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

Our client came to the United States in May 2009 with a J-1 Exchange Visitor visa from Moldova.  She was not subject to the two-year foreign residency requirement, so she could apply for adjustment of status in the United States without a waiver.  She married a U.S. Citizen in December 2010 and retained our office in May 2011 for her adjustment of status application.  Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and Adjustment of Status Application on June 7, 2011.  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 September 1, 2011, our client was interviewed at the Cleveland, Ohio USCIS.  We accompanied them at the interview as well.  On September 16, 2011, her green card application was approved.

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CASE:  Adjustment of Status, I-601 Hardship Waiver of Inadmissibility

APPLICANT / BENEFICIARY: From Grenada

LOCATION: New York, NY

Our client entered the U.S. in 2000 as a tourist.  Later, she married to U.S. citizen husband and her husband filed an I-130 petition for her and she concurrently filed an I-485 adjustment of status application in 2010.  Our client also filed an I-601 hardship waiver application with her adjustment of status with the help of her previous immigration lawyer.  She needed to file an I-601 waiver because she was found inadmissible due to her previous immigration law violation.

In 1992, our client tried to come to the United States from Canada with someone else’s passport.  She encountered the border patrol officer and the officer denied her entry.  As a result of her this, she was found to be inadmissible pursuant to Section 212(a)(6)(C)(i) of the INA.  (Any alien who, by fraud or willfully misrepresenting a material fact, seeks to procure a visa, other documentation, or admission into the United States or other benefit provided under this Act is inadmissible).

In 2010, her green card application was denied due to this fraud, and because the I-601 that should have waived the fraud inadmissibility was denied.  The denial pointed out that there was not enough hardship to meet the standards for the I-601 waiver application. She filed an appeal to AAO and this was denied as well.

Our client contacted our office in January 2011 to pursue her I-601 waiver once again. She was not yet in removal proceedings so she re-filed her green card application. Our firm thoroughly analyzed why her previous I-601 waiver application was denied.  Based on her story and surrounding circumstances (hardship to her U.S. citizen husband if she is deported), our office determined that she has a good chance to win I-601 application as long as it is extensively prepared.  Our client already re-filed her I-485 adjustment of status application, but she sought legal assistance from our office for her I-601 waiver.  Eventually, she retained our office on February 8, 2011.

If someone is found to be inadmissible under Section 212(a)(6)(C)(i) of the INA, INA Section 212(i) provides for a discretionary waiver of the fraud or misrepresentation inadmissibility ground.  To qualify for the waiver, the alien must establish that his or her US Citizen spouse would suffer extreme hardship if the alien were denied admission.  INA Section 212(i)(l).  In addition to the equities presented, the USCIS may consider the nature of the fraud or misrepresentation.

There is a seminal BIA case that deals with this waiver.  In Matter of Cervantes, 22 I & N Dec. 560 (BIA 1999), the BIA identified the factors to be considered in determining whether a qualifying relative would suffer extreme hardship if the alien were denied admission.  Those factors include: the presence of LPR or USC family ties both within and outside the United States; the conditions in the country to which the qualifying relative would relocate and the extent of the qualifying relative’s ties to that country; the financial impact of departure from the United States; and significant conditions of health, particularly when tied to the unavailability of suitable medical care in the country to which the qualifying relative would relocate.

Our client’s I-601 application had a good chance since our client’s U.S. Citizen husband suffers from chronic severe pain in his bone muscles due to an past incident in which he was shot in the leg. In the I-601 brief and supporting documents, our office included extensive medical reports of her husband.  We argued that if she was removed from the United States, extreme hardship to her husband is clearly foreseeable and evident.  Her husband needs consistent and continuous physical therapy to help deal with his pain. Also, it would be extremely difficult for him to get the same level of physical therapy and satisfactory access to medical services in Grenada in case he joins our client there.  Our office also included the U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory Section for Grenada to highlight the extremely poor medical services in Grenada.

In our brief, we also argued that our client and her husband have maintained strong family ties in the United States, that her husband will have difficulty in finding the same level of employment in Grenada, and that her LPR daughter and her husband will face extreme financial and emotional difficulties if she is removed.

