CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

NATIONALITY: Jamaican                                                                                                        

LOCATION: Cleveland, Ohio

Our client is from Jamaica who came to the U.S. on a B-2 visitor’s visa in August 2010. Since then, she has remained in the United States after her authorized stay period expired.  In June 2015, our client married her current U.S. citizen husband.  She retained our office in November 2016 for her green card application. Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on April 17, 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 as well. On July 21, 2017, our client was interviewed at the Cleveland Ohio USCIS office. Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu from our office also accompanied our clients. Eventually, on the same day of the interview, her green card application was approved.

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CASE: Termination of Removal Proceedings with an Approved I-130 Petition
CLIENT: Moldovan
LOCATION: Cleveland, OH

Our client came to the United States on a valid J-1 visa from Romania in June 2007. He remained in the United States for a time longer than permitted. Later, he was placed in deportation proceedings due to his overstay and a Notice to Appear was issued. His asylum relief was denied by the Immigration Judge in April 2012, but an appeal was timely filed.  The BIA appeal was pending when our client contacted our office in March 2014.

While the BIA appeal was pending, our client married his U.S. citizen wife in February 2013. His wife filed an I-130 petition for our client on March 7, 2013.  He contacted our office for legal assistance for a Motion to Remand and possible adjustment of status if the Motion is granted.  We explained to him that the Motion to Remand procedure and he retained our office on April 8, 2014. On April 17, 2014, we prepared and filed a Motion to Remand for Adjustment of Status Based on a Pending I-130 on behalf our client. You typically want the I-130 to be approved prior to filing the Motion to Remand, but by submitting the actual I-130 application itself and its supporting documents attached to the Motion, you can show that it is approvable.

In Matter of Coelho, 20 I&N Dec. 464, 473 (BIA 1992), the BIA found that a motion to remand must conform to the same standards as a motion to reopen, where the respondent presents new evidence which would likely change the result of the case. In a Motion to Reopen before the BIA, the Applicant must show that the evidence is material, unavailable at time of original hearing, and could not have been discovered or presented at the original hearing. 8 C.F.R. § 1003.2(c)(1). In this case, the adjustment of status relief was not available for our client at his previous hearing since he was not married his U.S. Citizen wife.  

Our office filed a Motion to Remand for Adjustment of Status based on a pending I-130 to the BIA on April 17, 2014. We argued that our client will be eligible for adjustment of status once the I-130 is approved since he had a legal entry to the U.S., has no criminal records, and has no other grounds of inadmissibility. We also attached lots of bona fide marital evidence between our client and his U.S. citizen wife to demonstrate the I-130 petition is approvable.

While his motion was pending before the BIA, he and his wife appeared for the I-130 interview on May 5, 2014. Prior to the interview, we thoroughly prepared our client at our office.  On the day of our client’s I-130 interview, our attorney accompanied them at the Cleveland, OH USCIS. The interview went well, I-130 petition was approved for our client.

On June 6, 2014, the BIA granted our motion, reopened our client’s case, and the record was remanded for further proceedings.

His case was remanded and scheduled for master calendar hearing on July 12, 2017. With the approved I-130 petition, our office filed a request to join in a Motion to terminate proceedings with the I-485 application and supporting documents on July 3, 2017. The DHS counsel in Cleveland, OH agreed to terminate our client’s proceedings. Ultimately, the Immigration Judge granted the Motion to terminate without prejudice on July 12, 2017 hearing.  Now, he can file his I-485 adjustment of status application to USCIS to obtain his green card.

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CASE: N-400 (Citizenship / Naturalization)

APPLICANT: Guatemalan

LOCATION: Cincinnati, OH

Our client contacted us in January 2017 to seek legal representation for his naturalization and citizenship N-400 application. He came to the United States from Guatemala and obtained his green card in October 2010. Our office represented him at removal proceedings, and the Immigration Judge granted his cancellation of removal for non-LPR case in October 2010.  

Once retained, his N-400 application was filed on March 9, 2017 with all supporting documents. Prior to his citizenship interview, our office prepared him via conference calls.  On June 12, 2017, our client appeared at the Cincinnati, OH USCIS office for his naturalization interview. Our client answered all questions correctly and passed his naturalization and citizenship interview. Eventually, his application was approved on July 11, 2017. His oath taking is scheduled in which he will become a naturalized U.S. Citizen.

