CASE: Fiancé Visa

PETITIONER: US Citizen in Houston, TX

BENEFICIARY: Filipina

PETITION FILED: June 5, 2017

PETITION APPROVED: January 2, 2018

K-1 VISA APPROVED: April 6, 2018

Our client, a US Citizen Petitioner, has known his fiancée since 2016. They started their relationship, and he visited the Philippines in September 2016.  In February 2017, our client went back to the Philippines to see his fiancée. They got engaged and our client decided to file a fiancé petition for his fiancée.  He retained our firm to file a fiancé petition for her on May 17, 2017.

After retention, we informed our client about the necessary supporting documents to demonstrate the bona fide nature of their relationship. We helped her and her fiancé draft letters in support of the fiancé petition, and we filed the petition on June 5, 2017.

On January 2, 2018, the I-129F fiancée petition was approved. On April 6, 2018, our client’s fiancé appeared at the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Philippines for her K-1 visa interview. The interview went well, and the U.S. Embassy issued her K-1 visa. With the issued K-1 visa, our client’s fiancée came to the United States and married our client in May 2018. She already filed her adjustment of status application to the USCIS.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

NATIONALITY: Dominican

LOCATION: Cleveland, OH

Our client is from Dominican Republic who came to the U.S. on a B-2 Visitor’s Visa in July 2014.  In November 2016, our client married her current U.S. citizen husband. In December 2016, they filed her green card application. However, the USCIS denied her green card application due to insufficient evidence.

She retained our office for her green card application on May 8, 2017.  Our firm prepared and filed the Adjustment of Status Application on March 12, 2018 along with the approved I-130 petition.  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 as well. On May 24, 2018, our client was interviewed at Cleveland USCIS office. Attorney JP Sarmiento also 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-485 Adjustment of Status / Termination of Proceedings
CLIENT: Chinese (Hong Kong)
LOCATION: Cleveland, OH

Our client came to the United States on a valid B-2 visa from Hong Kong in 2002.  Later, she changed her status to F-1 and remained in the United States. She filed an I-485 application as a derivative applicant of her ex-husband in 2007.  However, while the application was pending, our client and her ex-husband were separated. Unfortunately, in 2008, her I-485 adjustment of status application was denied.   She never received the denial notice from the USCIS since she moved to different city in Ohio before her case was denied. Thus, our client never received the Notice to Appear and was not apprised of the fact that she was placed in removal proceedings.  Accordingly, the Detroit Immigration Court issued an in absentia order of removal for our client in August 2010.

In January 2012, our client was picked up by the ICE officers.  She was surprised to find out that she is being held because she had a final order of removal and missed her hearing in August 2010.  She explained her situation, so she was not detained, and was placed on an order of supervision. After this event, our client contacted our firm and eventually retained us in March 2012.  Once we were retained, we asked our client to check with her ex-husband or his relatives whether they received the Notice to Appear for her. We told her that we have to reopen her case first before she can even apply for relief at the Immigration Court.

To rescind the final order, she has to get her case reopened. This is done through a Motion to Reopen filed with the Immigration Judge who gave the final order. Based on this Motion to Reopen, the Immigration Judge can rescind the in absentia order of removal if you are able to show that you did not receive notice of the hearing.

On July 31, 2012, our office filed the Motion to Reopen with the Detroit Immigration Court. Documentation of her address at the date of the final order, a detailed affidavit regarding her addresses and his circumstances around the final order date, documentation of the last address she provided to the immigration service prior to the final order date, and other supporting documents were submitted (20 exhibits). On August 16, 2012, the Detroit Immigration Court granted our motion and reopened our client’s case.

Our client married her Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) husband in August 2012 in Cleveland, OH. Her husband filed I-130 petition on behalf of her after they got married. Eventually, our client’s I-130 petition was approved in December 2013. Our office represented our client since 2012 for her removal proceeding representations and I-130 filing. Her individual hearing was scheduled at the Cleveland Immigration Court as well.  

In April 2016, our office filed a written request to administratively close our client’s removal proceedings to the DHS Cleveland Office.  In a written brief, our office fully explained that our client’s case is not DHS’s priority for the deportation and explained that our client has I-130 approval, no criminal records, has paid taxes, and has family ties in the United States.  Along with the written brief, our office attached I-485 application and its supporting documents as well.

After the review, the DHS counsel in Cleveland was willing to join in administrative closure of our client’s removal proceedings. In May 2016, the Immigration Judge administrative closed our client’s case.

In August 2017, her husband filed a naturalization application and became a U.S. citizen. Our office filed a request to join in a Motion to Terminate proceedings with an attached I-485 application and its supporting documents. The DHS counsel in Cleveland agreed to terminate our client’s proceedings. Eventually, the Immigration Judge granted the Motion to terminate without prejudice on October 24, 2017.

After her proceeding was terminated, our client retained our office again for her I-485 adjustment of status application. Our firm prepared and filed the I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on December 6, 2017.  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. On June 28, 2018, our client was interviewed at the Cleveland, OH USCIS office. Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu also accompanied our clients. The interview went well, and on July 5, 2018, her green card application was approved.

