Maine Immigration Lawyers

Employer-Sponsored Business Immigration Services in Maine

In today’s global economy, having the right talent is crucial to staying competitive. Our Maine business immigration lawyers help companies of all sizes, from startups to multinational corporations, handle the process of hiring and transferring foreign workers.

Employment-Based Visas

We help employers sponsor key personnel for a range of temporary work visas, including:

• H-2B Visas for Seasonal Workers: For employers in Maine’s hospitality, landscaping, and seasonal industries. We guide businesses through the temporary labor certification and visa-sponsorship process, help demonstrate temporary need, and ensure compliance with recruitment and prevailing wage requirements.
• H-1B Visas for Specialty Occupations: For degree professionals in specialized fields like engineering, IT, and finance. We guide employers through the H-1B lottery and petition process and ensure compliance with prevailing wage and Labor Condition Application requirements.
• L Visas for Intracompany Transfers: For multinational companies transferring executives, managers, or employees with specialized knowledge from foreign offices. We can assist with blanket petitions and establishing new U.S. offices.
• O Visas for Extraordinary Ability: For individuals with outstanding achievement or talent in science, business, education, or athletics. We help document high-performing foreign nationals’ qualifications and help obtain any necessary advisory opinions.
• E Visas for Treaty Traders and Investors: For enterprises from eligible countries that engage in substantial trade or investment in the U.S. We secure visas for owners, executives, and essential employees.
• TN Visas for Canadian and Mexican Professionals: For citizens of Canada and Mexico in designated professions under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). We ensure candidates meet educational and licensure criteria.

Green Card Sponsorship

For foreign workers who are integral to your organization’s long-term success, we assist with obtaining employment-based green cards for permanent residence. Our Maine immigration attorneys are well-versed in the PERM labor certification process, including prevailing wage determinations, recruitment, and audit responses. We also handle immigrant petitions in the EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 categories and adjustment of status applications.

I-9 and E-Verify Compliance

Properly verifying employees’ work authorization is critical for Maine employers. Our lawyers explain I-9 compliance and guide employers through E-Verify enrollment and usage.

Immigration Services for Maine Entrepreneurs and Investors

Maine’s startup ecosystem and business-friendly environment draw entrepreneurs and investors from around the world. We assist with visa options for founders and funders, such as:

• L-1A Multinational Executive Visas: For multinational startups seeking to transfer executives or managers—including business owners and entrepreneurs—to open or expand operations in the United States. We guide clients through the immigration requirements for new office setup.
• O-1 Visas and EB-1A Green Card Petitions for Extraordinary AbilityBusiness Achievement: For entrepreneurs and other high-performing individuals and business leaders who have achieved national or international recognition. We help compile comprehensive evidence packages demonstrating extraordinary ability through awards, press coverage, and industry recognition.
• E-2 Treaty Investor Visas: For investors and executives from citizens of treaty nations making a substantial investment in a U.S. company. Our immigration team handles all aspects of E-2 visa preparation, including detailed business plans, financial documentation, and source of funds verification.
• EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program: Green cards for foreign nationals making a significant job-creating investment in a new commercial enterprise. We help ensure proper documentation of investment sources and compliance with USCIS requirements.
• H-1B Visas for Specialty Occupations: New USCIS rules explicitly expand H-1B eligibility to qualifying business owners. We guide entrepreneurs through the H-1B lottery and petition process and ensure compliance with prevailing wage and Labor Condition Application requirements.

Immigration Services for Maine Families and Individuals

In addition to our business immigration services, we help families and individuals in Maine with employment-based and family-based immigration processes, such as:

• Family-Sponsored Green Cards: We guide U.S. citizens and permanent residents through the process of sponsoring spouses, children, parents, and siblings for lawful permanent residence.
• Naturalization:  Our Maine immigration lawyers help determine citizenship eligibility and guide clients through the naturalization application process, including thorough document preparation, accurate form filing, and proper submission of supporting evidence. We provide a study guide to help clients prepare independently for the civics test.

Immigration Litigation in Federal Court

Our Maine immigration attorneys are at the forefront of holding immigration agencies accountable through strategic federal court litigation. When government delays become unreasonable or denials are improper, we leverage the federal courts to compel action and overturn unjust decisions.

We handle:

• Mandamus actions to compel USCIS, DOS, and other agencies to act on unreasonably delayed applications
• Administrative Procedure Act (APA) challenges to arbitrary, capricious, or unlawful immigration decisions
• Declaratory judgment actions to clarify rights and obligations under immigration law
• Federal court appeals of immigration denials and removal orders

Our litigation team has extensive experience navigating federal immigration cases. Whether your case has been pending for years without action or you’ve received an improper denial, our attorneys can evaluate your situation and determine if federal court litigation is the right strategy to achieve your immigration goals.

How Long Do Immigration Cases Take?

Each immigration pathway has different processing timeframes. While exact times vary based on government workload and individual circumstances, here are some general timelines for our main practice areas:

Business Immigration

• Employment-based temporary visas (H-1B, H-2B, L-1, E-2, O-1): Processing can range from a few weeks with premium processing to several months with standard processing. Certain visas may require additional time for prerequisite steps like labor certification.
• Employment-based permanent residency (Green Cards): The process typically takes between several months to several years, depending on visa category, country of origin, and whether PERM labor certification is required.

Family Immigration

Family-based immigration timelines vary widely based on the relationship category and whether the beneficiary is in the U.S. or abroad:

• Immediate relative petitions: Several months to over a year
• Family preference categories: One to several years
• Fiancé(e) visas: Several months to over a year

Citizenship

Naturalization processing times typically range from several months to over a year, varying by USCIS field office location and current application volume.

For the most current processing times, visit the USCIS Processing Times page. Our team can provide more specific estimates based on your individual case circumstances during your consultation.

Offering Personal Attention and Practical Solutions

At De Wit Immigration Law, we understand that every immigration matter is unique. Whether you’re a multinational corporation or an individual seeking a better life, we take the time to understand your specific needs and craft tailored strategies to achieve your goals.

Our Maine immigration attorneys pride themselves on providing a rare combination of big firm knowledge and small firm care. We strive to be responsive, working around your busy schedules and leveraging technology to streamline processes. But we never lose sight of the high-stakes nature of immigration challenges, treating every case with precision and discretion.

Get Started with De Wit Immigration Law

Ready to take the next step in your immigration journey? Contact our Maine immigration attorneys today to schedule a consultation. We’ll review your situation, answer your questions, and provide a clear roadmap for achieving your goals. With our experience, you can trust us to guide you through the process efficiently.

Frequently Asked Questions