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CASE: I-130 (Petitions for Parents) and Adjustment of Status

CLIENT: Filipinos

LOCATION: Maryland

Our client retained us to petition his parents for a green card. Our client was born and raised in the Philippines, but was naturalized in the United States in 2016. He contacted our office in November 2016 and discussed with us the green card process. His parents are in the United States and have maintained their status (H-1B and H-4). After consultation, he retained our office on November 2, 2016.

Once retained, our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on December 1, 2016 for his parents.  Everything went smoothly and the receipt notices, fingerprint appointment, and work permits all came on time.  Eventually, on July 12, 2017, our client’s parents’ adjustments of status applications were approved. Now, they are green card holders.

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CASE: I-140 (EB-2 Category) / Schedule A / Premium Processing

EMPLOYER: Nursing Care Facility

BENEFICIARY: Filipino Nurse Manager in the Philippines

LOCATION: Houston, TX

Our client is in the Philippines. His prospective employer-sponsor was willing to petition him for a second-preference employment immigrant visa petition (I-140). Since he has a registered nurse license and the proffered position for him is a nurse manager at the nursing care facility, the petitioner wanted to try going for a “Schedule A” classification. They also wanted to do EB2 (requiring at least a Masters degree or Bachelors degree + 5 yrs experience).

The Department of Labor (DOL) maintains a schedule of occupations in its regulations, Schedule A included, for which the individual permanent labor certification procedure is not required. The schedule of pre-certified occupations is referred to as Schedule A, and is included in DOL regulations at 20 CFR 656.10. Based on an occupation’s inclusion on Schedule A, an employer may file an immigrant visa petition (I-140) directly with the (USCIS) without having to file a Labor Certification with the Department of Labor. Usually, prior to filing I-140 petitions (EB-2 or EB-3 category), the employer must file a Labor Certification to the Department of Labor. However, for Schedule A cases, the employer does not have to go through the labor certification process. We argued that the position of Health Services Manager should be classified under Schedule A. We argued that it falls under the broad spectrum of “professional nurse” occupations. We also argued that the job description has excerpts that fall under “professional nurse” and that the description justifies the requirements also of Bachelor’s degree in nursing and five years of related experiences.

Our client has a master’s degree in nursing and years of experience as a registered nurse. He also has a registered nursing license in the state of Texas. Our office was retained and we started on the Prevailing Wage Determination filing and other related matters.

Once the prevailing wage was determined, we filed the I-140 application on July 6, 2017 via premium processing. We included a job offer letter, the notice of filing, employment letter, and other necessary supporting documents. In our cover brief, we included the “ability to pay” argument and why the nurse manager position falls under a Schedule A and EB2 designation.

Eventually, on July 17, 2017, the USCIS Texas Service Center approved his EB-2 I-140 petition. Now, with the approved EB-2 I-140 petition (priority date for EB2 Philippines nationals is current), he can file his immigrant visa application.

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CASE: I-130 (Petition for Father) and Adjustment of Status

CLIENT: Chinese

LOCATION: Cleveland, OH

Our client retained us to petition his father for his green card. Our client was born and raised in China, but was naturalized in the United States in 2009. He contacted our office in March of 2017 and discussed with us the green card process. His father came to the United States from China on a B-2 visitor’s visa in December 2016. After consultation, he retained our office again on March 16, 2017.

Once retained, our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on March 29, 2017 for his father.  Everything went smoothly and the receipt notices, fingerprint appointment, and a work permit all came on time. On July 11, 2017, our client appeared at his I-485 adjustment of status interview at Cleveland, Ohio USCIS Field Office. Prior to the interview, our office prepared him at our office and also accompanied him at his interview. Eventually, on July 11, 2017, our client’s father’s adjustment of status application was approved. Now, he is a green card holder.

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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 September 2014 to work as a teacher. According to her DS-2019, she was subject to the two-year foreign residency requirement.

