CASE: Adjustment of Status Based on Approved K-1 Visa

CLIENT: Filipina

LOCATION: Cleveland, OH

Our client came to the United States in January 2016 as a K-1 visa entrant from the Philippines.  Our client is the beneficiary of an approved I-129F petition. She came to the United States as a K-1 Fiancée of a U.S. Citizen whom she married within 90 days of her entry. By law, if you married your petitioner-fiancé within 90 days of your K-1 visa entry, you are eligible to apply for adjustment of status (green card) in the United States. She also has a minor child who came with her with valid K-2 visa.

Our client contacted our office initially in May 2016 and consulted with us for her and her child’s adjustment of status application. After the retention, our firm quickly prepared and filed the I-485 Adjustment of Status Applications on May 6, 2016.  Things went smoothly and the receipt notices, and the fingerprint appointment all came on time.  

It is not mandatory to have an adjustment of status interview for an applicant who entered on a K-1 visa.  However, the USCIS may require an interview to test the validity and bona fide nature of the marriage between the Petitioner and Beneficiary. The USCIS did not require an adjustment interview for our client.  On August 28, 2016, her green card application was finally approved. Her child (U.S. citizen’s step-child)’s adjustment of status application was also approved.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Green Card (Same Sex Marriage Case)

CLIENT: Filipino

LOCATION: Utah

Our client came from the Philippines with an F-1 student visa in July 2015. He married his U.S. Citizen same-sex spouse in February 2016.

On June 26, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court held that restricting U.S. federal interpretation of “marriage” and “spouse” to apply only to heterosexual unions, by Section 3 of the defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), is unconstitutional under the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment. United States v. Windsor, 570 U.S. ___ (2013). After the Windsor decision, the USCIS implemented a new policy that the USCIS officer must review immigration via petitions filed on behalf of a same-sex spouse in the same manner as those filed on behalf of an opposite-sex spouse. As long as a same-sex couple is married in a U.S. state that recognizes same-sex marriage, their marriage shall be considered a valid marriage under the immigration law.

They married in Utah where same-sex marriage is recognized. Our client contacted our office and retained us on March 23, 2016 for his I-130 petition and I-485 adjustment of status application. Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 petition and I-485 adjustment of status application, together with all necessary supporting documents, on April 8, 2016. 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 30, 2016, our client was interviewed at the Salt Lake City, Utah USCIS office. The interview went well and his green card application was approved on the same day.

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CASE: Adjustment of Status Based on Approved K-1 Visa

CLIENT: Nigerian

LOCATION: Cleveland, OH

Our client, a US Citizen Petitioner, met her Nigerian fiancé in March 2007 in Nigeria.  Over time, they started their relationship, and she went to Spain multiple times in 2012 and in 2013 after her fiancé moved to Spain.  When she visited his fiancé in July 2012, her fiancé proposed to her. Months after his proposal, she retained our firm to file a fiancé petition for him.

After retention, we informed our client about the necessary supporting documents to demonstrate the bona fide nature of their relationship. Our client retained our office on October 14, 2013. We helped her and her fiancé draft letters in support of the fiancé petition, and we filed the petition on November 26, 2013.

On February 4, 2014, the I-129F fiancé petition was approved. On June 20, 2014, our client’s fiancé appeared at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid, Spain for his K-1 visa interview. The interview went well, and on the same day, the U.S. Embassy issued his K-1 visa.

Later, her fiancé came to the United States in July 2014 as a K-1 visa entrant. By law, if you married your petitioner-fiancé within 90 days of your K-1 visa entry, you are eligible to apply for adjustment of status (green card) in the United States. They married in August 2014.

Our client and her husband retained our office again for his adjustment of status application. After the retention, our firm quickly prepared and filed the I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on February 6, 2015.  Things went smoothly and the receipt notices, and the fingerprint appointment all came on time.  

It is not mandatory to have an adjustment of status interview for an applicant who entered on a K-1 visa.  However, the USCIS may require an interview to test the validity and bona fide nature of the marriage between the Petitioner and Beneficiary. Nevertheless, the USCIS scheduled an interview for our client. Prior to the interview, we thoroughly prepared our clients through conference calls. On May 10, 2016, our clients were interviewed at the Cleveland, Ohio USCIS office. Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu from our office accompanied them at their interview as well. However, after the interview, the USCIS issued Request for Evidence for our client to submit more bona fide marital evidence. The response to RFE was filed timely.

