Case: I-130/I-485
Applicant/Beneficiary – Korean
Location: Cleveland, OH

Our client entered the United States in August 2016 from South Korea under the visa waiver program. She came here to visit her U.S. citizen boyfriend (now her husband) during summer. As a Visa Waiver Entrant, she was only authorized to remain in the United States only for 90 days.  

Later, in September of 2016, our client and her U.S. citizen boyfriend married in the United States. Her husband contacted our office, and they retained our office on September 27, 2016.  One main issue in her green card application through marriage was the fact that she 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 Cleveland, Ohio, her 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 her visa waiver entry.  

Nevertheless, our office filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on October 11, 2016.  Our office requested the CIS to exercise favorable discretion in granting adjustment of status and argued that the application was filed before her authorized stay period was expired. 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 January 30, 2017, our client was interviewed at the Cleveland, Ohio USCIS Field Office. Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu accompanied them at the interview as well.  Despite the visa waiver issue, the USCIS officer approved her green card application on February 9, 2017.  Now, our client becomes a green card holder.

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CASE: J-1 Waiver of Two-Year Foreign Residency Requirement, No Objection Statement

NATIONALITY: Korean

LOCATION: Columbus OH

Our client is from South Korea who came to the U.S. on a J-1 Visa in September 2013.  He came to the U.S. for a post-doctoral program, but his J-1 program made him subject to the two-year foreign residence requirement.  He retained our office to seek legal assistance for his I-140 (National Interest Waiver Classification) and I-485 Adjustment of Status applications. Before we file his I-140/I-485 application simultaneously, he has to get a waiver for his two-year foreign residency requirement.

Once retained, our office promptly prepared and filed a waiver request through the No Objection Statement (NOS) from the Korean Embassy in the United States.

Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu from our office contacted the Korean Consulate General Office in Chicago to pursue the waiver for our client.  The Consulate requested six different documents including a statement of reason for the waiver, the applicant’s resume, a J-1 visa waiver confirmation application, and a letter of reason for obtaining the J-1 waiver.  Most of those documents needed to be written in Korean, so Attorney Yu, a Korean himself, assisted our client in completing those documents.

On October 13, 2016, the J-1 Waiver (Form DS-3035) Application 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 is eligible to file a National Interest Waiver petition and adjustment of status application.

The Korean Consulate General in Chicago forwarded our client’s documents to the Korean Embassy in DC.  After that, the Korean Embassy issued a No Objection Statement for our client, and sent this letter to the State Department’s Waiver Review Division.  On December 8, 2016, the Waiver Review Division issued a favorable recommendation based on the No Objection statement. Eventually, on February 1, 2017, the USCIS issued I-612 approval notice and waived our client’s 2 year foreign residency requirement.

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CASE: J-2 Waiver of Two-Year Foreign Residency Requirement / Over 21-year-old dependent child

NATIONALITY: Vietnamese

LOCATION: Honolulu, HI

Our client is a citizen of Vietnam who came to the U.S. on a J-2 Visa in July 2004.  He came with his father who came on a J-1 Visa for his research program in the United States. Both were subject to the two-year foreign residency requirement, meaning they had to go back to their home country for two-years before they can apply for permanent residency or some non-immigrant visa such as the H, L, and O visas.

After our client came to the United States, he completed his high school and was admitted to the University to pursue his bachelor’s degree. He changed his status from J-2 to F-1.

He turned 21 in 2011. He would like to get a waiver because his prospective employer will file an I-129 petition for our client’s H-1B visa. However, because of her two-year foreign residency requirement, our client cannot change his status in the United States without the fulfillment of requirement or the waiver.

Although J-2 dependents cannot independently apply for a waiver, in cases where a J-2 child reaches 21, the Waiver Review Division may consider requests for waivers on behalf of the J-2 dependent.  The Department of State’s policy allows for that process in instances where the J-2 dependent obtains a divorce form the J-1 principal, the J-1 principal dies, or in cases where the J-2 dependent turns 21, which is our client’s case. In fact, our client turned 21 in December 2011.

