Visas & Citizenship Services in Volusia County, Florida

The most common visas that visitors to the United States hold are business visas. In addition to common work visas, some professions allow you extended stays in the U.S. for various express purposes. This often applies to doctors, entertainers, religious workers, and investors.

Whatever type of visa you seek, our DeLand immigration attorney can help you. Our firm has extensive experience handling immigration law matters for clients in Daytona Beach, DeLand, Palm Coast and throughout Florida.

Understanding B-1 Business and B-2 Pleasure Visas

The B-1 business and B-2 pleasure visas may seem like an odd pair, but they are consolidated for the sake of simplicity. They are the two most common types of visas and are very similar.

When a visitor is approved for a B-1 or B-2 visa, the document is theoretically valid for 10 years. In truth, this means that the visitor could stay for 10 years as long as he or she passes the secondary entry, when an inspector issues a white I-94 card, which has varying lengths.

B-1 visas require the applicants to prove that they do not intend to abandon or sell their residence abroad and are visiting only temporarily. B-2 visas require applicants to prove that they do not plan to work and do not plan to abandon their residence abroad. There are 27 countries that participate in a Visa Waiver Program that nullifies the need for a visa, including the U.K., Spain, Germany, and Australia.

Obtaining Religious Worker Visas in Florida

In order to obtain a religious worker visa, the religious organization must already exist in the U.S. and the applicant must already have a religious occupation.

J-1 and J-2 Exchange Visitor Visa Options

Exchange visitors include professors, trainees, students and scholars participating in study programs, research or another kind of cultural enrichment. The participant in the exchange program holds a J-1 visa, while his or her spouse and children under 21 can hold a J-2 visa.

F-1 Student Visa and M-1 Occupational Visa Explained

The F-1 student visa is designed for full-time students who have been admitted to study at a college or university. M-1 occupational visas are designed for students of vocational schools offering programs such as mechanical, technical, culinary, or beautician training.

Visas for Entertainers, Performers & Athletes in Florida

Not just anyone can apply for the O and P visas for entertainers, performers, and athletes. Athletes must compete at an international level, scholars must have achieved a national prize of excellence, such as the Nobel Prize, or have strong letters of recommendation from internationally known colleagues within the field. In short, you have to be a very important person. The O-1 visa is awarded to those with extraordinary ability achievement (such as poet laureates and Nobel Prize winners), and the P visas are awarded to performers, artists, and athletes.

However, special consideration is given to performing artists participating in an exchange program with the P-2 visa, while P-3 visas are available for entertainers who are "culturally unique."