CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

NATIONALITY: Chinese                                                                                           

LOCATION: Somerville, MA 

Our client is from China who came to the U.S. on an O-1A visa to work as a researcher. In February 2021, our client married her U.S. citizen husband.  She retained our office on February 12, 2021 for her green card application.  Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on March 24, 2021.  Everything went smoothly and the receipt notices, fingerprint appointment, and work permits all came on time. Prior to the interview, we thoroughly prepared our clients at our office via conference calls. On January 5, 2022, our client was interviewed at the Boston, MA USCIS office. On the same day of her interview, her green card application was approved.

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CASE: N-400 (Citizenship / Naturalization)

APPLICANT: Nigerian

LOCATION: Attleboro, MA

Our client contacted us in March 2021 to seek legal representation for her naturalization application. She came to the United States from Nigeria and obtained her green card in March 2016.  

Her N-400 application was filed on April 9, 2021 with all supporting documents. Prior to her citizenship interview, our office prepared her via phone call.  On June 29, 2021, our client appeared at the Boston, MA CIS office. Our client answered all questions correctly and passed her naturalization interview. On the same day of her interview, her application was approved. Her oath taking is scheduled in which she will become a naturalized U.S. Citizen.

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CASE: J-1 Waiver of Two-Year Foreign Residency Requirement, No Objection Statement 

NATIONALITY: Turkish                                                                                                        

LOCATION: Amherst, MA

Our client is from Turkey who came to the U.S. on a J-1 Visa in June 2013. Later on, he changed his status from J-1 to F-1. He eventually obtained an approved I-140 National Interest Waiver self petition. He wanted to apply for adjustment of status based on an I-140 National Interest Waiver self-petition. However, he needed a J-1 waiver first.  

He retained our office on December 10, 2020. Our office filed a waiver request through a No Objection Statement (NOS) from the Turkish Embassy in the United States. Every country’s Embassy maintains different procedures with regard to the J-1 No Objection Statement waiver.  Our office contacted the Turkish Embassy in D.C. to pursue the waiver for our client.  The Embassy requested several documents including a statement of reason for the waiver and Turkish National ID.

On December 29, 2020, the J-1 Waiver (Form DS-3035) Application was filed to the Department of State.  We also sent a request to the Turkish Embassy to issue a No Objection Statement and recommend this waiver based on the fact that our client is eligible to adjust based on his I-140 NIW petition.  

Eventually, the Turkish Embassy issued a No Objection Statement for our client, and sent this letter to the State Department’s Waiver Review Division.  Thereafter, the Waiver Review Division issued a favorable recommendation based on the No Objection statement. On June 4, 2021, the USCIS issued an I-612 approval notice. Now, our client can file the I-485 adjustment of status application along with his I-140 NIW Self-Petition.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

NATIONALITY: Filipina                                                                                                   

LOCATION: Falmouth, MA

Our client is from the Philippines who came to the U.S. on a B-1 visitor’s visa in July 2015. Since then, she has remained in the United States. In July 2020, our client married her U.S. citizen husband.  She retained our office on January 7, 2020 for her green card application.  Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on August 21, 2020.  Everything went smoothly and the receipt notices, fingerprint appointment, and work permits all came on time. Prior to the interview, we thoroughly prepared our clients at our office via conference calls. On April 2, 2021, our client was interviewed at the Boston, MA USCIS office. On May 28, 2021, her green card application was approved.

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CASE: J-1 Waiver of the Two-Year Foreign Residency Requirement, No Objection Statement

 NATIONALITY: Malaysian

 LOCATION: Boston, MA

Our Malaysian client came to the U.S. on a J-1 Visa in June 2017 to work as a trainee. In September 2019, he married his U.S. citizen spouse. He wanted to file an adjustment of status application; however, his J-1 visa made him subject to the two-year foreign resident requirement. Due to the two-year foreign residency requirement, he had to obtain a waiver first before he files his adjustment of status application in the U.S.

After he retained our firm, we prepared and filed a waiver request through a No Objection Statement (NOS) from the Malaysian Embassy in the United States.  

On February 4, 2020, the J-1 Waiver (Form DS-3035) Application was filed to the Department of State.  We also sent a request to the Malaysian Consulate General Office in New York to issue a No Objection Statement and recommend this waiver based on the fact that our client would have been eligible to file an adjustment of status application but for the waiver.

The Malaysian Embassy eventually issued a No Objection Statement for our client, and sent this letter to the State Department’s Waiver Review Division. The Waiver Review Division issued a favorable recommendation based on the No Objection statement. The CIS then issued a receipt and an I-612 approval notice on April 1, 2021.   