Our firm was retained to do his J-2 waiver, and on October 6, 2016, the J-2 Waiver application (Form DS-3035 and supporting documents) was filed to the Department of State. We also sent a request to the DOS to be an interested government agency and recommend this waiver based on the fact that our client reached the age of 21 and was not a dependent of a J-1 visa holder anymore.  Eventually, on November 6, 2016, the DOS recommended to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) that our client be granted a waiver.  On February 1, 2017, the USCIS issued an I-612 approval notice for our client’s waiver request.

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

EMPLOYER: Mental Health Non-Profit Organization

BENEFICIARY: Thai Nurse Practitioner

LOCATION: Ohio

Our client is a certified nurse practitioner. Her prospective employer was willing to petition her for a second-preference employment immigrant visa petition (I-140). Since she was a certified nurse practitioner, she was eligible for “Schedule A” classification.

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 first going to the DOL for a labor certification. 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. The position of Nurse Practitioner is included in Schedule A.

Our client has a Bachelors and Masters degree in nursing and is a certified Nurse Practitioner. Our office was retained on September 12, 2016 and we filed the Prevailing Wage Determination immediately.

We filed the I-140 application on January 23, 2017 via premium processing. We included the 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 nurse practitioners must fall under the Schedule A designation.  On January 31, 2017, without any Request for Evidence (RFE), the USCIS Nebraska Service Center approved her EB-2 I-140 petition. Since the priority date for Thai national is current for the EB-2 category, she is eligible to file her adjustment of status application now.

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CASE: I-485 Adjustment of Status Based on Approved I-140 (EB-2)
EMPLOYER: Sales Leads Provider in Omaha Nebraska
BENEFICIARY: Nepali Senior Software Developer – Web Application

Our client is from Nepal, who is currently working in the United States as a Senior Software Developer under F-1 (OPT) status. His current employer was willing to do an immigration petition for her, second-preference. Our client has a Master of Management Information Systems degree in the United States. After talking to our client, our firm concluded that his employer can petition him as a Senior Software Developer – Web Application. Based on our client’s educational, professional and working backgrounds, our office determined that he is clearly eligible for EB-2 classification.

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 September 16, 2015, the prevailing wage request was filed.  After we obtained Prevailing Wage determination, our office filed the job order on December 10, 2015.  On March 8, 2016, we promptly filed PERM.  Eventually, on June 22, 2016, the PERM Labor Certification was approved – an EB2 position for the Nepali 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 tax records, and other necessary supporting documents.

The I-140 Petition was filed on July 26, 2016 via premium processing service. Eventually, on August 6, 2016, the I-140 EB2 Petition for our Nepalese client was approved without any Request for Evidence (RFE).

When we filed his I-140, our office concurrently filed an I-485 adjustment of status application for his green card. Eventually, on January 30, 2017, his I-485 adjustment of status application was approved by the USCIS without any RFE. Now, our client is a green card holder.

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CASE: I-751

APPLICANT: Indian

LOCATION: Long Island, NY

Our client contacted our office in January of 2016 regarding his I-751 application.

He is from India and he married a U.S. citizen in June 2013. Through his marriage, he obtained a 2-year conditional green card in March 2014.  His conditional residency was terminated in March 2016.

To comply with immigration requirements, our client and his wife had to file an I-751 Joint Petition to Remove Conditions. He retained our office on January 4, 2016 and our office prepared an I-751 application for our client with bona fide marriage evidence.

On January 11, 2016, our office filed an I-751 application to the USCIS with multiple affidavits from his friends and family members, a copy of birth certificate of their child, joint bank statements, joint tax records, utility bills, joint lease, and photos of our client and his wife to demonstrate the bona fideness of their marriage.