Eventually, on August 23, 2016, his green card application was finally approved.

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CASE: I-130 and Consular Processing (Immigrant Visa) – Marriage-Petition

Our client is a Lawful Permanent Resident (Green card holder) who married his wife in Seoul, South Korea in July 2014.  After the marriage, he came back to the United States to work and filed the I-130 (F-2A category) petition for his wife in South Korea. This I-130 Petition was approved by the USCIS in January 2015 (the priority date of this petition was August 4, 2014). Once the I-130 petition was approved, he contacted our office and retained us to bring his wife to the States via consular processing.

Once retained and her priority date became current, we filed the immigrant visa packets to the National Visa Center on June 14, 2016, who in turn forwarded our client’s materials to the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea. An interview notice was set for the client at the US Embassy in Seoul, and we prepared her for the interview. On September 8, 2016, the interview was conducted.  Eventually, after the interview, the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea approved and issued her immigrant visa.

With the approved immigrant visa, our client’s wife can come to the United States immediately, and she will get her green card within two months of entry.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

CLIENT: Nigerian

LOCATION: Cleveland, OH

Our client came to the United States in May 2011 on an F-1 Student visa from Nigeria. She married a U.S. Citizen in October 2014 and retained our office for her petition and adjustment of status application.

She also asked us to file her son’s (Petitioner’s step-son) adjustment of status application.

Once retained, our firm prepared and filed the I-130 petition and I-485 adjustment of status application on January 29, 2016. 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 18, 2016, our clients were interviewed at the Cleveland, Ohio USCIS office. Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu from our office accompanied them at their interview as well. On August 23, 2016, our client and her son’s green card applications were approved.

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CASE: Fiancé Visa

PETITIONER: US Citizen in Cleveland Ohio

BENEFICIARY: Italian

PETITION FILED: February 16, 2016

PETITION APPROVED: April 18, 2016

K-1 VISA APPROVED: July 1, 2016

Our client, a US Citizen Petitioner, met her Italian fiancé in the airplane in 2013. They started their relationship, and she visited Italy.  They have lived together in Italy and have two kids together. However, they did not get married yet. In 2016, they decided to get married and our client decided to file a fiancé petition for her fiancé.  She retained our firm to file a fiancé petition for him on February 4, 2016.

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 February 16, 2016.

On April 18, 2016, little after two months of filing, the I-129F fiancée petition was approved. On July 1, 2016, our client’s fiancé appeared at the U.S. Consulate in Naples, Italy for his K-1 visa interview. The interview went well, and on July 1, 2016, the U.S. Embassy issued his K-1 visa. After the issuance of K-1 visa, our client’s fiancé came to the United States. They married on August 11, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio and our client’s husband filed I-485 adjustment of status application to get his green card.

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CASE: J-1 Waiver (No Objection Statement)

NATIONALITY: Philippines

LOCATION: Montana

Our client came from the Philippines on a J-1 visa in November 2013 to work as a teacher. According to her DS-2019, she was subject to the two-year foreign residency requirement. After her authorized stay period expired, she remained in the United States.

In October 2015, she got married to her U.S. citizen husband and later on consulted with our firm for her J-1 visa waiver prior to applying for adjustment of status. If someone is subject to the two-year foreign residency requirement, he or she cannot get a green card in the United States until he or she fulfills the requirement or obtains a waiver.

Upon retention, our office prepared and filed a waiver request through a No Objection Statement (NOS) from the Philippine Embassy in the United States and eventually the EVP in the Philippines.