In April 2011, our client had her second I-485 adjustment of status interview in New York.  On April 7, 2011, the CIS NY office requested our client to submit an amended extreme hardship statement and supporting documents for her I-601 waiver application.  On April 22, 2011, our client submitted our I-601 waiver application which included the brief in support, her husband’s medical records, and other documents that demonstrated hardship to her husband if she is removed from the United States.

Her I-601 waiver and I-485 green card application were approved on September 14, 2011. She is finally a green card holder and her inadmissibility has been completely waived.

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

Our client came to the United States in March 2011 with a B-2 tourist visa from the Philippines. She married a U.S. Citizen in June 2011 and retained our office around the same time for her adjustment of status application.  Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and Adjustment of Status Application on July 18, 2011.  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 September 19, 2011, our client was interviewed at the Cleveland, Ohio USCIS. Attorney Sung Hee Yu accompanied them at the interview as well.  On the same day, her green card application was approved.

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

Our client came to the United States in November 2010 with a B-2 tourist visa from Brazil. She married a U.S. Citizen in March 2011 and retained our office around the same time for her adjustment of status application.  Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and Adjustment of Status Application on May 18, 2011.  Everything went smoothly and the receipt notices, fingerprint appointment, and work permits all came on time. There was no Request for Evidence.  Prior to the interview, we thoroughly prepared our clients. On August 4, 2011, our client was interviewed at the Cleveland, Ohio USCIS.  We accompanied them at the interview as well.  On May 10, 2011, her green card application was approved.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status
CLIENT: Albanian
LOCATION: Chicago / Washington DC
ISSUES: J-1 2-Year Foreign Residency Requirement

Our client came to the United States in February 2001 with a J-1 visa. He was only 16 years old at that time. He was on an exchange visitor program and lived with his host parents in New Hampshire. As he went to college, he was able to switch to an F-1 visa. He moved to Chicago and later on met her future wife while in college. They got married in December 2009.

He had spoken to several lawyers to pursue adjustment of status, but was turned back to due to the tough policy of Albania when it came to no objection statements. Upon consulting with us, we told him we can try obtaining the no objection statement, and in case that does not work, go for the interested government agency route. He retained our firm on January 2010.

We initially filed the waiver through the no objection statement. We were in contact with the Albanian Embassy in DC. The officer claimed that they’re policy in the Embassy was to not issue no objection statements, and that the only way was through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Albania. The officer stated that they have not issued no objection statements since 2006.

We thus tried the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Albania. After several months waiting for their decision, they too stated that they do not issue no objection statements.

And so we filed another waiver, requesting the Department of State to be an interested government agency. We explained in detail our client’s history, the fact that he came here when he was only 16, and that he was able to change status to F-1 in April 2002. We pointed out that the change of status was approved despite his submission of his I-94 and visa page copy which both indicated that he was subject to the 2-year foreign residency requirement. We explained that it would be unfair to have the couple be separated for something that was not his fault. If he did not waive his 2-year requirement and the change of status was still approved, he should not be penalized later on now that he is married to his spouse.

On February 2011, the Department of State issued a finding that the applicant was not subject to the two-year foreign residency requirement (despite the IAP-66 and Visa indicating he was) and that it was not necessary to process a waiver for his case anymore.

After filing the applications and accompanying our client to their interview in Chicago for the I-130 (Petition) and I-485 (Green Card Application), the CIS finally approved his green card on August 13, 2011. He had to wait a few more months because they moved to Washington D.C., but finally they got it.

10 years since our client entered the U.S. on a J-1 Visa with a 2-year foreign residency requirement as a 16-year old exchange student, after having to go through the tough policy by the Albanian Embassy regarding their non-issuance of no objection statements, our client finally has his green card. He had been waiting to go back home to visit his family. He had been telling us that his mom was sick and he wanted to visit her. But prior to the green card issuance, even if an advance parole travel document, we could not let him leave as he might be subject to a bar and not be able to come back. After 10 years of not being able to visit his family, he finally is able to come back.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status
CLIENT: Korean
LOCATION: Columbus, OH

Our client came to the United States in August 2010 with an F-1 student visa from Korea. While on F-1 status, she married her U.S. citizen spouse in March, 2011.  (They have known each other for 4 years while they were in Korea).  They then retained our office in April 2011 for her green card.

Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and Adjustment of Status Application on April 28, 2011.  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-call.  On July 28, 2011, our client was interviewed at the Columbus Ohio CIS office. Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu  accompanied them at the interview as well.  At the interview, the USCIS officer approved her application and our client obtained her green card.

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

Our client came to the United States in November 2007 with an H-2B temporary work visa from the Philippines. She overstayed and later on married a U.S. Citizen in February 2011. They then retained our office in March 2011 for her green card.

Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and Adjustment of Status Application on April 13, 2011.  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. On July 11, 2011, our client was interviewed at the Cleveland, Ohio USCIS.  We accompanied them at the interview as well.  On July 20, 2011, her green card application was approved and our client obtained her green card.

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CASE: I-130 Response to an Intent to Revoke
CLIENT: Chinese
LOCATION: Sacramento, California; Guangzhou China

Our Chinese client contacted our office in the middle of May. He was a U.S. Citizen living in California and sought legal assistance for his wife’s case in China. The USCIS, based on a request from the U.S. Embassy in Guangzhou, issued an intent to revoke his I-130 petition.

Our client married his Chinese citizen wife back in November 2008. This was the first marriage for both him and his wife. He mentioned that he never even had a girlfriend before, all the time consumed with work and school here in the United States. He is a civil engineer in Sacramento California.

Our client filed an I-130 petition for his wife in January 2009.  On March 20, 2009, the Director of the California Service Center approved the I-130 petition and his wife was eventually interviewed at the U.S. Embassy in Guangzhou. Her U.S. Citizen husband was even there during the interview. However, the U.S. Embassy denied her immigrant visa application, citing five reasons: failure to show a continuous bona fide relationship; their work, educational, and income discrepancy; the fact that they met through a “third party”; the lack of a wedding reception after the wedding; and the immediacy of the wedding from the U.S. Citizen’s entry to China. The approved I-130 petition was subsequently returned to the California Service Center by the Department of State for further review and action. The USCIS then issued a Notice of Intent to Revoke.

On its Notice of Intent to Revoke, the CIS specifically addressed the five issued brought up by the U.S. Embassy.  After our office received the Notice, our office spoke several times at length with our client. We obtained in detail their history, how they met, how many times they’ve seen each other, who in their respective families do they both know and who among them could provide affidavits attesting to their relationship, how they continue to communicate with each other and if documentation can be provided to prove those, etc. Our client realized that there were so many possible evidence to support his case, evidence he was not able to think of prior to his wife’s interview.

We then prepared a response brief, clearly separating our explanations and the respective supporting documents to address each of the five issues. We also worked with our client in obtaining supporting documents and affidavits, making sure we were as thorough and complete as possible, considering how strict the U.S. Embassy in Guangzhou is.

In our 14-page response brief, we addressed each of the issues thoroughly. We went through Respondent’s background and how his personality fits the simple and traditional nature of his Chinese wife, backed by affidavits from his own parents and family members. We emphasized the four trips our client had spanning the past 3 years, and attached over 100 pictures of him and his wife on several occasions with both their families and friends. Documentation about money wire transfers, gifts sent by international mail, detailed phone bills showing the international phone number of his wife and the local phone number of her husband in Sacramento, and over 10 affidavits from friends and families. We explained the reasons why they did not have a reception immediately after, and showed that 3 post-wedding “receptions” were actually held.
Our response to the Notice of Intent to Revoke contained 59 exhibits (Exhibits A to GGG) in support of the response brief.

Our office filed the Response to Intent to Revoke on July 7, 2011 with the USCIS California Service Center.  On July 21, 2011, the USCIS determined that they will not to revoke our client’s I-130 petition.  Since the I-130 petition remains approved, finally, after two and half years of separation since their marriage, our client’s wife can now obtain her Immigrant Visa in China, come to the United States, and obtain permanent residency.