There was no RFE issuance or interview request for our client’s I-751 application. As a result, on January 25, 2017, the USCIS approved our client’s I-751 application and our client received his 10-year green card.

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CASE: I-485 based on Approved I-140 (EB-3)

APPLICANT: Nepalese

LOCATION: Minnesota

Our client is a chemist from Nepal, who is currently working at an IT consulting company who was willing to petition him for a third-preference petition (I-140).  He has maintained his status as an H-1B visa holder in the United States.  He had an approved I-140 petition which was filed by his current employer and this I-140 petition’s priority date was December 22, 2014.

In June 2016, he contacted our office and retained us for his and his wife’s I-485 adjustment of status applications. Our office filed an I-485 adjustment of status application for our client and his wife on July 19, 2016. Everything went smoothly and the receipt notices and fingerprint appointment came on time.

However, on September 30, 2016, the USCIS issued Request for Evidence for our client and his wife’s adjustment of status application. The USCIS requested our clients to submit more evidence to demonstrate their lawful maintenance in the United States after their last admission to the U.S.  Our office prepared and filed the Response to RFE to USCIS on December 13, 2016 along with documentary evidence that our clients provided.

Eventually, on January 12, 2017, the USCIS Nebraska Service Center approved our client’s and his wife’s adjustment of status applications. They are now green card holders.

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

CLIENT: Filipina

LOCATION: Cleveland, OH

Our client came to the United States in July 2016 on a K-1 visa 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 marry 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.

Our client contacted our office initially in the middle of August 2016 and consulted with us for her adjustment of status application. After retention, our firm quickly prepared and filed the I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on September 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 January 17, 2017, her green card application was finally approved.

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CASE: J-2 Waiver of Two-Year Foreign Residency Requirement / Over 21-year-old dependent child

NATIONALITY: Korean

LOCATION: North Carolina

Our client was a citizen of South Korea who came to the U.S. on a J-2 Visa in 2007.  He came with his mother who came on a J-1 Visa for her research program in the United States. Both were subject to the two-year foreign residency requirement, meaning they had to go back to their home country for two-years before they can apply for permanent residency or some non-immigrant visa such as the H, L, and O visas.

After our client came to the United States, he completed his high school and was admitted to the University to pursue his bachelor’s degree. He changed his status from J-2 to F-1.

He turned 21 in 2011. He would like to get a waiver because his prospective employer will file an I-129 petition for our client’s H-1B visa. However, because of her two-year foreign residency requirement, our client cannot change his status in the United States without the fulfillment of requirement or the waiver.

Although J-2 dependents cannot independently apply for a waiver, in cases where a J-2 child reaches 21, the Waiver Review Division may consider requests for waivers on behalf of the J-2 dependent.  The Department of State’s policy allows for that process in instances where the J-2 dependent obtains a divorce form the J-1 principal, the J-1 principal dies, or in cases where the J-2 dependent turns 21, which is our client’s case. In fact, our client turned 21 in March 2011.

Our firm was retained to do his J-2 waiver, and on July 12, 2016, the J-2 Waiver application (Form DS-3035 and supporting documents) was filed to the Department of State. We also sent a request to the DOS to be an interested government agency and recommend this waiver based on the fact that our client reached the age of 21 and was not a dependent of a J-1 visa holder anymore.  Eventually, on August 1, 2016, the DOS recommended to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) that our client be granted a waiver.  On January 25, 2017, the USCIS issued an I-612 approval notice for our client’s waiver request.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

NATIONALITY: Filipina                                                                                                        

LOCATION: Ohio

Our client is from the Philippines who came to the U.S. on a B-2 visitor’s visa in October 2009. Since then, she has remained in the United States.  In February 2016, our client married her current U.S. citizen husband.  She retained our office in August 2016 for her green card application.  Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on September 19, 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 as well. On January 13, 2017, 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 January 25, 2017, her green card application was approved.

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