Business and Employment Immigration Attorney in San Antonio, Texas
Business & Employment Immigration
Immigration Counsel for Employers, Investors, and Skilled Professionals
American companies run on global talent, and the visa system that brings that talent to Texas is technical, deadline-driven, and unforgiving of small mistakes. Whether you are an entrepreneur relocating to San Antonio to run a company you invested in, an employer sponsoring a skilled worker, or a professional from Mexico or Canada seeking TN status, the category you choose shapes everything that follows. Business immigration rewards planning, and planning is what our firm builds every engagement around.
Our employment-based work is led by Alfredo Lozano, one of the few Texas attorneys Board-Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. From offices in San Antonio, Eagle Pass, and San Angelo, our bilingual team advises investors, employers, and professionals in English and Spanish. Every engagement begins with a free consultation where we map the options that fit your goals, your timeline, and your budget.
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Our Business and Employment Immigration Services
Employment-based immigration is not one process but many, each with its own eligibility rules, evidence standards, and government agency. We help you choose the category that fits your situation and then build the case to support it.
E-2 Treaty Investor Visa
Mexico is an E-2 treaty country, which makes this one of the most useful tools for entrepreneurs in South Texas. The E-2 lets a national of a treaty country come to the United States to develop and direct a business in which they have invested a substantial amount of capital. There is no fixed dollar minimum, but the money must be real, committed, and at risk. We prepare the business plan, the source-of-funds trail, and the consular package that officers actually scrutinize.
E-1 Treaty Trader Visa
The E-1 serves treaty nationals who carry on substantial and continuous trade in goods, services, or technology, principally between the United States and their home country. It fits established import and export operations along the Texas-Mexico trade corridor. Like the E-2, it renews for as long as the qualifying activity continues.
TN Visa for USMCA Professionals
Citizens of Mexico and Canada who work in a profession listed under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement can qualify for TN status. Accountants, engineers, scientists, and many other professionals use the TN to work here without entering the H-1B lottery. Mexican citizens apply at a U.S. consulate, and we prepare the employer letter and credential evidence that consular officers expect to see.
L-1A Intracompany Transferee
The L-1A moves an executive or manager from a company abroad to a related U.S. entity, including a new office the company is opening in Texas. It is a common path for international businesses expanding into the San Antonio market, and it can lead to an EB-1C green card for the right candidate. We document the corporate relationship and the managerial role with care, because that is where these petitions succeed or fail.
H-1B Specialty Occupation, Extensions, and Transfers
The H-1B covers specialty occupations that require at least a bachelor's degree in a specific field. New cap-subject petitions run through an annual lottery, but extensions, amendments, and transfers to a new employer are available year round. We help workers already in H-1B status change employers, extend beyond the sixth year when a green card is pending, and correct problems left by prior filings.
O-1 Extraordinary Ability
The O-1 is for individuals at the top of their field in science, business, the arts, education, or athletics. It has no annual cap and no lottery, which makes it a strong alternative for researchers, founders, and creative professionals who can document sustained national or international acclaim. We build the evidentiary record around the regulatory criteria rather than a resume.
PERM Labor Certification
Most employment-based green cards in the EB-2 and EB-3 categories start with PERM, the Department of Labor process that tests the local job market before a foreign worker can be sponsored. The recruitment steps and prevailing wage rules are strict, and one error can force an employer to start over. We manage the audit-ready file from prevailing wage request through certification.
EB-1A Extraordinary Ability Green Card
EB-1A lets a person of extraordinary ability self-petition for permanent residence without an employer or a labor certification. It is demanding, but for the right researcher, entrepreneur, or artist it is one of the fastest routes to a green card. We assess candidly whether the evidence meets the standard before you invest in the filing.
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Green Card
EB-5 offers a path to permanent residence for investors who create at least ten U.S. jobs. Under current law the investment is generally 800,000 dollars in a targeted employment area or 1.05 million dollars elsewhere. We coordinate with your financial and business advisors on the source-of-funds documentation that USCIS requires and prepare the immigrant petition.
R-1 Religious Worker Visa
Churches and religious organizations across South Texas use the R-1 to bring ministers and other religious workers to the United States for temporary service. The petition requires proof of the organization's tax-exempt status and the worker's membership and duties. We prepare both the petition and the supporting evidence USCIS looks for during site visits.
Conrad 30 Waiver for Physicians
International medical graduates who trained in the United States on a J-1 visa usually face a two-year home-residence requirement. The Conrad 30 program waives it in exchange for a commitment to practice in a medically underserved area, and much of rural Texas qualifies. We handle the state health department application and the change to H-1B status that follows.
I-9 and Employer Compliance
Employment authorization is not only a worker's concern. Every U.S. employer must verify identity and work eligibility on Form I-9, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement audits carry real penalties. We conduct internal I-9 audits, train human resources teams, and defend employers when a Notice of Inspection arrives.
Our Process
What to Expect
Free Case Evaluation
We start with a no-cost consultation to review your situation, explain your options, and identify the strongest path forward for your family.
Case Preparation
Our team assembles your petition with the documentation and evidence USCIS expects, prepared accurately the first time to avoid delays.
Filing & Follow-Through
We file, track deadlines, respond to USCIS, and prepare you for every interview until your case is resolved.
How the Business Immigration Process Works
Every employment case is different, but the shape of the work is consistent. It begins with strategy, because the wrong category wastes months and filing fees. We start by understanding your business or your career, then match it to the visa or green card path that gives you the strongest case and the most durable status.