On November 2, 2015, the J-1 Waiver Application (Form DS-3035) was filed to the Department of State.  We also sent a request to the Montana State Government to get authentication of the necessary documents.  Later, these authenticated documents and No Objection Application (for the Philippine Government) were sent to the Philippine Consulate General in Chicago for further authentication.  On January 5, 2016, 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 March 9, 2016, the Waiver Review Division issued a favorable recommendation based on the No Objection statement.  Eventually, on March 24, 2016, 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 I-485Adjustment of Status Application on May 11, 2016.  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 18, 2016, our client was interviewed at the Helena, Montana USCIS office.  The interview went well, and eventually, on the same day of the interview, her green card application was approved.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

CLIENT: Indian

LOCATION: Cleveland, OH

Our client came to the United States from India on a B-2 visitor’s visa in December 2015. He married a U.S. Citizen in June 2015 in India and came to the United States with his wife to visit his in-laws. Later, they changed their plan and decided to stay in the United States. They contacted and retained our office for his green card application. They were concerned about possible immigrant intent issues due to the entry on a B-2 visa despite getting married in India prior to this entry. Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on May 9, 2016.  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 August 15, 2016, our client was interviewed at Cleveland, Ohio USCIS office. Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu from our office accompanied our clients as well. Eventually, after the interview, his green card application was approved.

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CASE: I-485 Adjustment of Status Based on Approved I-360 Petition

NATIONALITY: Canadian

LOCATION: Florida

Our Canadian client came to the U.S. in February 2013. He entered the United States on a B-2 visitor’s visa for pleasure to go to Florida.

In October 2013, he contacted our office to seek legal representation for his I-360 petition.

Our client’s marital life was tough and he was abused by his spouse. He was hesitant at first because he was male, and believed VAWA cases for males were impossible. However, with his story and evidence, our office determined that he has a shot at an I-360 self-petition as a spouse of an abusive U.S. citizen.

Our client experienced domestic violence and spousal abuse during his marriage. His wife physically and mentally abused him after the inception of their marriage. Thus, we prepared and filed his I-360 petition and I-485 adjustment of status application, which included 40 exhibits and a detailed brief to the USCIS Vermont Service Center on February 14, 2014.

Despite our client’s thoroughly prepared I-360 application, in May 2014, the USCIS Vermont Service Center issued a Request for Evidence (RFE).  Specifically, the RFE letter requested our client to submit more documents to prove his marriage was in good faith at the time of the inception of marriage. Our client and our office gathered the requested documents, and filed a response to the RFE on July 24, 2014. On September 8, 2014, the USCIS Vermont Service Center approved our client’s I-360 petition.

In March 2015, the USCIS Orlando Field Office scheduled our client’s I-485 adjustment of status interview. Prior to the interview, we thoroughly prepared our client via conference calls. On April 14, 2015, our clients were interviewed at the Orlando, Florida USCIS office. The interview went well; however, his I-485 application was pending more than a year at the Field Office. Our office continuously followed-up with his application; eventually, on August 5, 2016, the USCIS approved our client’s I-485 adjustment of status application. Now he is a green card holder.

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CASE: I-751

APPLICANT: Filipina

LOCATION: Tennessee

Our client contacted our office in May of 2014 regarding her I-751 application.

She is from the Philippines and she married a U.S. citizen in July 2007. Through her marriage, she obtained a 2-year conditional green card in March of 2008.  Her conditional residency terminated in March 2010.

To comply with immigration requirements, our client and her husband should have filed an I-751 Joint Petition to Remove Conditions before March 2010. However, due to financial and health related reasons for our clients, they could not file the I-751 application on time.

However, the USCIS still allows the I-751 applicant to file his or her I-751 application as long as there is a good cause for the late filing. She was placed in removal proceedings because she did not remove conditions on her residency.

In May 2014, the Memphis Immigration Court terminated her removal proceedings. She then retained our office for the I-751 filing. Once retained, our office prepared an I-751 application for our client with bona fide marriage evidence and a letter to explain their late filing.

On May 11, 2015, our office filed an I-751 application to the USCIS with affidavits of applicant and her husband to explain their late filing and other joint documents to demonstrate the bona fideness of their marriage.

On December 10, 2015, the USCIS issued a Request for Evidence (RFE) and asked our clients to submit more evidence regarding the bona fide nature of their marriage. We filed an extensive Response to RFE to the USCIS with more bona fide marital documents on March 2, 2016. The USCIS scheduled an I-751 interview for our client. Prior to the interview, our office thoroughly prepared our clients via conference calls and informed them of potential issues at the interview.

On July 19, 2016, our client was interviewed for her I-751 application at the USCIS Memphis, TN Field Office.  The USCIS approved our client’s I-751 application after the interview. She now has her 10-year green card.

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