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CASE: N-400 (Citizenship / Naturalization)

APPLICANT: Filipino

LOCATION: Boston, MA

Our client contacted us in September 2019 to seek legal representation for his naturalization and citizenship N-400 application. He came to the United States from the Philippines and he obtained his green card in August 2016 through marriage to his US Citizen spouse. We represented him for both his 2-year green card and I-751 application as well. 

His N-400 application was filed on September 11, 2019. Prior to his citizenship interview, our office prepared him via conference calls.  On November 10, 2020, our client appeared at the Boston, MA USCIS office for his naturalization interview. Our client answered all questions correctly and passed his naturalization interview. On November 12, 2020, his application was approved. His oath taking is scheduled in which he will become a naturalized U.S. Citizen.

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CASE: N-400 (Citizenship / Naturalization)

APPLICANT: Filipino

LOCATION: West Springfield, MA

Our client contacted us in February 2020 to seek legal representation for his naturalization and citizenship N-400 application. He came to the United States from the Philippines and obtained his green card in May 2015.

His N-400 application was filed on March 4, 2020 with all supporting documents. Prior to his citizenship interview, our office prepared him via conference calls.  On October 2, 2020, our client appeared at the Lawrence, MA USCIS office for his naturalization interview. Our client answered all questions correctly and passed his naturalization and citizenship interview. 

Eventually, his application was approved on the same day of the interview and he took his oath right away. He is now a naturalized U.S. Citizen.

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CASE: N-400 (Citizenship / Naturalization)

APPLICANT: Filipino

LOCATION: West Springfield, MA

Our client contacted us in July 2020 to seek legal representation for his naturalization and citizenship N-400 application. He came to the United States from the Philippines and he obtained his green card in August 2015.

His  N-400 application was filed on July 14, 2020. Prior to his citizenship interview, our office prepared him via conference calls.  On October 13, 2020, our client appeared at the Lawrence, MA USCIS office for his naturalization interview. Our client answered all questions correctly and passed his naturalization and citizenship interview. 

Eventually, his application was approved on the same day of the interview and he took his oath right away. He is now a naturalized U.S. Citizen.

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CASE: H-1B Extension

PETITIONER: Waste Management Company

BENEFICIARY: Indian Chief Financial Officer

LOCATION: Hudson, MA

Our client is a wastewater treatment and management company in Hudson, MA. They contacted our office in early December 2019 to seek legal assistance from our office for their foreign employee. The beneficiary is from India and obtained her Master’s degree in Business Administration. The proffered position for the Beneficiary is a Chief Financial Officer which qualifies as a specialty occupation. This proffered position is clearly a “specialty occupation” because the minimum requirements for this position are a Master’s Degree in Business Administration or its equivalent.  

The foreign beneficiary in this case already had her H-1B visa from our client (her current employer).  She wanted to extend her H-1B status. 

Once retained, our office promptly filed the H-1B visa petition with various supporting documents on January 17, 2020. Since this petition was based on the extension, this petition was exempted from the annual cap of the H-1B.  Thus, we could file prior to the April 1. On January 30, 2020, our office sent premium processing upgrade request to the USCIS for this H-1B petition.

However, the USCIS issued Request for Evidence for our client’s H-1B case on February 14, 2020. The USCIS argued that proffered CFO position is not a “specialty occupation.” Our office filed an extensive RFE response to the USCIS on February 27, 2020.  Eventually, our client’s H-1B Petition was approved on March 12, 2020. Now the Beneficiary can work for her Petitioner-Employer as an H-1B visa holder and she can work there for next three years.

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CASE: J-2 Waiver of Two-Year Foreign Residency Requirement Post-Divorce
NATIONALITY: Chinese
LOCATION: Hingham, MA

Our client is a citizen of China who came to the U.S. on a J-2 Visa in January 2015.  She came with her husband (now, her ex-husband) who held a J-1 Visa as an exchange visitor.  Both were subject to the two-year foreign residency requirement. 

Unfortunately, while they are residing in the United States, her marriage did not work out well. Eventually, she got divorced from her ex-husband in January 2016 in China. In September 2019, she married her U.S. citizen spouse. She wanted to file the waiver so that she can file adjustment of status along with her U.S. citizen spouse’s I-130 petition.

Our client contacted our office and retained our firm to do her J-2 waiver on October 16, 2019.  On October 21, 2019, the J-2 Waiver (DS-3035) was filed to the Department of State. We also sent a request to the DOS to be an interested government agency and recommend this waiver based on the fact that our client was divorced from the J-1 visa holder.  Eventually, on December 2, 2019, the DOS recommended to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) that our client be granted a waiver. Finally, the USCIS issued I-612 waiver approval notice on December 18, 2019.

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