Special Considerations For Singaporean US Visa Applicants

Special Considerations for Singaporean US Visa Applicants

Why are Singaporean US Visa Applicants Unique?

Owing to a variety of agreements between Singapore and the United States, Singaporean Nationals benefit from a number of advantages:

  • Visa Free Entry

    . The ability to enter the United States as a temporary visitor without a visa (note that denial of a business or other visa application will result in an applicant being no longer eligible for visa free entry, see below).
  • H1B1 Visa

    . Only Chilean and Singaporean Nationals are eligible for the H1B1 Visa. This visa allows the principal beneficiary to live and work in the United States with his or her spouse and children.
  • E-1 and E-2 Visas

    . Nationals of Singapore are eligible for both E-1 and E-2 visas.
  • Investment Visas

    . In our experience the United States EB5 visa, when filed using a rural project with an expedite, often provides the easiest and fastest access to the United States. For some clients EB1A, EB1C and EB2 can be faster options.

Warning re Visa Applications and Visa Free Entry

E, EB-5, L Visa for Singapore Nationals

Unfortunatley, several of our Singaporean clients previously applied for business and other visas using other firms and were denied.

Once a Singapore National is denied a US visa he or she is no longer able to enter the United States on the visa waiver program and must apply for a B1/B2 visitor’s visa in order to come to the United States.

Singaporean Nationals who have applied for a B1/B2 visitor’s visa after having been denied an E-2 or other visa have been denied their B1/B2 visitors visa, leaving them unable to enter the United States.

While we have never had a visa application that our firm has initially prepared denied we always counsel Singapore clients to consider applying for a B1/B2 visitors visa prior to applying for other visa types, that way if an E-2 or other visa is denied the client has a pre-exisiting B1/B2 visa with which they can make a lawful visit to the United States. This is not an easy decision however and we spend significant time counselling clients on this issue.

Singapore: Our Experience

  • Our goal is to be provide the best client experience available in the Singaporean market. To us this means having the strongest record of success together with the very best levels of client service. We are proud that our clients view us as their “US Immigration law firm of choice” and recognize our client care program as “distinct and unique”.
  • The immigration lawyers at Davies & Associates are privileged to serve a number of business visa and other clients resident in Singapore.
  • In Singapore our lawyers service some of the largest public companies in the market and some of the smallest start-ups hungry for US capital and investment.
  • To date no visa our firm has initially prepared on a first-submission has been denied.*
  • Our firm increasingly interacts with the US consulate in Singapore on behalf of our clients and appears with our clients “on-the-ground” at the US Consulate in Singapore.

Singapore forms a key hub in the ability of our firm to deliver US immigration services in Asia. Many of our Singapore-based clients have businesses in other parts of Asia and we are used to coordinating strategies across multiple jurisdictions.

Is a Business Plan Really Important?

US Immigration Services for Singapore Nationals

For Singapore Nationals applying for certain visa types a business plan can be completely critical. Our experience with the US embassy in Singapore is that properly prepared business plans are essential in E-2, E-1, certain L-1 and EB-5 visa cases.

A guide to business plan preparation can be found be clicking on this link.


L-1 Visas and Singapore Businesses

A number of employees from a variety of Asian countries are employed by Singaporean corporations in Singapore. Our firm is experienced with assisting corporations moving employees to the United States using both the L-1A and L1-B visas.

Permanent Residency and Immigrant Visas in The United States

Our firm represents clients from across the region in their pursuit of EB-5 based investor immigrant visas, permanent residency based on employment and outstanding qualifications as well as family-based petitions.

Meeting our Firm in Singapore

Singapore

We are the firm of choice for many Singapore-based clients. The market position as a leading provider of US immigration services in Singapore brings our experienced US immigration lawyers from New York and California to Singapore in order to both meet with clients and to work with the US embassy in Singapore. Given advanced notice we very much welcome opportunities to meet our Singapore-based clients both in Singapore and at our firm's other locations.

*In August 2013 we were asked to re-file an E-2 visa for a Singapore National. This client had already applied for an E-2 visa using another law firm and the E-2 visa had been denied. We believe that this application was denied owing to an extremely weak overall presentation and business plan. This visa re-application is still the subject of our continuing representation but has yet to be approved and remains the only issue our firm has had with the approval of a visa of any kind in fifteen years.


US Embassy in Singapore
Address
27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508
Fax
Fax: (65) 6476-9232
U.S. Visa Information Service for Singapore

Contact Davies & Associates Offices in Singapore

Check all of our locations around the world.

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Satya Choudhury
Satya Choudhury
a week ago

I had a great experience with Davies & Associates. They are very thorough in the approach and their have experts in this field who know the domain very well.I would certainly be leaning onto them for any future needs as well.

hoshino ryuichi
hoshino ryuichi
2 weeks ago

Thanks to them for handling my E2 visa very professionally. I had a study visa from F1 and changed it to E2. I encountered many problems during the application process. Verdie and Etta were very patient in helping me and it took a long time. I highly recommend this place.

Tanuj Dewan
Tanuj Dewan
3 months ago

Outstanding Immigration Attorney: Highly Recommended! Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5) I had the pleasure of working with Verdie Atienza and his team at Davies & Associates , a top-notch immigration attorney in the United States. Their professionalism, expertise, and dedication throughout the process were exceptional. With in-depth knowledge of immigration law, they provided accurate advice and addressed all my concerns, instilling confidence. Verdie Atienza and his team meticulously reviewed my documentation and maintained excellent communication, keeping me updated regularly. What sets Davies & Associates apart is their unparalleled attention to detail. Communication with Verdie Atienza and his team in USA and Sukanya Raman in India was always prompt and efficient. They promptly returned my calls and emails, providing regular updates on the progress of my case. This level of responsiveness and transparency significantly reduced my stress levels, as I knew I could rely on their support and guidance throughout the entire process. Their personalized approach, ethical conduct, and genuine care for my success made them an outstanding attorney. I highly recommend Davies & Associates for all your immigration needs.

Christine Envall
Christine Envall
5 months ago

Getting my E2 Visa was a very in-depth process that took just over a year from when I committed to it, but 8 months from when I found a business I wanted to purchase. The only reason I'm giving 4 and not 5 stars is because the timeframe was a lot longer than expected from the initial information. Aside from the timing, Verdie and his team led me through the Visa process, providing all the guidance I needed to be successful, including advising me on the RIGHT type of Visa to suit my goals. Within the process I purchased a business and the greater Davies team included lawyer Rinat who helped me put the deal together. One of the biggest parts was my Business Plan which created from my info by Ana Ortiz, who did an incredible job. The process is certainly tedious and Verdie & Christina were always there to answer my questions, provide suggestions and advice and ensure I had all the documents I needed to support my application. I appreciated their patience with my questions and their advice and in the end, the application was so thorough the interview process was quick and easy. I highly recommend Davies & Associates and look forward to working with them again when it's time to renew my Visa.

Peter
Peter
11 months ago

We were in a hurry and Verdie and the team were highly responsive and supportive, even when we threw in some curve balls along the way. We had our visas approved without any issues and felt confident and well prepared for document submissions and the interview. I'd certainly recommend this team for an E2 visa process.

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