Kyle Knapp

Kyle A. Knapp is an experienced immigration attorney. He earned his law degree from Capital University Law School in 1998 and is licensed to practice in Ohio and Florida.

Kyle concentrates his practice on helping organizations hire individuals who are not U.S. citizens. He also advises organizations on the requirements to ensure that all of their employees have authorization to work in the United States. The former sometimes is referred to as "visa processing," while the latter is referred to as "I-9 compliance."   Additionally, Kyle assists individuals with naturalization applications for U.S. citizenship and with family-based immigration cases to sponsor relatives for lawful permanent resident status.

The U.S. immigration laws have become increasingly complex. Kyle parses through statutes, regulations and agency guidance and explains to organizations in simple terms what steps they must follow to hire individuals who are not U.S. citizens. His areas of expertise include a wide range of nonimmigrant (i.e. temporary) and immigrant (i.e. green card or permanent resident) visas. In the nonimmigrant category, he has extensive experience with B/Visa Waiver (visitors for business or pleasure), E (treaty traders and investors), F (students), H (specialty occupation workers for individuals with relevant college degrees), J (exchange visitors), L (intracompany transferees from affiliate organizations abroad), O (individuals of extraordinary ability), R (ministers) and TN (professional workers from Canada and Mexico under the North American Free Trade Agreement).

In the immigrant category, Kyle has helped organizations and individuals apply for green cards through the labor certification process (called PERM), priority worker petitions (extraordinary ability, outstanding researcher/professor, multinational manager), and religious worker petitions. The various occupations have included information technology professionals, scientists, engineers, financial analysts, university professors, nurses, physicians, ministers, social workers, psychologist, and managers and executives.

As part of his I-9 compliance work, Kyle advises human resources professionals on the requirements to document the work authorization of new employees and avoid discriminating against individuals based upon national origin or citizenship status. The I-9 form is deceptively complex, and Kyle helps those involved in preparing and maintaining it understand its nuances and comply with regulatory requirements.

Find Kyle at www.knapplawco.com


Articles By Kyle Knapp

How to Voluntarily Abandon Lawful Permanent Residence (a Green Card)
While most green card holders (lawful permanent residents, or "LPRs") are concerned about an  involuntary
Can I Change Employers While My Green Card Application Is Pending?
If you are a foreign employee and awaiting a USCIS decision on your green card application, now is a risky time to switch jobs.
Steps Employers Must Take to Hire an H-1B Worker: Overview
A step-by-step account of how an employer can petition for and hire a worker on an H-1B visa.
Overview of PERM Process (Obtaining Labor Certification)
Obtaining a U.S. green card is a multi-step process. If you are a foreign worker seeking a green card, the first step in the process is normally to obtain a job offer from a U.S. employer.
How Soon After I Start Work With My Green Card Sponsor Can I Switch Jobs?
My employer is sponsoring me for a green card. The category is employment-based second (I work as a software engineer), and my I-485 Adjustment of Status Application has been at USCIS for a year.
Social Security Numbers for Nonimmigrant Workers
Your work visa allows you to work in the U.S.—but you will also need a Social Security number in order to get paid!
Getting a U.S. Visa (B-1) to Do Volunteer Work
A little-known use of the business visitor visa allows people to come to the U.S. to do unpaid work for a charity or religious organization.
How Long It Takes to Get an H-1B Visa Petition Approved
How long a wait to expect, and how to monitor your progress toward approval of Form I-129.
Religious Workers: Going From an R-1 Visa to a Green Card
R-1 visa holders who are currently working in the U.S. as ministers or in a religious vocation or occupation have a fairly simple route to obtaining a green card to become U.S.
Employer's Obligations to Workers Being Sponsored for a Green Card
By electing to sponsor a foreign worker for a green card, the U.S. employer is taking on several important responsibilities and must meet several obligations.