It may have been your lifelong dream to visit the United States. And this may have all come true when you get approved for a B-2 visa, a nonimmigrant visa designated for individuals like you who wish to enter the country temporarily for tourism, pleasure, or visiting. Well, say that you did not anticipate the cost of your visit to the U.S. to be so expensive. With this, you may be tempted to seek temporary work here to fund the rest of your trip. Importantly, do not do this before double-checking the terms and conditions of your tourist visa. Without further ado, please read on to discover whether you are eligible to work in the U.S. with a tourist visa and how a seasoned work authorization permit lawyer in Milwaukee, WI, at Sesini Law Group, S.C., can help you go through the proper legal steps for this.

Am I eligible to work in the United States with a tourist visa?

The short answer is, no, you are not allowed to work in the United States while only carrying a tourist visa (i.e., B-2 visa). This is because, simply put, different visa types require different application processes, have different eligibility requirements, and have different functions overall.

This is to say that a tourist visa, as the name suggests, is issued for a limited time (i.e., usually up to six months) and is meant for leisure travel activities. On the other hand, a work authorization visa carries a more extensive timeframe (i.e., usually spanning multiple years) and is meant for business and employment activities with an approved U.S.-based employer. It is worth mentioning that if you so much as attempt to work while on a tourist visa, it may be revoked effective immediately by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), prompting your premature departure from the country.

What do I need to get work authorization in the United States?

To reiterate, obtaining work authorization privileges in the United States requires a whole other set of steps and requirements to be met. In this specific example, let’s reference the employment authorization document (EAD). So, applying for an EAD may go as follows:

1. Create an account on the USCIS’s website.
2. Fill out and file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization.
3. Supplement this form with any other relevant, required documentation.
4. Pay the required filing fee of approximately $520.

It is worth mentioning that acquiring an EAD card does not require sponsorship by a U.S.-based employer. However, other work visas, such as an H-1B visa, have this extra step. In conclusion, you should know that a competent family immigration lawyer in Milwaukee, WI is here to assist you with whatever your legal issue may be at this time. So please reach out to us at Sesini Law Group, S.C. today.

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With the life you lead and the benefits you carry as a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident, you may wish the same for your loved ones still residing in your home country. Well, through your best efforts, you may be able to make this wish into a reality. That is, they may have the opportunity to join you in the country legally through a successful immigration petition. So, with that being said, please read on to discover more about an immigration petition and how a seasoned family immigration lawyer in Milwaukee, WI, at Sesini Law Group, S.C., can help you with filing one.

What is an immigration petition that I can possibly file?

First of all, an immigration petition is an application filed with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) meant to request an immigration visa for a foreign-born individual or family member. So, as a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident, you may sponsor a foreign-born individual through this petition. Now, the exact type of petition you file may depend on your specific relationship with a foreign-born individual. The options potentially at your disposal are as follows:

• Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative: this is if you wish to sponsor an eligible family member, such as a spouse, unmarried child, or parent.
• Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker: this is if you wish to sponsor an individual eligible for employment at your U.S.-based company.
• Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition: this is if you wish to sponsor an eligible family member who is of refugee or asylee status.
• Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal: this is if you wish to apply for asylum affirmatively or defensively yourself and want your eligible family member to reap similar benefits.

How do I go about possibly filing an immigration petition?

No matter which exact type of immigration petition you wish to pursue, you must first file it with the USCIS electronically or by mail. If the USCIS approves of it, they will then send your case over to the Department of State’s National Visa Center (NVC) for further processing.

Soon after, the NVC will send you and your loved one information regarding how to set up your Consular Electronic Application Center login. You must remember to supply the NVC with the appropriate fees, forms, and supporting documentation at this time. That is, you must file an Affidavit or Support and other financial documents. This is while your loved one collects and submits relevant civil documents. At the end of all this, the NVC may schedule your loved one’s immigrant visa interview. Hopefully, this will result in your loved one getting their immigration visa approved.

To learn more about how to handle an immigration petition, please get in touch with a competent family immigration lawyer in Milwaukee, WI, from Sesini Law Group, S.C. Better yet, schedule your initial consultation with our firm today.

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You may encounter many roadblocks between you and your ability to reside legally in the United States. Well, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) offers certain waivers that may assist you in overcoming these obstacles. Namely, there is such a thing as a national interest waiver. Without further introduction, please follow along to find out the purpose of a national interest waiver and how a proficient green card lawyer in Milwaukee, WI, at Sesini Law Group, S.C., can help you determine whether you can and should apply for one.

What is the function of a national interest waiver?

First of all, a national interest waiver is an option within the EB-2 visa type. Now, an EB-2 visa is an employment-based visa specifically designated for individuals with an advanced degree or exceptional ability in a certain field of work. Therefore, a national interest waiver may apply to this visa type if, as the name suggests, an individual’s employment would be of national interest to the United States.

An example of an individual who may automatically qualify for this is a physician who is willing and able to perform medical procedures on United States residents living in deprived or underserved regions. With this, you should also note that a national visa waiver would allow an individual to enter the United States legally without necessarily needing a job offer or labor certification beforehand.

How do I apply for an EB-2 national interest waiver visa?

