CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status
CLIENT: Canadian
LOCATION: Columbus, Ohio

Our client came to the United States as a visitor from Canada.  She married her U.S. Citizen husband in March 2020 and retained our office on October 7, 2020 for her adjustment of status application.  Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485Adjustment of Status Application on October 27, 2020.  Everything went smoothly and the receipt notices, fingerprint appointment, and work permit all came on time.  Prior to the interview, we thoroughly prepared our clients via conference calls.  On August 18, 2021, our client was interviewed at the Columbus, Ohio USCIS office.  On August 24, 2021, her green card application was approved.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

CLIENT: Canadian

LOCATION: Davis, CA

Our client came to the United States from Canada on a H-1B visa. He married a U.S. Citizen in April 2017 and retained our office on February 12, 2019 for his green card application. Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on June 18, 2019.  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 via conference calls. On August 23, 2021, our client was interviewed at the Sacramento, California USCIS office. Eventually, our client’s green card application was approved on the same day.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

CLIENT: Nigerian

LOCATION: Dallas, TX

Our client came to the United States from Nigeria on a F-1 student visa. He married a U.S. Citizen in July 2020 and retained our office on August 24, 2020. Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on September 15, 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 via conference calls. On August 19, 2021, our client was interviewed at the Irving, Texas USCIS office. Eventually, on August 20, 2021, our client’s green card application was approved.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

NATIONALITY: Ghanaian                                                                                             

LOCATION: Canal Winchester, OH 

Our client is from Ghana who came to the U.S. on a B-2 visitor’s visa in November 2019. Since then, she has remained in the United States. In April 2020, our client married her U.S. citizen husband.  She retained our office on October 6, 2020 for her green card application.  Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on December 18, 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 August 16, 2021, our client was interviewed at the Columbus, OH USCIS office. On August 20, 2021, her green card application was approved.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

NATIONALITY: Filipina                                                                                         

LOCATION: Des Plaines, IL 

Our client came from the Philippines on a J-1 visa. She was not subject to the 2-year foreign residency requirement. In June 2018, our client is married her current U.S. citizen husband.  She retained our office on January 26, 2021, for her green card application.  Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on February 12, 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 August 18, 2021, our client was interviewed at the Chicago, IL USCIS office. On the same day of her interview, her green card application was approved.

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CASE: I-130/I-485 Marriage-Based Green Card

NATIONALITY: Philippines

LOCATION: Sunnyvale, CA

Our client came from the Philippines on a J-1 in August 2017. She was subject to the two-year foreign residency requirement. 

In July 2019, she got married to her U.S. citizen husband and later on retained our firm for her J-1 visa waiver. On October 16, 2019, the J-1 Waiver Application (Form DS-3035) was filed to the Department of State.  On November 26, 2019, our office sent our client’s materials to the Waiver Review Committee in Manila, Philippines.  Then, the Waiver Review Committee forwarded the materials and favorable recommendation to the Philippine Embassy in D.C. who eventually issued a No Objection Statement.

On May 5, 2020, the Waiver Review Division issued a favorable recommendation based on the No Objection statement.  Eventually, on May 18, 2020, the USCIS issued an I-612 approval notice for the waiver. 

Once her J-1 waiver was approved, our client retained our office again for her adjustment of status application. Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and Adjustment of Status Application on May 22, 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 through conference calls. On August 11, 2021, our client was interviewed at the Santa Clara, CA USCIS office.  The interview went well, and eventually, on August 17, 2021, her green card application was approved.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

NATIONALITY: Filipina                                                                                         

LOCATION: Jacksonville, FL 

Our client is from the Philippines who came to the U.S. on a B-2 visitor’s visa in November 2019. She has remained in the United State since then. In March 2020, our client married her U.S. citizen husband.  She retained our office on May 6, 2020 for her green card application.  Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485Adjustment of Status Application on June 5, 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 August 4, 2021, our client was interviewed at the Jacksonville, FL USCIS office. On the same day of her interview, her green card application was approved.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

NATIONALITY: Chinese                                                                                                

LOCATION: Mentor on the lake, OH 

Our client is from China who came to the U.S. on a B-2 visitor’s visa in April 2016. Since then, she has remained in the United States. In January 2021, our client is married her current U.S. citizen husband.  She retained our office on January 19, 2021 for her green card application.  Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on January 29, 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 via conference calls. On July 16, 2021, our client was interviewed at the Cleveland, OH USCIS office. Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu accompanied our clients as well. Eventually, on the same day of her interview, her green card application was approved.

