Immigration

Represented a young adult before the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum) and prevented his deportation from the UK on the basis that he had been registered as a British citizen whilst a minor. The fact that the decision to naturalize his parents had been invalidated due to their non-attendance at the citizenship ceremony, did not mean that the decision of the Home Office to register the client as a British citizen had also been invalidated.

We helped the US-resident daughter of a successful Chilean entrepreneur through immigration issues and residency planning, supported tax and reporting efficient giving from her father, and provided cross border structuring advice.

A Brazilian private equity fund executive requested advice on pre-immigration planning in connection with his relocation to the United States. We helped to coordinate the timing of his tax recognition from certain transactions to occur while he was still a Brazilian tax resident and others to be taxed after becoming a US tax resident. We also established different types of trust structures to protect assets from US estate tax, a foreign trust to defer income taxation on existing carried interests, and a traditional US estate planning trust for carried interests not yet paying out.

Advised a Colombian family on the surrender of their US passports in order to come into compliance with their US tax and reporting obligations and thereby cease to be subject to US compliance in a highly tax efficient manner.

Assisted a major Brazilian real estate investor to immigrate to the US, start a new business, acquire US real estate and reorganize his Brazilian and offshore investments. This involved obtaining a new passport and visas, international tax and corporate structuring, real estate advice and business planning.

Advised on the sale of assets in Venezuela and global residency, immigration and planning needs for a Venezuelan family needing to temporarily or permanently leave their country.

Advocated on behalf of US citizenship renouncing persons and convinced the US Department of State to amend the Foreign Affairs Manual to allow renouncing citizens to retain their US passports while waiting for Department of State to issue the Certificate of Loss Nationality, and thereby permit these persons to continue to be able to travel to the US.

We routinely represent individuals of extraordinary ability in business, sciences and art in obtaining employment visas and green cards.

Assisted in the transfer of US employees to China for a global entertainment conglomerate.

Consolidated and took lead in managing immigration program for one of America’s largest healthcare systems.

Represented a Canadian native and prominent fashion designer in immigrating to the United States. We helped the designer create her entrepreneurial business structure and supported her brand through multi-jurisdictional intellectual property advice to protect the trademark and key designs. We continue to provide employment and commercial advice as the business grows.

Assisting and advising this family based in Taiwan with extensive business interests and assets in multiple jurisdictions. Advice includes a multi-disciplinary team covering succession planning, immigration and cross-border investment.

When he became engaged to a Swiss citizen, the son of a high-profile UK businessman asked us to help him obtain a British Passport and expatriate from the US. We were also asked to draft a prenuptial agreement. Timing was of the essence but as a global, full-service firm we created a team of immigration, family and private client lawyers to meet tight deadlines.

Withers represents many successful families who live and work in countries around the world. We are sometimes asked to advise on contracts for personal staff who travel with the family, in this particular case when there were immigration issues to address.

With a sterling reputation in the field of immigration, we were chosen to represent 21 part-time , fee-paid judges when they decided to challenge a judicial decision not to reappoint them to the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal on new fixed-term renewable contracts.