Work visas & business immigration
For professionals, transferees, investors, and the DFW employers who hire them.
Dallas–Fort Worth is one of the fastest-growing job markets in America, and immigration law is how global talent gets here legally. Whether you're an employer trying to hire or retain a key foreign professional, or a professional charting your own path, the right visa strategy — chosen early — saves months of status anxiety and real money.
Law Office of Patrick Smith represents both sides of the employment relationship: employers building compliant petitions, and individuals choosing between TN, H-1B, L-1, E-2, O-1, and the road to an employment-based green card. You'll get a candid read on which category actually fits, current timelines, and what it will cost — before anyone commits.
Immigration is federal: we file for DFW clients and nationwide.
Visa categories we handle
- H-1B: specialty occupations requiring a degree — cap-subject lottery filings and cap-exempt petitions.
- L-1A / L-1B: intracompany transfers of executives, managers, and specialized-knowledge staff.
- TN (USMCA): fast, renewable status for Canadian and Mexican professionals in listed occupations.
- E-1 / E-2: treaty traders and investors running real, active U.S. businesses.
- O-1: individuals with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, business, or athletics.
For DFW employers
Found the right candidate but they need sponsorship? We deliver:
- Category strategy matched to the role, the candidate, and your hiring timeline.
- Thoroughly documented petitions engineered to minimize RFEs (requests for evidence).
- Status maintenance, amendments, and renewals so your people never fall out of status mid-project.
- Retention planning: PERM labor certification and employment-based green card sponsorship for key hires.
From visa to green card
- Several work categories are dual-intent or pair naturally with employment-based permanent residence.
- We map the green card strategy at the start — category, PERM timing, priority dates — so no status time is wasted.
- If your long game is permanent residence, we'll tell you the realistic timeline for your category up front.
Let's talk about your case
The initial consultation is free, by phone, and lasts 30 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
What are my options if I'm not selected in the H-1B lottery?
More than most people think: cap-exempt H-1B employers (universities, nonprofit research), L-1 if you've worked abroad for a related company, O-1 for strong records, TN for Canadians and Mexicans in listed occupations, E-2 if investment fits, or day-1 CPT alternatives we'd want to scrutinize carefully. We'll triage your profile honestly.
How much investment do I need for an E-2 visa?
There's no fixed statutory minimum — the investment must be 'substantial' relative to the business and genuinely at risk in a real, operating enterprise. Thin or passive investments fail. We evaluate your business plan and capital before you commit funds, not after.
Can my spouse work on my visa?
It depends on your category. Spouses of E and L visa holders are generally employment-authorized; H-4 spouses may qualify for work authorization in certain circumstances tied to the green card process. We'll confirm what your spouse can and can't do — before you rely on a second income.
How fast is a TN visa?
For qualified Canadian and Mexican professionals with a proper job offer in a USMCA-listed occupation, TN can be one of the fastest work-authorization routes available — sometimes adjudicated at the border or consulate in days. The catch is fit: the occupation, degree, and job duties must line up precisely. That's the part we get right.
Do you represent the employer or the employee?
We represent both, depending on the engagement — DFW businesses sponsoring talent, and individual professionals managing their own immigration path. Either way: clear fees, realistic timelines, and no overpromising.
Contact us
We're here to help. Write or call us to request your consultation.