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Case: I-130/I-485
Applicant/Beneficiary – Taiwanese
Location: North Olmsted, OH

Our client entered the United States in February 2019 from Taiwan under the visa waiver program. As a Visa Waiver Entrant, she was only authorized to remain in the United States for 90 days.  She married her U.S. citizen spouse in June 2020.

In August 2020, they contacted our office and consulted with us regarding adjustment of status. After consultation, they retained our office on August 11, 2020.  One main issue in her green card application was the fact that she came to the United States under the visa waiver program.   As our office wrote in our previous success story with a similar issue,  under the visa waiver program, citizens of certain countries can enter the U.S. for 90 days without a visa with the condition that the visitor waives his or her right to contest removal (other than on the basis of asylum).  The “no-contest” provision of the Visa Waiver Program is fundamental; if someone could enter under the VWP and then contest removability, it would defeat the whole purpose of the Program which is to make it easy for certain nationals to come to the United States to visit and then leave without all the red-tape involved in visa issuance.

Since our client resided in North Olmsted, Ohio, her application had a better chance compared to states under the 9th Circuit (see Momeni v. Chertoff).  However, it was quite foreseeable that the USCIS field office will exercise its discretion to deny his application because of her visa waiver entry.  

Nevertheless, our office filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on September 29, 2020.  Our office requested the CIS to exercise favorable discretion in granting adjustment of status. Everything went smoothly and the receipt notices, fingerprint appointment, and work permit all came on time. Prior to the interview, we thoroughly prepared our clients. On July 14, 2021, our client was interviewed at the Cleveland, Ohio USCIS Field Office.  Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu, Esq. accompanied our clients. The interview went well, and the USCIS approved her adjustment of status application on the same day of the interview.  Now, our client is a green card holder. 

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CASE:  Joint Motion to Reopen / Adjustment of Status at the EOIR
CLIENT: Pakistani
LOCATION: Chicago, IL

Our client is a Pakistan citizen who currently resides Chicago, IL with her US citizen husband.  Our client entered to the United States with a valid L-2 visa in November 2000.  She was granted withholding of removal in July 2006 by the Philadelphia Immigration Court.  She has remained in the United States thereafter. 

In 2018, our client marred her U.S. citizen husband. However, for her to get a green card, her case should first be reopened in the Immigration Court for her to apply for adjustment of status either with the Court, or with the CIS should proceedings be terminated after reopening. 

In February 2018, our client contacted our office and sought legal assistance for her immigration matters.  After thorough consultation, our client retained us on February 21, 2018.  Upon the retention, we first prepared and filed her husband’s I-130 petition for her. We filed the I-130 petition to the USCIS on March 7, 2018, and the USCIS approved the I-130 in October 2018. Once the I-130 petition was approved, we filed a Request to Join in a Motion to Reopen to USICE-DHS office in Philadelphia.  Our cover brief explained how she got her withholding of removal status, approval of I-130, and her prima facie eligibility to apply for adjustment of status. 

The DHS office in Philadelphia finally agreed to join in the Motion to Reopen and an assigned counsel signed on the Motion. In October 2019, the Motion to Reopen was granted by the Philadelphia Immigration Court and our office immediately filed a Change of Venue Motion to move our client’s case from Philadelphia to Chicago.  

Once her case was moved to the Chicago Immigration Court, our office prepared and filed the I-485 Adjustment of Status Application and other supporting documents. 

On July 9, 2021, Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu represented our client at her Individual Hearing for adjustment of status at the Chicago Immigration Court.  After the hearing, the Immigration Judge granted our client’s adjustment of status relief.  Our client’s removal proceeding is terminated simultaneously. Now, our client is a green card holder.  

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