From there we build the evidence. A treaty investor needs a credible business plan and a clean source-of-funds record. A PERM case needs airtight recruitment. An O-1 or EB-1A needs a record organized around the legal criteria, not a list of accomplishments. Once the petition is filed, we track it, respond to any Request for Evidence quickly, and prepare you for the consular interview or adjustment step that follows. In our experience, the cases that move fastest are the ones prepared as if a skeptical officer will read every page, because one usually does.
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Hire a Board-Certified Immigration Attorney
Fewer than five percent of Texas immigration attorneys are Board-Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Attorney Alfredo Lozano holds that distinction, and since founding the firm in 2006 he has brought a Marine Corps veteran's discipline, more than 20 years of immigration experience, and a fully bilingual team to every case the firm handles.
Our approach combines personalized counsel with the documentation rigor these cases demand, so your petition is prepared correctly the first time. Board Certification means the state has independently verified his experience, tested his knowledge, and confirmed his standing among peers, which is the kind of assurance that matters when your family's future is on the line.
Meet
Our Team
Our team includes experienced attorneys, legal professionals, and client-care specialists who share a common commitment: making the immigration process as clear and manageable as possible for every family we serve.
Alfredo Lozano
Managing Attorney
Board-Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law and a Marine Corps veteran who leads every case strategy.
Linda Hamilton
Attorney
Guides families and employers through petitions, waivers, and interviews with steady, detailed advocacy.
Minerva Gonzalez
Legal Assistant
Prepares documentation and keeps every case organized, accurate, and moving forward.
Mayra Juarez
Legal Administrator
Coordinates case management and client communication across our three Texas offices.
Download Our Free E-Book
How to Obtain Residency If You Are in the U.S. Illegally
Entering the country without inspection does not always close the door to a green card. Our free guide walks through the options that may apply, from Section 245(i) and Military Parole in Place to the I-601A provisional waiver, in plain language.
Download the guide to understand the paths that could be available to your family, then contact us for advice on your specific situation.
Serving Employers and Investors in San Antonio, Eagle Pass, and San Angelo
San Antonio sits at the center of cross-border business between Texas and Mexico, and our firm was built to serve that reality. We advise family-owned importers in Eagle Pass, medical practices recruiting physicians to underserved counties near San Angelo, and founders moving to San Antonio to launch or buy a company. Consulates in Mexico, the USCIS Texas Service Center, and the San Antonio Field Office all shape how these cases run, and we prepare filings with those specific decision-makers in mind. Every consultation is available in English or Spanish.
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Request Your Free Consultation
Tell us about your family's situation and our bilingual team will reach out to schedule your free case evaluation.
Business and Employment Immigration FAQs
Which visa is best for starting a business in the United States?
For most entrepreneurs from Mexico and other treaty countries, the E-2 treaty investor visa is the strongest starting point because it is built around directing your own business. If your goal is permanent residence and you can invest at the higher threshold, EB-5 may fit instead. The right answer depends on your nationality, your capital, and whether you want temporary status or a green card, which is exactly what we sort out in the first consultation.
Can a Mexican citizen get an E-2 investor visa?
Yes. Mexico is a treaty country for E-2 purposes, so Mexican nationals who make a substantial, at-risk investment in a U.S. business they will direct can qualify. There is no official minimum investment, but smaller investments face more scrutiny, and the business must be a real operating enterprise rather than a passive holding. Strong source-of-funds documentation is often the difference between approval and refusal.
Do I need a job offer to get an employment-based green card?
Usually yes. Most EB-2 and EB-3 green cards require an employer to sponsor you and complete PERM labor certification first. The main exceptions are the EB-1A extraordinary ability category and the national interest waiver, both of which allow qualified individuals to self-petition without an employer or a labor certification.
How is the TN visa different from the H-1B?
The TN is available only to citizens of Mexico and Canada in specific listed professions, and it has no annual cap or lottery, so it can often be obtained quickly. The H-1B is open to any nationality but is limited by an annual quota and a random lottery for new cap-subject petitions. Many Mexican professionals who would otherwise wait for an H-1B number use the TN instead.
How much do I need to invest for an EB-5 green card?
Under current law, the minimum EB-5 investment is generally 800,000 dollars if the project is in a targeted employment area and 1.05 million dollars otherwise. The investment must create or preserve at least ten full-time U.S. jobs. Because these figures and program rules change, we confirm the current requirements before you commit any funds.
What happens during an I-9 audit?
An I-9 audit usually begins when Immigration and Customs Enforcement serves a Notice of Inspection, giving the employer a short window to produce its I-9 records. The agency then reviews the forms for technical and substantive errors, which can carry fines even when every worker is authorized. We help employers respond to the notice, correct problems properly, and limit exposure.
Can my spouse and children come with me on a work visa?
In most employment categories, yes. Spouses and unmarried children under 21 generally receive dependent status, such as E-2, L-2, or H-4, that lets them live in the United States. Spouses in several of these categories can also apply for their own work authorization. We include the family strategy in the plan from the start rather than treating it as an afterthought.
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Cases We Do Not Handle
Lozano Law Firm focuses exclusively on the practice areas listed above. We do not handle asylum or criminal immigration cases. When clients come to us with needs outside our scope, we refer them to trusted colleagues who specialize in those areas. Our referral network includes attorneys who handle asylum claims and criminal immigration consequences, so every person who contacts us receives direction toward the right help.
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Start Your Journey Today
Immigration goals should not wait. Whether you are exploring your options for the first time or ready to move forward with a case, our team is here to help. Contact Lozano Law Firm for a free case evaluation and let us put our Board-Certified expertise to work for you.
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