CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status
CLIENT: Kenyan
LOCATION: St. Louis, MO

Our client came to the United States in August 1999 with an F-1 Student visa from Kenya. He overstayed past his visa and remained in the US for the next ten plus years.

He eventually met and later married a U.S. Citizen in January 2010, someone he met at work. They lived together for a while but due to employment reasons, he had to move to Kansas City for a while. That was the main issue for his case when he consulted. He was afraid that their living arrangements would hurt their case.

We understood that living arrangements is a factor that CIS delves into, however, legitimate reasons backed up by other bona fide evidence could overcome this. We thought, considering they maintained joint finances, had occasional visits to each other considering the 4 hour drive, and based on the fact that he had to move due to work, that their case was plausible.

He retained our firm and we prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on February 20, 2012.  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. We explained that they have to emphasize the reason why they had to live separately, which is because of work. We also explained and asked them to bring documentation of the fact that despite them living separately, that they visited each other on certain occasions. We asked them to remember specific details of each visit, and we were certain the officer would ask about this. More importantly, we asked them to bring concrete evidence of their visits, and commingling of finances despite living separately due to work.

On June 19, 2012, our client was interviewed at the St. Louis, MO USCIS office.  As expected, it was not approved immediately and the officer issued a request for evidence. Our firm submitted a response to the request for evidence and another interview was scheduled on November 14, 2012 in St. Louis. Attorney JP Sarmiento from our office accompanied them at this interview. The focus was not when and how they met this time, but solely on the living arrangements, and occasional visits of our client.

On March 4, 2013, the I-130 petition and I-485 adjustment of status application were both approved.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status
CLIENT: British
LOCATION: Pittsburgh, PA

Our client came to the United States in June 2001 with a F-1 Student visa from United Kingdom.  He married a U.S. Citizen in April 2008 and retained our office on August 3, 2012 for his adjustment of status application.  Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and Adjustment of Status Application on September 7, 2012.  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 November 26, 2012, our client was interviewed at the Pittsburgh, PA USCIS office. On February 27, 2013, his green card application was approved.

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CASE: Motion to Reopen / I-130 approval / Termination of Proceedings

CLIENT: Moldovan

LOCATION: Baltimore, MD (EOIR) / Fairfax, VA (USCIS)

Our client came to the United States from Moldova in 2008 with her ex-husband.  While they were residing at the Baltimore area, her ex-husband filed an asylum application to the USCIS.  Our client was a derivative applicant for this asylum application.  Later this case was referred to the Baltimore Immigration Court and removal proceedings were initiated against our client and her ex-husband.  While this asylum application was pending at the Immigration Court, our client and her ex-husband got a divorce due to marital difficulties.  Her previous immigration lawyer filed a Motion to Deconsolidate, but our client never got a response from her previous attorney nor the Court regarding the possible deconsolidation.

Her individual hearing was scheduled in May 2011, but she was not informed of this date.  She later learned that she had a final order of removal because of her absence from her ex-husband.  Once she learned about that, she contacted our office for legal assistance. We advised her that we can file a Motion to Reopen in absentia order of removal based on exceptional circumstances. She retained our office on August 15, 2011.

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 proper notice of the hearing. If the Notice to Appear or hearing notice was sent to the wrong address for example, and not the last address you provided to the immigration service, then there’s a good basis for a Motion to Reopen.

On August 18, 2011, our office filed the Motion to Reopen with the Baltimore Immigration Court. Documentation of her address at the date of the final order, a detailed affidavit regarding her addresses and her circumstances around the final order date, documentation of her medical appointment on the day of hearing, the last address she provided to the immigration service and to the Immigration Court prior to the final order date, and other supporting documents were submitted (12 exhibits). Eventually, on September 23, 2011, the Baltimore Immigration Court granted our motion and reopened our client’s case.

Our client’s divorce was finalized on August 11, 2011.  After her case was reopened, she married her current U.S. citizen husband in July 2012.  Her U.S. citizen husband filed an I-130 petition on behalf of our client on August 16, 2012 with our legal assistance and they appeared at the I-130 interview on December 18, 2012 at the Fairfax, VA USCIS Field Office.  Prior to the interview, our office thoroughly prepared our client and her husband for the interview.  Although the interview was intensive, on January 9, 2013, the I-130 petition is approved.

