U.S. Immigration Services

The E-2 Treaty Investor Visa is a nonimmigrant visa that allows nationals of treaty countries to live and work in the United States on a temporary basis after investing a substantial amount of capital in a business they direct and control. The U.S. business may take the form of purchasing an existing business, opening a franchise, or starting a new enterprise. The visa also permits certain employees of the enterprise, who share the investor’s nationality, to relocate to the U.S. as E-2 employees.

The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa, also known as the EB-5 green card, provides a direct path to U.S. permanent residency. Through this program, qualified investors and their families may live, work, and study anywhere in the United States.

Permanent residency is granted on the basis of a qualifying investment and the resulting job creation in the U.S. economy. Investors must contribute a minimum of $1,050,000 USD, or $800,000 USD if the enterprise is located in a designated Targeted Employment Area (TEA). Unlike other immigration categories, there are no education, language, or employer sponsorship requirements, making the EB-5 program an attractive option for individuals with the necessary financial resources.

In addition to the principal investor, a spouse and unmarried children under 21 may also obtain green cards under the same investment, with no need for additional contributions.

The United States offers a wide range of business and employment visas to support international companies and professionals seeking opportunities in the U.S. These include the L-1 transfer visa for intracompany executives, managers, and specialized knowledge employees; the B-1 temporary business visa for short-term business activities; the B-1 in lieu of H-1B visa for certain temporary work assignments; the E-1 treaty trader visa for nationals of treaty countries engaged in substantial trade with the U.S.; the O-1A visa for individuals with extraordinary ability in business, science, education, or athletics; and the H-1B specialty occupation visa for professionals in fields requiring advanced expertise.

Together, these U.S. business and work visa categories provide multiple pathways for both companies expanding into the American market and individuals pursuing professional and career opportunities in the United States.

The U.S. green card, also known as lawful permanent residency, provides foreign nationals with the right to live and work in the United States indefinitely. There are multiple routes to permanent residency depending on an applicant’s background and circumstances. Family-based green cards, including through marriage to a U.S. citizen or via the K-1 fiancé(e) visa process, remain among the most common options. Employment-based categories provide additional opportunities, such as the EB-1 extraordinary ability visa, the EB-2 visa for individuals with advanced degrees or exceptional ability (including the National Interest Waiver), the EB-3 visa for skilled and unskilled workers, and the EB-5 immigrant investor visa for those making qualifying investments. Each of these categories has distinct eligibility criteria, evidentiary requirements, and processing considerations, but all can provide a pathway toward permanent residency.

A U.S. visa application may be refused if the applicant is found inadmissible under U.S. immigration law. Inadmissibility can arise from a wide range of issues, including prior immigration violations, criminal convictions, misrepresentation, unlawful presence, or certain health-related grounds. However, many of these findings can be overcome through a waiver of inadmissibility—a legal process that, if approved, allows the applicant to obtain a nonimmigrant visa or lawful permanent residence (green card) despite their ineligibility.

Consular processing is the stage where U.S. visa applications—both nonimmigrant and immigrant—are adjudicated at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad. Because this stage determines whether a visa is issued or refused, careful preparation and experienced legal representation are essential. Barella Global’s U.S. immigration lawyers based in London and Brussels, provide tailored guidance to clients throughout the world, ensuring that each consular case is handled with efficiency and an understanding of local post practices.

The B-2 Tourist and Medical Treatment Visa is a nonimmigrant visa that allows foreign nationals to visit the United States temporarily for tourism, leisure, or medical care. Common purposes include vacation travel, visiting friends and relatives, or receiving treatment at a U.S. medical facility. While the B-2 visa does not authorize employment or long-term residence, it offers individuals from non–Visa Waiver Program countries, or those otherwise ineligible for ESTA, a pathway to lawfully enter the United States for short-term stays.

Foreign nationals working in film, television, or the arts may qualify for specialized U.S. visa categories tailored to their professional background. Whether applying for an O-1B visa for individuals with extraordinary ability in the arts or an I visa for international media and press representatives, these pathways allow creative professionals to work legally in the United States.

Barella Global assists U.S. citizens residing or traveling overseas with consular services, including U.S. citizenship documentation, passports, renunciation procedures, Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA), and family sponsorship visas—including direct filing requests.

Visa refusals can occur for a variety of reasons, including documentation errors, prior immigration violations, or admissibility issues. This page outlines how Barella Global assists clients in overcoming past U.S. visa denials and preparing successful reapplications through strategic case analysis and consular expertise.

Naturalization is the process by which a lawful permanent resident becomes a U.S. citizen. This page explains eligibility requirements, residence and physical presence obligations, and other key considerations for individuals applying for U.S. citizenship through Form N-400.