CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

NATIONALITY: Filipina                                                                                                      

LOCATION: Cleveland, Ohio

Our client is from the Philippines who came to the U.S. on a J-1 exchange visitor’s visa in December 2016. Her J-1 program was not subject to the 2-year foreign residency requirement (INA Section 212(e)).  In October 2017, our client married her current U.S. citizen husband. After she got married, she retained our office for her green card application. Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on January 12, 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 August 21, 2018, our client was interviewed at Cleveland Ohio USCIS office. Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu from our office also accompanied our clients as well. Eventually, on August 24, 2018, her green card application was approved.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status
NATIONALITY: Kenyan
LOCATION: Tampa, FL

The marriage-based green card approval we got recently was for a Kenyan client who came to the U.S. on a J-2 Visa in August 2001. She came to the U.S. with her mother who came on a J-1 visa for her research program in the United States.  Later, our client changed her J-2 visa to F-1 visa. After she graduated, she married her current U.S. citizen husband in June 2013 and her husband filed an I-130 petition on her behalf. The I-130 petition was approved in December 2015.

Our office worked on our client’s J-2 visa waiver through the Interested Government Agency (IGA) route.  Eventually, the CIS receipted the fee and issued an I-612 approval notice for our client’s waiver of the two-year foreign residency requirement on March 8, 2017.

After we received the I-612 waiver, our client retained us again and sought legal assistance for her I-485 adjustment of status application. Our firm prepared and filed the I-485 adjustment of status application on December 14, 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 through conference calls. On August 2, 2018, our client was interviewed at the Tampa, Florida USCIS office. Eventually, on August 8, 2018, her green card application was approved.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

NATIONALITY: Chinese

LOCATION: Hartford, CT

Our client is from China who came to the U.S. on a B-2 visitor’s visa in December 2015. In July 2017, our client married her current U.S. citizen husband.  She retained our office for her green card application on August 17, 2017. Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on August 31, 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 via conference calls. On August 1, 2018, our client was interviewed at the Hartford Connecticut USCIS office.  Eventually, on August 8, 2018, her 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 a F-1 student visa. In August 2017, our client married her current U.S. citizen husband.  She retained our office for her green card application on October 26, 2017. Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on November 21, 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 July 30, 2018, our client was interviewed at the Cleveland Ohio USCIS office.  Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu from our office also accompanied our clients. Eventually, on August 8, 2018, her green card application was approved.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

NATIONALITY: Indian                                                                                                        

LOCATION: Cleveland, Ohio

Our client is from India who came to the U.S. on a B-2 visitor’s visa in January 2018. In February 2018, our client married her current U.S. citizen husband.  After she married, she retained our office for her green card application. Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on April 30, 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 July 18, 2018, our client was interviewed at the Cleveland Ohio USCIS office. Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu from our office also accompanied our clients as well. Eventually, on August 10, 2018, her green card application was approved.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

NATIONALITY: Irish

LOCATION: Cleveland, OH

Our client is from Ireland who came to the U.S. on a K-1 Fiancé Visa in December 2017. Within the 90 days of his entry (in January 2018), our client is married his current U.S. citizen wife. Since our client was a K-1 visa entrant, the I-130 petition is not needed to be filed. However, our client did not file his adjustment of status application before his K-1 visa expired.

He retained our office for his green card application on March 14, 2018.  Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and Adjustment of Status Application on May 1, 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 July 18, 2018, our client was interviewed at the Cleveland USCIS office. Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu also accompanied our clients as well.  Eventually, on August 2, 2018, his green card application was approved.

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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: 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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