After the I-130 was approved, our office filed a Motion to Terminate proceedings with an attached I-485 application and its supporting documents on January 30, 2013.  On February 13, 2013, our client appeared at the Baltimore Immigration Court for her initial master calendar hearing after the reopening of her case.  Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu from our office represented our client at the hearing and sought termination before Immigration Judge.  The Immigration Judge granted our Motion to Terminate and eventually terminated our client’s case without prejudice on the same day.  Now, she can file her I-485 adjustment of status application with USCIS to obtain her green card.

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Case: I-130/I-485
Applicant/Beneficiary – German
Location: Memphis, TN

Our client entered the United States in November 2010 from Germany under the visa waiver program. He came here to visit his U.S. citizen girlfriend (now his wife). As a Visa Waiver Entrant, he was only authorized to remain in the United States only for 90 days.

Later, in April 2011, our client and his U.S. citizen girlfriend married in the United States. His wife contacted our office, and they retained our office on July 8, 2011.  One main issue in his green card application through marriage was the fact that he 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 Memphis, Tennessee, his 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 his visa waiver entry.

Nevertheless, our office filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on November 8, 2012.  Our office requested the CIS to exercise favorable discretion in granting adjustment of status. Everything went smoothly and the receipt notices, the fingerprint appointment, and the work permit all came on time. There was no Request for Evidence.  Prior to the interview, we thoroughly prepared our clients. On February 19, 2013, our client was interviewed at the Memphis, Tennessee USCIS Field Office.  Despite the visa waiver issue, the USCIS officer approved his green card application on the same day.  Now, our client is a green card holder.

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CASE: Termination of Removal Proceedings Based on Approved I-130 Petition

CLIENT: Filipina

LOCATION: Cleveland, Ohio

Our client is from the Philippines who came to the U.S. on a B-2 Visitor’s Visa in March 2009. She remained in the United States after her authorized stay expired. Because of her overstay, she was placed in removal proceedings in Cleveland, Ohio.

Our client married her U.S. citizen husband in April 2011 in Ohio. Her husband filed an I-130 petition on her behalf after they got married. Eventually, our client’s I-130 petition was approved in June 2012. Unfortunately, after being in Court prior to our retention about 4 to 5 times, she could not get her case terminated.

She contacted our office around September 2012 to seek legal assistance. She retained our office in October 1, 2012.

After our office was retained, we prepared and filed a request to join in a Motion to Terminate proceedings with an attached I-485 application and its supporting documents to the Cleveland Immigration Court. The DHS counsel in Cleveland agreed to terminate our client’s proceedings. Eventually, the Immigration Judge granted the Motion to terminate without prejudice on February 5, 2013. Now, she can file her I-485 adjustment of status application to USCIS to obtain her green card.

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CASE: Termination of Removal Proceedings with an Approved I-130 Petition

CLIENT: Chinese

LOCATION: Cincinnati, Ohio (USCIS) / Cleveland, Ohio (EOIR)

Our client is a Chinese citizen who came to the U.S. on a B-2 Visitor’s Visa in December 2005. She remained in the United States after her authorized stay expired. Because of her overstay, she was placed in removal proceedings, which was initiated at the Los Angeles Immigration Court in California.

Our client married his second husband in December 2011 in Ohio. She initially contacted our office for a Change of Venue to Cleveland.  She retained our office on January 12, 2012.

We then filed a Motion for Change of Venue from Los Angeles to Cleveland on behalf of our client. The Immigration Judge granted the Motion and her case was transferred to the Cleveland Immigration Court.

Our office then prepared and filed an I-130 Petition with a lot of bona fide marriage evidence on January 26, 2012. The petition also included a bona fide marriage exception letter.

While the I-130 petition was pending, our client appeared at the Cleveland Immigration Court on January 25, 2012 for her initial master calendar hearing. Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu from our office represented her at the hearing, did pleadings and sought adjustment of status relief upon approval of the I-130 petition.

Our client’s I-130 interview was scheduled on October 29, 2012 at the Cincinnati USCIS Field Office. Prior to the interview, our office thoroughly prepared our client and his husband for the interview. Attorney Yu also accompanied them at their interview. The interview lasted one hour, our clients were separated, but the I-130 petition was eventually approved on December 8, 2012.

