CASE: I-485 Adjustment of Status / Termination of Removal Proceedings with an Approved I-130 Petition

CLIENT: Kenyan
LOCATION: Chicago, IL (EOIR) / Durham, NC (USCIS)

Our client is from Kenya who came to the U.S. on a F-1 Student’s Visa in August 2007. While she was studying in the United States, she failed to maintain her F-1 status due to her family’s issues in Kenya. Because of her overstay, she was placed in removal proceedings in Chicago, IL.

Our client married her Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) husband in September 2010 in Wisconsin. Soon after, they moved to the Raleigh, NC area.  Her husband filed an I-130 petition on behalf of her after they got married. Eventually, our client’s I-130 petition was approved in February 2012 after their I-130 interview at the USCIS Durham Field Office.  Our office represented our client since 2011 for her removal proceeding representations and I-130 interviews. Her individual hearing was scheduled on August 13, 2013 at the Chicago Immigration Court as well.

In June 2013, our office filed a written request to administratively close our client’s removal proceedings to the DHS Chicago Office.  In a written brief, our office fully explained that our client’s case is not DHS’s priority for deportation and explained that our client has an 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 an I-485 application and its supporting documents as well.

After review, the DHS counsel in Chicago was willing to terminate our client’s removal proceedings. The DHS counsel filed a Motion to Terminate on August 2, 2013 to the Chicago Immigration Court. Eventually, the Immigration Judge granted the Motion to terminate without prejudice on August 12, 2013.

In 2015, her husband filed a naturalization application and became a U.S. citizen. On April 1, 2015, 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 May 11, 2015.  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 6, 2015, our client was interviewed at the Durham, North Carolina USCIS office. The interview went well, and on the same day, her green card application was approved.

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CASE:   I-601 Hardship Waiver of Inadmissibility

APPLICANT / BENEFICIARY: Indian

LOCATION: Mumbai, India (Applicant) / North Carolina (I-130 Petitioner / Applicant’s US Citizen wife)

Our client first came to the United States on a valid F-1 visa in May 2007 to attend college in the U.S. Unbeknownst to him, he fell out of status in November 2007. After he found out about this in 2009, he immediately applied for F-1 reinstatement and filed Form I-539 to the USCIS Vermont Service Center in 2009. The USCIS approved his application and reinstated his F-1 status.

After his studies were over, our client was employed and his employer petitioned him for H-1B status in February 2011. The Petition was approved and he started working and paying taxes in accordance with the terms and conditions of his H-1B.

Our client then married his U.S. Citizen wife in India in November 2011.

In February 2012, our client went to the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai, India for his H-1B visa stamping. Over there, the consular officer denied his H-1B visa stamping on his passport and gave him a 221g form, asking for some documents such as tax returns, an approved I-797C letter from H-1B status, and pictures of the work place, pay stubs, and etc.  Our client submitted all of the requested documents, however, when he appeared for his second visa stamping interview, the consulate officer denied his visa and gave him a letter which states that he is inadmissible under the INA Section 212(a)(6)(c), alleging that our client submitted fraudulent documents to obtain immigration benefits or a visa.

Our client did not commit fraud, but instead of appealing the decision, he planned to file a waiver of inadmissibility to re-unite him with his U.S. citizen wife faster. Our client’s wife retained us on April 9, 2013 for the I-601 waiver for her husband. Our firm thoroughly analyzed whether the I-601 waiver application will likely be successful. Based on our client’s story and surrounding circumstances (hardship to U.S. citizen wife) if our client is barred to come to the United States), our office determined that her husband has a good chance of winning the I-601 application as long as it is extensively prepared.

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 wife (U.S. Citizen) recently had surgery. Also, our client’s wife has always encountered various diseases whenever she goes back to India. She had typhoid and chickenguniya when she visited India in 2011 and 2012. She also suffers depression, anxiety, and insomnia due to the hardship of not having a husband to help with her expenses and provide for her needs.  In the I-601 brief and supporting documents, our office included extensive medical reports of our client’s wife. We argued that if our client is barred to enter the United States, extreme hardship to her is clearly foreseeable and evident. Our client needs consistent and continuous medical check-ups with her doctors for her recent surgery and its related symptoms. Also, it would be extremely difficult for our client’s wife to get the same level of medical care and satisfactory access to medical services in India in case our client’s wife joins our client there.

In our brief, we also argued that our client has maintained strong family ties in the United States and that she will have difficulty finding the same level of employment in India.

On January 2, 2014, we submitted our I-601 waiver application to the USCIS which included a brief in support, our client’s medical records, and other documents that demonstrated hardship to our client’s wife if our client is barred to come to the United States.  The I-601 waiver for our client was approved on February 7, 2014.  Now, without the  inadmissibility ground, our client is eligible for an immigrant visa.

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CASE: I-485 (National Interest Waiver Category)

CLIENT: Korean

LOCATION: Raleigh, North Carolina

Our client contacted us in March 2012 regarding the possibility of doing a National Interest Waiver self-petition for him. He is a post-doctorate researcher and scientist in the field of Chemistry, and is currently working as a post-doctorate researcher in an academic institution in Raleigh, North Carolina.

