Global Visas
As markets have expanded and opened throughout the world, global mobility is critical to a company’s success. We have a global network of professionals that can ease this process for you. As markets have expanded and opened throughout the world, global mobility is critical to a company’s success. Whether your organization has offices and/or customers outside the United States, Jackson & Hertogs recognizes that you require global immigration services for the international relocation and movement of your employees to and from all parts of the world. We will advise, consult and work with you to plan and facilitate all aspects of obtaining visitor visas, entry clearance, work authorization and permanent residence for your employees to countries around the world. We provide a single point of contact for global immigration services. We partner with foreign law firms and immigration service providers throughout the world to provide quality service and seamless movement of your personnel for international relocations and business trips. We structure our services flexibly in response to your needs. We will liaise and work directly with your U.S. offices and/or we will provide advice and services to your organization’s affiliate in the target country and keep you apprised of the case status. We also will liaise directly with employees who need visas for international business travel or work authorization for international relocation. Jackson & Hertogs employs a web-based system that provides secure worldwide access, online document management and 24/7 access. We can adjust the level of access to our case management system according to an individual’s level of authorization. HRs may be authorized to monitor case status and/or to initiate new cases through the web. Employees may complete questionnaires online and upload copies of documents assured that their personal data remains safe. Our case management system can create reports to track your global immigration cases by country, process and expiration date. We create specific country processes with the list of required documents and interim work-flow steps. These work-flow steps are visible to you 24/7.
Jackson & Hertogs assists with business visitor visa applications for persons traveling outside their home country by assisting with document preparation, and, when desired and authorized by a foreign consulate, by submitting the visa application to a foreign consulate. Early planning is essential as document collection and visa processing may take several weeks in certain cases. Although each country has its own requirements for business visitor visa applications, generally the following documents may be required for a business visa application: Original signed applications form (some countries require notarized signatures); Original passport (generally must be valid for at least 6 months beyond last day of business trip); Original green card / valid U.S. visa and I-94; 2 recent passport photos taken within the last 6 months; Original current bank statement; Original current pay slip from employer; Original letter from employer on letterhead confirming employment and guaranteeing the applicant’s expenses for the business trip; Letter from foreign company inviting applicant to visit the country (some countries accept faxed invitation letter and some require the original); Letter from insurance company verifying emergency medical coverage outside home country; Flight itinerary and hotel reservation confirmation; Copy of current driver’s license with current address. Temporary workers in the U.S. (i.e., non-U.S. citizens residing in the U.S. in nonimmigrant visa status) generally must have a valid U.S. visa in their passport when applying for a visa to enter another country. Without this valid U.S. visa, it is possible that a foreign Consulate may decline to entertain the visa application or will require the applicant’s original I-797 petition approval notice and evidence of a visa interview appointment with a U.S. Consulate (1) in its country during the proposed business trip, (2) in the applicant’s home country, or (3) in another country (with additional evidence of the applicant’s ability to enter that country).
Jackson & Hertogs advises and assists with applications for visas for short term business trips to other countries. The United States has agreements with many different countries allowing U.S. citizens to enter those countries without first obtaining a visa as part of the Visa Waiver Program. Please see our Visa Waiver Program FAQ for more information. If a visa is not required, we can assist in preparing any necessary documentation to support the individual’s admission to the target country as a business visitor. If a visa is required, we can assist the traveler with the required visa application. In determining whether a business visitor visa or entry is appropriate, the common factors for all visitors are that they are entering the foreign country temporarily, they have a residence outside that country they have no intention of abandoning, and that they will not work or study in the other country. For most business visitor visas, the list of permissible activities includes engaging in commercial transactions not involving gainful employment in that country. Acceptable business visitor activities generally include taking sales orders or making purchases of inventory or supplies for a foreign employer; negotiating contracts; consulting with business associates; engaging in litigation; or participating in scientific, educational, professional or business conventions or conferences. Business visitors cannot receive a salary or payment from any source in the country they are visiting other than reimbursement for expenses accrued and should remain on their home country’s payroll. For example, an individual employed by a home country employer, entering another country to consult on specifications for a project that will be carried out in his or her home country, and receiving a salary from his or her home country employer would most likely be an acceptable business visitor. As long as the activity in the foreign country principally benefits the home employer, and the actual work is performed outside the foreign country, the employee generally would be engaged in legitimate business visitor activities.
Like the United States, most countries have laws, regulations and rules regarding work and residence authorization for foreigners entering their labor markets. Jackson & Hertogs provides your organization with a single point of contact to navigate through the foreign work authorization application process. We manage the foreign work authorization application process for you, apprising you of the required documents and requirements, preparing the applications through our foreign co-counsel or immigration service provider, and arranging to have the applications filed with the appropriate government authorities. Where possible, we also arrange the collection of the work authorization documents for the employee. Because some countries impose extensive document requirements, and/or labor market tests that have long application processing times, we encourage you to contact us well in advance to discuss the feasibility and timing of work authorization in a particular country. Please remember to consult tax and employment law advisors about the ramifications of such transfers for all the parties involved.