On April 17th, members and guests of the French-American Chamber of Commerce gathered at the Nippon Club in midtown Manhattan for an informative panel that addressed the most recent changes to U.S. visa and immigration policies. Changes to the J-1 visa regulations and the deadline for H-1B visa applications made the seminar especially timely for all in attendance.

Richard S. Goldstein, Senior Partner and founder of the Law Offices of Richard S. Goldstein, P.C., spoke about his experience in the practice of immigration law, and how the field has evolved over the years. He also offered practical suggestions on how to facilitate the visa application process, a topic of particular interest to the many French nationals and human resources professionals in the audience. Mr. Goldstein mentioned that the U.S. embassy in Paris was particularly “lawyer-friendly” among American diplomatic posts, and explained the procedure for obtaining an emergency visa in a few days’ time.

Christopher Gallagher, Deputy Managing Director of the French-American Chamber of Commerce in New York explored the regulatory changes to the J-1 visa intern and trainee categories that were issued by the State Department in July 2007. “In the new regulatory environment, the emphasis is on screening and vetting all participants – companies and applicants,” Mr. Gallagher noted, “the new regulations underline once again that the J-1 category is not for employment, but for international students to have a meaningful exchange experience, and return home to apply what they have learned.” He then briefly touched on the criteria for J-1 trainees and discussed the requirements and benefits of a newly added visa category, intern, for foreign college students and recent graduates. He also mentioned new requirements such as interviews and site visits. Offering a comprehensive immigration update,

Tammy Lee, Partner at the Law Offices of Richard S. Goldstein, P.C., discussed several visa categories and the changes that had been made to each. Her presentation was important for companies that wish to employ foreign nationals. Ms. Lee provided the latest information on H-1B work visa applications and the brand new regulation regarding the extension on Optional Practical Training for F-1 students.

Finally, Francesca Sabatino, Human Resources Manager of Richemont North America, Inc., spoke briefly on her experience with the FACC J-1 visa program from the corporate viewpoint. Richemont, the parent company of world-renowned luxury brands such as Cartier and Mont Blanc, is an active participant in the FACC exchange visitor program, and Ms. Sabatino emphasized the importance of educating managers and supervisors on the new J-1 requirements. The panel was followed by a question-and-answer session after which members and guests gathered for a lively cocktail reception.

The FACC would like to thank the Law Offices of Richard S. Goldstein, P.C. for their generous sponsorship of this event.