His significant contributions have placed him at the pinnacle of the field of medicinal and organic chemistry. He is a leading scientist with an excellent reputation in the development of successful next generation cancer chemotherapeutics that are non-toxic under the action of magnetic waves which would eliminate many of the problematic toxicities that plague current cancer chemotherapeutics. Also, our client is currently developing nano-medicine platform technologies which are useful in addressing such intractable problems such as cancer, in a fundamentally new way.

Upon review of his credentials and qualifications, our office determined that he was qualified for the National Interest Waiver (NIW) category. Being qualified for NIW is beneficial since you would not need an employer nor family member to petition you for green card purposes. You’d be eligible for a self-petition and unless you are from China or India, in which case you’d still have to wait for priority dates to be current, you would be eligible to apply for adjustment of status (green card) immediately without any lag in priority dates.

As a primer, NIW applicants must have a master’s or higher degree. The landmark immigration case that discusses the standards for NIWs is Matter of New York State Department of Transportation, 22 I&N Dec. 215 (Comm.1998). This case held that the qualifying applicant must show the following elements in his or her I-140 NIW petition: First, it must be shown that the alien seeks employment in an area of substantial intrinsic merit. Next, it must be shown that the proposed benefit will be national in scope. Finally, the petitioner seeking the waiver must establish that the alien will serve the national interest to a substantially greater degree than would an available U. S. worker having the same minimum qualifications.

Our office prepared a 17-page brief for our client’s NIW filing. Our client also obtained 8 letters of recommendation from his colleagues and internationally-recognized scientists. Our office also included his publication record, presentation record, and conference materials in the NIW application. We demonstrated the intrinsic merit of our client’s research in the United States, the national scope of his research, and asserted that our client would serve the national interest to a substantially greater degree than would an available U.S. worker having the same minimum qualifications. His NIW application contained 32 exhibits.

Our office filed his I-140(NIW) petition to the USCIS Texas Service Center on July 31, 2012.  However, on June 5, 2013, the USCIS issued a Request for Evidence for his I-140 petition. In response to the RFE request, our office prepared a brief which included notes from scientists in the field regarding updates of his work and the importance of his past work in cancer research and worldwide healthcare in general.  We also emphasized our client’s past accomplishments and the benefits of his work. Our Response to RFE was filed on June 27, 2013.  Eventually, on August 7, 2013, the USCIS Texas Service Center approved our client’s I-140 petition.

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 September 5, 2013. Everything went smoothly and the receipt notices and fingerprint appointment came on time.

Eventually, on November 21, 2013, the USCIS Texas Service Center approved our client’s adjustment of status application. Now, he finally is a green card holder.

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CASE: Termination of Removal Proceedings with an Approved I-130 Petition
CLIENT: Kenyan
LOCATION: Chicago, IL (EOIR) / Durham, NC (USCIS)

Our client is from Kenya who came to the U.S. on an F-1 Student Visa in August 2007. While in the United States, she failed to maintain her F-1 status due to family’s issues in Kenya. Because of her overstay, she was placed in removal proceedings in Chicago, IL.

Our client married her Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) husband in September 2010 in Wisconsin. Soon after, they moved to the Raleigh, NC area.

Her husband filed an I-130 petition for her after they got married. Eventually, our client’s I-130 petition was approved in February 2012 after their I-130 interview at the USCIS Durham Field Office.  Glen Yu from our office accompanied them at the interview.

Her individual hearing was scheduled on August 13, 2013 at the Chicago Immigration Court as well.

In June 2013, our office filed a written request to administratively close our client’s removal proceedings to the DHS Chicago Office.  In a written brief, our office fully explained that our client’s case is not DHS’s priority for deportation and explained that our client has an I-130 approval, no criminal records, has paid taxes, and has family ties in the United States. Our office attached an I-485 application along with the brief, and its supporting documents as well.

After review, the DHS counsel in Chicago contacted our office and was willing to terminate our client’s removal proceedings. The DHS counsel filed a Joint Motion to Terminate on August 2, 2013 to the Chicago Immigration Court. Eventually, the Immigration Judge granted the Motion to terminate without prejudice on August 12, 2013, a day before the Individual Hearing Now, she can file her I-485 adjustment of status application to USCIS to obtain her green card when her husband naturalizes early next year.

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CASE: I-140 / National Interest Waiver
CLIENT: Korean
LOCATION: Raleigh, North Carolina

Our client contacted us in March 2012 regarding the possibility of doing a National Interest Waiver self-petition for him. He is a post-doctorate researcher and scientist in the field of Chemistry, and is currently working as a post-doctorate researcher in an academic institution in Raleigh, North Carolina.

His significant contributions have placed him at the pinnacle of the field of medicinal chemistry and organic chemistry. He is a leading scientist with an excellent reputation in the development of successful next generation cancer chemotherapeutics that are non-toxic under the action of magnetic waves which would eliminate many of the problematic toxicities that plaque current cancer chemotherapeutics. Also, our client is currently developing nano-medicine platform technologies which are useful in addressing such intractable problems such as cancer, in a fundamentally new way.