Essentially, to apply for an EB-2 national interest waiver visa, you must file Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker. With this, it is worth mentioning that you may file this petition yourself. Usually, you must have your sponsoring employer file on your behalf. This is because, to reiterate, this waiver means that you do not require a job offer and therefore a sponsoring employer just yet.

Further, you must supplement your Form I-140 with sufficient evidence that you qualify for this waiver. Such evidence is usually considered on a case-by-case basis, but nonetheless, it should be comprised of the following:

• Clips of media coverage regarding you and your history of successes in your work field.
• Copies of your resumé, academic degrees, and certifications relevant to your work field.
• Proof of the awards you have received for your accomplishments in your work field.
• Recommendation letters written by your colleagues in your work field or similar.
• Any proof of ownership over certain pieces of intellectual property (i.e., patents).
• An outline of a project plan you wish to pursue in your work field in the U.S.

In conclusion, before entering the immigration arena, you must retain the services of a talented green card lawyer in Milwaukee, WI. Reach out to Sesini Law Group, S.C. today.

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Notably, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) offers many paths for foreigners to enter the country legally. There are essentially two categories for its visa programs: non-immigrant and immigrant visas. So, without further ado, please follow along to find out the difference between non-immigrant and immigrant visas and how a proficient family immigration lawyer in Milwaukee, WI, at Sesini Law Group, S.C., can help you apply for the right one.

What is the difference between non-immigrant visas and immigrant visas?

As the name slightly alludes to, a non-immigrant visa is a visa type that grants a foreigner access to enter the United States temporarily. The reason behind a temporary stay in the country may be tourism, work, education, medical treatments, etc.

This suggests that immigrant visas are intended for foreigners who wish to live in the United States permanently. Now, the explanation behind this desire may be to marry and live with a United States citizen; to be geographically closer to family members who are United States citizens; to accept a prestigious position in a United States workplace; and more.

What are the requirements for non-immigrant visas and immigrant visas?

Now that you comprehend the key distinction between non-immigrant and immigrant visas, you must grasp their separate eligibility requirements.

On the one hand, requirements may vary based on the specific non-immigrant visa you are seeking. For example, if you wish to be a temporary tourist, you may file Form DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, with the United States embassy or consulate in your home country. And while you may file the same form when seeking temporary employment in the country, you may first need to have your prospective employer file authorization documentation with the USCIS on your behalf. This may be to prove that there is eligible work awaiting you in the United States.

On the other hand, your prospective employer may still be required to apply for an employment authorization document for your immigrant visa. But you may file on your behalf if you petition for a permanent work visa based on your extraordinary ability in your field. Or, for a fiancé or other family-based visa program, you may have to have a relative sponsor you before you proceed forward with your own application. This may be to prove that they can support you financially upon your arrival into the country.

Lucky for you, our firm has years of experience in handling both non-immigrant and immigrant visas. If you think now is the time to get started on your immigration application, then please reach out to a talented family immigration lawyer in Milwaukee, WI. Our team at Sesini Law Group, S.C. is well-equipped to take on your case.

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You may have already submitted your green card application to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). However, with only a small percentage of applications being approved per year, you may already assume that your chances are slim to none. You may still try your luck with entering the diversity visa lottery. Without further ado, please read on to discover more about the diversity visa lottery and how a seasoned green card lawyer in Milwaukee, WI, at Sesini Law Group, S.C., can help you enter it.

What should I know about the diversity visa lottery?

Essentially, the diversity visa lottery is an annual program offered by the United States Department of State where an extra 55,000 immigrants are granted access to enter the country on an immigrant visa. This program is otherwise known as the green card lottery. Specifically, this lottery is designated for individuals who are citizens of countries with low immigration rates in the United States. Of this group, eligible individuals must also have graduated from high school or its equivalent, or have qualified work experience, in their home countries.

With that being said, the list of countries with low immigration rates in the United States varies from year to year. Therefore, the list of countries eligible for this lottery varies from year to year. Now, natives from the following countries are, unfortunately, ineligible for the 2025 lottery:

• Bangladesh.
• Brazil.
• Canada.
• The People’s Republic of China (plus mainland- and Hong Kong-born natives).
• Columbia.
• Dominican Republic.
• El Salvador.
• Haiti.
• Honduras.
• India.
• Jamaica.
• Mexico.
• Nigeria.
• Pakistan.
• The Philippines.
• Republic of Korea.
• Venezuela.
• Vietnam.

What if I win the diversity visa lottery while in the United States?

Every year, some diversity visa lottery winners already reside legally in the United States; whether it be because they are on a nonimmigrant status or some other legal status. If this is your case, your process of obtaining a green card may look different. That is, you may have to submit an adjustment of status application with the USCIS. With this, your adjustment of status process must be completed by September 30 of the 2025 fiscal year. Your lottery winning cannot be carried over to the next fiscal year.

This process may contrast with that if you still reside outside the country at the time of your lottery win. This is because you would have had to go through consular processing with the United States Department of State to be issued an immigrant visa. Evidently, consular processing is a whole other animal, so to speak.

This blog is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to immigration laws in the United States. So for more information, please reach out to a competent family immigration lawyer in Milwaukee, WI, from Sesini Law Group, S.C., today.

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