properly handled.

Tristan Bourgoignie, P.A. is a Florida law firm that has been assisting people and businesses in obtaining visas and becoming citizens for nearly 20 years, achieving positive results for their clients in the most cost-efficient manner possible. To discuss your case, E-mail the firm or call 305-200-0350.

P. Tristan Bourgoignie is Board Certified by the Florida Bar Association in Immigration and Nationality Law and is skilled at helping people obtain a variety of different types of visas. In addition, being trilingual (English, Spanish and French) and bicultural, Mr. Bourgoignie can communicate and relate with clients from varied backgrounds and experiences. Mr. Bourgoignie understands his clients anxiety with the process and is experienced in helping alleviate those fears and anxieties by obtaining positive outcomes on behalf of his clients.

Business Visas

Professional employees often need to travel between countries to properly handle their job responsibilities. In order to work in another country (including the United States), it is necessary for clients such as executives, investors, yacht crewman, journalists, extraordinary artists and athletes and other laborers to obtain workers visas. Mr. Bourgoignie is highly experienced is the myriad variety of U.S. non-immigrant work visas available to foreign nationals, and has successfully guided numerous clients in obtaining US work visas.

Family Visas

US immigration laws are complex and highly technical. Due to visa quotas and other restrictions, families may be come separated unwittingly by filing the improper petition. Mr. Bourgoignie has lengthy experience in assisting immediate relatives and other family members successfully immigrate to the United States.

It is unfortunate when families are separated because of immigration and nationality laws. Family visas can often be obtained for spouses, children, parents, siblings and fiancees of United States citizens.

Temporary (Nonimmigrant) Worker

A temporary worker is an individual seeking to enter the United States temporarily for a specific purpose. Nonimmigrants enter the United States for a temporary period of time, and once in the United States, are restricted to the activity or reason for which their nonimmigrant visa was issued.

E-1 Treaty Traders

The E-1 nonimmigrant classification 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 solely to engage in international trade on his or her own behalf. Certain employees of such a person or of a qualifying organization may also be eligible for this classification.

Family of E-1 Treaty Traders and Employees

Treaty traders and employees may be accompanied or followed by spouses and unmarried children who are under 21 years of age. Their nationalities need not be the same as the treaty trader or employee. These family members may seek E-1 nonimmigrant classification as dependents and, if approved, generally will be granted the same period of stay as the employee. If the family members are already in the United States and seeking change of status to or extension of stay in an E-1 dependent classification, they may apply by filing a single Form I-539 with fee. Spouses of E-1 workers may apply for work authorization by filing Form I-765 with fee. If approved, there is no specific restriction as to where the E-1 spouse may work.

E-2 Treaty Investors

The E-2 nonimmigrant classification 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. Certain employees of such a person or of a qualifying organization may also be eligible for this classification. (For dependent family members, see "Family of E-2 Treaty Investors and Employees" below.)

Family of E-2 Treaty Investors and Employees

Treaty investors and employees may be accompanied or followed by spouses and unmarried children who are under 21 years of age. Their nationalities need not be the same as the treaty investor or employee. These family members may seek E-2 nonimmigrant classification as dependents and, if approved, generally will be granted the same period of stay as the employee. If the family members are already in the United States and are seeking change of status to or extension of stay in an E-2 dependent classification, they may apply by filing a single Form I-539 with fee. Spouses of E-2 workers may apply for work authorization by filing Form I-765 with fee. If approved, there is no specific restriction as to where the E-2 spouse may work.

E-2 Visa: CNMI-Only Investor

The CNMI-Only Investor (E-2) visa classification allows foreign, long-term investors to remain lawfully present in the CNMI through December 2014 while they resolve their immigration status. This classification is intended to help as the CNMI transitions from the CNMI permit system to U.S. immigration laws.

E-3 Certain Specialty Occupation Professionals from Australia

The E-3 classification applies only to nationals of Australia. You must be coming to the United States solely to perform services in a specialty occupation. The specialty occupation requires theoretical and practical application of a body of knowledge in professional fields and at least the attainment of a bachelor's degree, or its equivalent, as a minimum for entry into the occupation in the United States.

Family of E-3 Visa Holders

Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 years of age are entitled to the same E-3 classification. Your spouse is entitled to work authorization, but not your children. To apply for work authorization as a spouse of an E-3 nonimmigrant, your spouse would file a Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. For more information on the application procedures, see the "Work Authorization" link to the right.

H-1B

This visa category applies to people who wish to perform services in a specialty occupation, services of exceptional merit and ability relating to a Department of Defense (DOD) cooperative research and development project, or services as a fashion model of distinguished merit or ability.

Family of H-1B Visa Holders: Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 years of age may seek admission in the H-4 nonimmigrant classification. Family members in the H-4 nonimmigrant classification may not engage in employment in the United States.

H-2A Temporary Agricultural Workers

The H-2A program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary agricultural jobs for which U.S. workers are not available. H-2A nonimmigrant classification applies to aliens seeking to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature in the United States on a temporary basis. A U.S. employer (or an association of U.S. agricultural producers named as a joint employer) must file a Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker on a prospective worker’s behalf.

H-2B Temporary Non-Agricultural Workers

The H-2B non-agricultural temporary worker program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary nonagricultural jobs. A U.S. employer must file a Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, on a prospective worker’s behalf.

H-3 Nonimmigrant Trainee or Special Education Exchange Visitor

The H-3 nonimmigrant visa category is for an alien coming temporarily to the United States as either a:
Trainee to receive training, other than graduate or medical education training, that is not available in the alien’s home country, or
Special Education Exchange Visitor to participate in a special education exchange visitor training program for children with physical, mental, or emotional disabilities.

L-1A Intracompany Transferee Executive or

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. The employer must file Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, on behalf of the

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. The employer must file Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, on behalf of the employee.

Fiancé(e) Visas

U.S. citizens wishing to bring a foreign national fiancé(e) living abroad to the United States to marry If you plan to marry a foreign national outside the United States or your fiancé(e) is already residing legally in the United States, you do not need to file for a fiancé(e) visa.

Once issued, the fiancé(e) visa (or K-1 nonimmigrant visa) allows your fiancé(e) to enter the United States for 90 days so that your marriage ceremony can take place. Once you marry, your spouse may apply for permanent residence and remain in the United States while USCIS processes the application. For additional information, see the "Green Card" link to the right.

Processing Petitions and Dealing with Government Agencies

Tristan Bourgoignie, P.A. will process petitions on your behalf and represent you before the correct government agencies including:

• US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
• US State Department
• US Department of Labor (USDOL)
• US Custom and Border Protection (USCBP)

The staff of Tristan Bourgoignie, P.A. is experienced in dealing with these government agencies as well as working closely with U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide.

Contact the firm weekdays from 9 AM until 6 PM to discuss your immigration and nationality law needs. Evening and weekend appointments are available upon request.