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CASE: Fiancé Visa

PETITIONER: US Citizen in New York

BENEFICIARY: British

PETITION FILED: October 16, 2017

PETITION APPROVED: April 16, 2018

K-1 VISA APPROVED: July 10, 2018

Our client, a US Citizen Petitioner, has known her fiancé since 1996. They started their relationship in 2017, and she visited the United Kingdom.  In August 2017, our client’s fiancé came to the United States and spent time with our client and went back to the United Kingdom. They decided to get engaged and our client decided to file a fiancé petition for her fiancé.  She retained our firm to file a fiancé petition for him on October 9, 2017.

After retention, we informed our client about the necessary supporting documents to demonstrate the bona fide nature of their relationship. We helped her and her fiancé draft letters in support of the fiancé petition, and we filed the petition on October 16, 2017.

On April 16, 2018, the I-129F fiancée petition was approved. On June 26, 2018, our client’s fiancé appeared at the U.S. Embassy in London, U.K. for his K-1 visa interview. The interview went well, and on July 10, 2018, the U.S. Embassy issued his K-1 visa.

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CASE: Adjustment of Status at Removal Proceeding
CLIENT: Nigerian
LOCATION: New Orleans, LA

Our client came to the United States in January 2009 with an F-1 student visa from Nigeria.  He married a U.S. Citizen in February 2014.  Our client’s wife filed an I-130 petition on behalf of our client, and this I-130 petition was approved by the USCIS New Orleans Field Office in October 2016.  After it was approved, our client contacted our office to seek legal representation at the Immigration Court and adjustment of status hearing. He also wanted us to file a Request to Join in a Motion to Terminate to the USDHS office in New Orleans.  

Our client retained us on February 10, 2017. Once retained, our office filed Request to Join in a Motion to Terminate to USDHS office in New Orleans on March 10, 2017. However, the DHS office refused to join in a Motion to Terminate. Thereafter, our office prepared and filed the I-485 Adjustment of Status Application and other supporting documents to the New Orleans Immigration Court.   

On May 10, 2018, Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu represented our client’s at his Individual Hearing for adjustment of status at the New Orleans Immigration Court.  After the direct and cross examination, the Immigration Judge informed both parties that he will send the written decision. On June 25, 2018, the Immigration Judge granted our client’s adjustment of status relief.  Our client’s removal proceeding is terminated simultaneously. Now, our client becomes a green card holder.

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

Our client came to the United States as a visitor from Canada in June 2017.  He has a U.S. citizen wife who filed an I-130 petition for him in 2017. Our client originally planned to file his immigrant visa via consular processing in Canada, but after he came to the U.S., he changed his mind.  He retained our office on September 19, 2017 for his adjustment of status application.  Our firm prepared and filed the Adjustment of Status Application on October 5, 2017.  His I-130 petition was approved in October 2017 as well. 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 in our office.  On June 14, 2018, our client was interviewed at the Cleveland, Ohio USCIS. Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu accompanied them at the interview as well.  On the same day of his interview, his green card application was approved.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

NATIONALITY: Nigerian

LOCATION: Cleveland, OH

Our client is from Nigeria who came to the U.S. on a F-1 Student Visa in December 2016 to pursue his master’s degree in United States.  In February 2018, our client married his current U.S. citizen wife.  He retained our office for his green card application on March 6, 2018. Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on April 6, 2018. 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 as well. On June 14, 2018, our client was interviewed at the Cleveland USCIS office. Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu also accompanied our clients as well.  Eventually, on June 15, 2018, his green card application was approved.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

NATIONALITY: Chinese

LOCATION: Cleveland, OH

Our client is from China who came to the U.S. on an H-1B visa. In May 2017, our client married her current U.S. citizen husband.  She retained our office for her green card application in June 2017. Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on June 27, 2017.  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. On June 4, 2018, our client was interviewed at Cleveland Ohio USCIS office.  Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu from our office also accompanied our clients. Eventually, on June 5, 2018, her green card application was approved.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Petition and Adjustment of status / I-130 / I-485

CLIENT: Vietnamese

LOCATION: Cleveland, OH

Our client came to the United States from Vietnam with a B-2 visitor’s visa in August 2016. Later, she married her current husband, who was a green card holder at the time of filing, in September 2016. Her husband filed an I-130 petition for her under the F2A category in February 2017.

Later, her husband became a naturalized U.S. Citizen in April 2017.

Our client retained our office in April 2017 for her I-485 adjustment of status application. Our office prepared and filed an I-485 adjustment of status application, together with all necessary supporting documents and pending I-130 petition, on April 14, 2017. We let USCIS office know that the pending I-130 petition should be changed to “Immediate Relative” category since the Petitioner became a U.S. citizen. 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 May 31, 2018, our client was interviewed at the Cleveland, Ohio USCIS office. Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu accompanied our clients. Eventually, on June 5, 2018, the USCIS approved our client’s green card application.

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

Our client came to the United States as a visitor from Canada.  She married her U.S. Citizen husband in January 2018 and retained our office on January 23, 2018 for her adjustment of status application.  Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on March 1, 2018.  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 May 25, 2018, our client was interviewed at the Cleveland, Ohio USCIS.  On June 1, 2018, her green card application was approved.

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