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CASE: Adjustment of Status / J-1 Waiver
NATIONALITY: Korean
LOCATION: Ohio

Our South Korean client came to the U.S. on a J-1 Visa six years ago. Before her J-1 visa expired, she managed to get an F-1 visa and she continued her studies in Ohio.  According to her DS-2019, she was subject to the two-year foreign residency requirement.

Last year, she got married to her U.S. citizen husband and later on consulted with our firm for her adjustment of status (obtaining a green card). Her situation was unique because her passport’s visa page stated that she was not subject to the two-year foreign residency requirement.  However, her DS-2019 was clearly marked with the two-year foreign residency requirement.

To clarify the uncertainty, our office checked with the State Department by filing an advisory opinion request.  Our office promptly filed this advisory opinion request on July 27, 2010 to the Waiver Review Division of the Department of State.

Unfortunately, DOS stated that our client is subject to the two-year foreign residency requirement. After receiving this decision, our office promptly prepared a waiver request through a No Objection Statement (NOS) from the Korean Embassy in the United States.

On November 24, 2010 the J-1 Waiver was filed to the Department of State.  We also sent a request to the Korean Embassy to issue a No Objection Statement and recommend this waiver based on the fact that our client was eligible to adjust if she obtains the waiver.

The Korean Consulate General in Chicago promptly forwarded our client’s documents to the Korean Embassy in DC.  On January 18, 2011, the Korean Embassy issued a No Objection Statement for our client, and sent this letter to the State Department’s Waiver Review Division.  On January 28, 2011, the Waiver Review Division issued a favorable recommendation based on the No Objection statement.  Eventually, on February 23, 2011, the USCIS issued an I-612 approval notice for the waiver.

Once the waiver was issued, our office filed the I-130 Petition and I-485Adjustment of Status Application on April 20, 2011.  Everything went smoothly and the receipt notices, fingerprint appointment, and work permits all came on time.  We thoroughly prepared our clients prior to the interview.   On July 8, 2011, our client was interviewed at the Cleveland USCIS office.  We accompanied them at the interview as well.  On July 11, 2011, her green card application was approved, and our client obtained her green card.

From having the two-year foreign residency requirement, our firm effectively helped her get a J-1 waiver before she adjusted her status.  She did not have to go to Korea for 2 years before she got her permanent residency in the United States. She’s now a green card holder.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status
CLIENT: Jamaican
LOCATION: Newark, NJ

Our client came to the United States in March 2001 with a B-2 visitor visa from Jamaica.  Unfortunately, his visitor status expired in November 2001, and he overstayed in the United States without getting a new valid immigration status.

Our client was married before to a U.S. Citizen, but his case was denied sometime in 2006 due to affidavit of support issues. In December 2009, our client married his U.S. citizen spouse.  Thereafter, our client contacted our office around July of 2010.  Our attorney met him in New York in person and our client retained our office immediately. We made sure all issues pertaining to his criminal records and previous marriage were covered.  Once retained, our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and Adjustment of Status Application on October 18, 2011.  Everything went smoothly and the receipt notices, fingerprint appointment, and work permits all came on time.

The USCIS Newark District Office scheduled our client’s interview on March 21, 2011.  Prior to the interview, we thoroughly prepared our clients over the phone. On March 21, 2011, our client was interviewed at the Newark USCIS office.   However, at the interview, the USCIS office requested for additional evidence with regard to our client’s previous arrest reports in Florida.  Although our client’s criminal cases were dismissed five years ago and we submitted documentation pertaining to those cases, the CIS office still requested a certified copy not just of the Court dispositions (which were submitted) but also of the arrest record. They even wrote on their Request for Evidence what specifically should be in the documents to be issued by the authorities in Florida

Throughout the next few weeks our office sent three written requests to the county court and police department in Southern Florida in order to obtain these documents. We called several times to explain what exactly immigration wanted.  Upon our request, the court sent certified copies of the requested documents, and our office promptly submitted those records to the CIS office in Newark.  Eventually, on June 30, 2011, his green card application was approved, and our client obtained his green card.

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