In August 2016, 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 promptly prepared 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 December 7, 2016, 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 for the necessary documents.  Later, these authenticated documents and No Objection Application (for the Philippines Government) were sent to the Philippines Consulate General in Chicago for further authentication.  On March 23, 2017, 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 June 22, 2017, the Waiver Review Division issued a favorable recommendation based on the No Objection statement.  Eventually, on July 6, 2017, the USCIS issued an I-612 approval notice for the waiver. Now, our client can file for her adjustment status application along with her U.S. Citizen husband’s I-130 petition for her.

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CASE: N-400 (Citizenship / Naturalization)

APPLICANT: Korean

LOCATION: Los Angeles, CA

Our client contacted us in October 2016 to seek legal representation for his naturalization and citizenship N-400 application. He came to the United States from South Korea and obtained his green card in December 2006.

Once retained, his N-400 application was filed on December 9, 2016 with all supporting documents. Prior to his citizenship interview, our office prepared him via conference calls.  On June 23, 2017, our client appeared at the Santa Ana, CA USCIS office for his naturalization interview. Our client answered all questions correctly and passed his naturalization and citizenship interview. Eventually, his application was approved on July 3, 2017. His oath taking is scheduled in which he will become a naturalized U.S. Citizen.

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CASE: EB-2 Green Card Approval Based on Approved I-140 (EB-2)    
EMPLOYER: Korean Church
BENEFICIARY: Korean Education Pastor
LOCATION: Cleveland, OH

Our client is a Korean church in Cleveland, Ohio which was willing to petition a Korean beneficiary for an Education Pastor position – second-preference petition (I-140).  Our client’s prospective employee has a master’s degree in Divinity. After talking to our client, our firm concluded that this employer can petition him as an Education Pastor.  Second preference petitions for Koreans are current, which means that if a PERM Labor Certification for a second preference position gets approved, the I-140 and I-485 could be filed simultaneously. Based on our client’s prospective employee’s educational, professional and working backgrounds, our office determined that he is clearly eligible for EB-2 classification for his I-140 petition.  Our client eventually retained us in October 2015.

Prior to filing PERM, our firm prepared the prevailing wage request, job order, advertisements, internal job posting, recruitment report, and all other steps which are important pre-PERM filing. Take note that PERM could be filed at least 60 days from the job posting date or 30 days from the last ad. On October 6, 2015, the prevailing wage request was filed.  After we obtained foreign degree evaluation report, our office filed the job order on January 12, 2016.  On April 8, 2016, we promptly filed PERM.  Eventually, on July 19, 2016, the PERM Labor Certification was approved – an EB2 position for the Korean beneficiary.

We then proceeded with the I-140 Petition filing. We submitted the “ability to pay” letter for the I-140 petition application. We included the job offer letter, employer’s audited balance sheet (since the church is tax-exemption entity), and other necessary supporting documents. The I-140 Petition was filed on October 17, 2016 via premium processing service. Eventually, on October 25, 2016, the I-140 EB-2 Petition for our Korean client was approved without any Request for Evidence (RFE).

Once the I-140 petition was approved, our client retained our office again for his I-485 adjustment of status application. Our office filed an I-485 adjustment of status application for our client on November 8, 2016. Everything went smoothly and the receipt notices and fingerprint appointment came on time.

Eventually, on June 30, 2017, the USCIS Nebraska Service Center approved our client’s adjustment of status application. Now, he finally is a green card holder.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

NATIONALITY: Romanian                                                                                                       

LOCATION: Cleveland, OH

Our client is from Romania who came to the U.S. on an H-2 visa as a seasonal worker in April 2014. In September 2015, our client married his current U.S. citizen wife.  He retained our office in February 2017 for his green card application.  Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and Adjustment of Status Application on February 11, 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 as well. On June 12, 2017, our client was interviewed at Cleveland Ohio USCIS office. Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu from our office also accompanied our clients as well. The interview well, and the I-130 petition was approved on the same day.

However, the USCIS Cleveland Field Office scheduled an additional interview for our client. On July 3, 2017, our client appeared at the USCIS Cleveland Field Office again for his second interview. Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu from our office also accompanied our clients as well. During the interview, the officer asked our client regarding his H-2B work and why he left his job. Nevertheless, after the interview, his green card application was approved.

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