After the I-130 was approved, 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 February 12, 2013. Now, she can file her I-485 adjustment of status application to USCIS to obtain her green card.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status.

NATIONALITY:Indonesian

LOCATION: Cleveland, OH

Our client is from Indonesia who came to the U.S. on a J-1 Visa in July 2007.  He came to the U.S. for business training, but his J-1 program was subject to two-year foreign resident requirement. He overstayed.

In June 2012, our client married his U.S. Citizen wife.  He is eligible to get a green card through his marriage, but he had to get a waiver of his two-year foreign residency requirement first. In order to get a waiver of his two-year foreign residency requirement, he consulted with our office and later decided to retain our office on June 26, 2012.

As our previous success story explained, our office worked on our client’s J-1 waiver. Eventually, the Indonesian Embassy issued a No Objection Statement for our client, and sent this letter to the State Department’s Waiver Review Division.  On August 16, 2012, the Waiver Review Division issued a favorable recommendation based on the No Objection statement. The CIS issued an I-612 approval notice for our client’s waiver of two-year foreign residency on November 19, 2012.

After we received the I-612 waiver, our firm prepared and filed the I-130 petition and I-485 adjustment of status application on November 29, 2012. 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 February 13, 2013, our client was interviewed at the Cleveland USCIS office.  We accompanied our client at his interview as well.  On the same day, his green card application was approved.

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CASE: I-485 Approval
CLIENT: Indonesian
LOCATION: Cleveland, Ohio

Our client came to the U.S. on a valid B-2 visa from Indonesia in March 2003. Our client had a final order of removal after his asylum case was denied at the Cleveland Immigration Court and then by the BIA.

In December 2011, our client married his U.S. Citizen wife and through our office, filed an I-130 petition on January 3, 2012. Unfortunately, our client was picked up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement due to his final order. So after we obtained the I-130 receipt notice, even before the I-130 was approved, we filed a Motion to Reopen on January 10, 2012, within the 90-day deadline for filing Motions to Reopen with the BIA.

Eventually, the BIA granted our client’s Motion to Reopen on February 8, 2012, and remanded it to the Immigration Judge to allow our client to apply for adjustment of status (green card). Our client got out of jail.

Our client’s I-130 interview was scheduled on July 23, 2012 at Cleveland USCIS Field Office. Prior to the interview, our office thoroughly prepared our client and his wife for the interview. Attorney Sarmiento also accompanied them for their interview. The I-130 petition was eventually approved the next day.

After the I-130 was approved, our office filed a request to join in a Motion to Terminate proceedings with a copy of the I-485 application and supporting documents. The DHS counsel in Cleveland agreed to terminate our client’s proceedings at our client’s Master Calendar hearing on November 7, 2012. Ultimately, the Immigration Judge granted the Motion to terminate without prejudice.

Once his case was terminated by the Immigration Court, our office prepared and filed the I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on November 27, 2012, together with other necessary forms and supporting documents. 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 over the conference all.

On February 7, 2013, our client was interviewed at the Cleveland CIS office. Our client was fully prepared and the interview went well.  On the same day, his green card application was approved.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status
CLIENT: Indian
LOCATION: Houston, Texas

Our client came to the United States in 2007 with an F-1 student visa from India to pursue his master’s degree in the United States.  He married a U.S. Citizen in July 2012 and retained our office on October 1, 2012 for his adjustment of status application.  Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and Adjustment of Status Application on October 17, 2012.  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 January 15, 2013, our client was interviewed at the Houston, Texas USCIS.  Our attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu accompanied our clients as well. On the same day, his green card application was approved.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status
CLIENT: Ghanaian
LOCATION: Cleveland, OH

Our client came to the United States in 2010 with an F-1 student visa from Ghana to pursue her bachelor’s degree in the United States.  She married a U.S. Citizen in September 2012 and retained our office on October 5, 2012 for her adjustment of status application.

They did not live together, but visit each other every week. This was because the US Citizen spouse lived and worked in Cleveland, while her spouse was studying in Wooster Ohio.

Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and Adjustment of Status Application on October 25, 2012.  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 at our office.

On January 8, 2013, less than three months from the time filing, our client was interviewed at the Cleveland, OH USCIS office. Our attorney accompanied our clients as well. Despite not living together, because of other bona fide evidence and their answers and demeanor at the interview, her green card application was approved on the same day.

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