Upon review of his credentials and qualifications, our office determined that he was qualified for the National Interest Waiver (NIW) category. Being qualified for NIW is beneficial since you would not need an employer nor family member to petition for you for green card purposes. You’d be eligible for a self-petition and unless you are from China or India, in which case you’d still have to wait for priority dates to be current, you would be eligible to apply for adjustment of status (green card) immediately without any lag in priority dates.

As a primer, NIW applicants must have a master’s or higher degree. The landmark immigration case that discusses the standards for NIWs is Matter of New York State Department of Transportation, 22 I&N Dec. 215 (Comm.1998). This case held that the qualifying applicant must show the following elements in his or her I-140 NIW petition: First, it must be shown that the alien seeks employment in an area of substantial intrinsic merit. Next, it must be shown that the proposed benefit will be national in scope. Finally, the petitioner seeking the waiver must establish that the alien will serve the national interest to a substantially greater degree than would an available U. S. worker having the same minimum qualifications.

Our office prepared a 17-page brief for our client’s NIW filing. Our client also obtained 8 letters of recommendation from his colleagues and internationally-recognized scientists. Our office also included his publication records, presentation records, and conference materials in the NIW application. We demonstrated the intrinsic merit of our client’s research in the United States, the national scope of his research, and asserted that our client would serve the national interest to a substantially greater degree than would an available U.S. worker having the same minimum qualifications. His NIW application contained 32 exhibits.

Our office filed his I-140(NIW) petition to the USCIS Texas Service Center on July 31, 2012.  However, on June 5, 2013, the USCIS issued a Request for Evidence for his I-140 petition. In response to the RFE request, our office prepared a brief which included notes from scientists in the field regarding updates of his work and the importance of his past work in cancer research and worldwide healthcare in general.  We also emphasized our client’s past accomplishments and the benefits of his work. Our Response to RFE  was filed on June 27, 2013.  Eventually, on August 7, 2013, the USCIS Texas Service Center approved our client’s I-140 petition.

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CASE: Adjustment of Status in Removal Proceedings / Administrative Closure
CLIENT: Filipinos
LOCATION: Charlotte, NC (EOIR) / Charleston, SC (USCIS)

Our clients came to the United States in November 2011 with K-1 and K-2 visas from the Philippines (mother and four children).

In 2005, our clients adjusted status in the United States and became green card holders.  However, in January 2011, the DHS issued a Notice to Appear against our clients. The NTA alleged that the mother’s marriage to her U.S. citizen husband (they divorced in 2006) was fraudulent, and so the allegations made them removable from the United States. They were placed in deportation proceedings at the Charlotte Immigration Court.

Once the NTAs were issued, our client’s family contacted our office for legal assistance and retained our office on February 16, 2011.

On May 2, 2011, Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu from our office represented our client and her family members at their initial master calendar hearings at the Charlotte Immigration Court.

Mr. Yu first denied some of alleged factual allegations on their NTAs and requested a removability hearing.

Before that hearing, the government submitted their evidence to prove removability. It was substantial, with multiple exhibits and several proofs that made it extremely hard for all of our clients to overcome removability. In August 2011, the removability hearing was held, but due to the evidence presented by the government, which included email correspondence by Respondent as submitted by her ex-husband, the Immigration Judge found the mother removable under the alleged fraud charge.

The mother’s case as she knew was weak, but she explained to us beforehand that she wanted to save her four children. She just wanted them to remain in the US and preserve their future. She worked hard to support them here.

We argued that the mother’s fraud should not be imputed to her children. After testimony and closing, our client’s mother was granted for Voluntary Departure and she eventually complied with the court’s order. More importantly, the court also dropped all fraud charges for all her kids. That was huge.

Our client (the eldest daughter) then married her U.S. Citizen husband in February 2011.  Our client’s husband filed an I-130 petition on behalf of our client in August 2011, and this I-130 petition was approved by the USCIS Charleston Field Office in February 2012. Once her I-130 was approved, our office informed the Court and sought adjustment of status based on this I-130 petition.  Her siblings sought a waiver under INA Section 212(k) as well and the Immigration Judge found that they were eligible to file this waiver.

After several hearings in between, the 7^th hearing came up – the individual hearing.

On March 4, 2013, Attorney Glen Yu represented our clients at their Individual Hearing. One of them for adjustment of status. The three other children had borderline cases with no immediate relief, and the best thing for them was administrative closure, in which they get to stay and work in the United States.

Our office and the DHS communicated with each other, and both moved for administrative closure for our the three siblings.

On March 4, 2013, the Immigration Judge granted our joint motion and administratively closed the three sibling’s cases.

For the eldest sister, during the adjustment of hearing, there were the direct and cross examinations regarding her adjustment of status application. Eventually, the Immigration Judge approved our client’s adjustment of status relief. Our client’s removal proceedings were terminated simultaneously. After seven hearings, our client is finally a green card holder while her siblings all got their deportation cases administratively closed.

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CASE: I-485 (National Interest Waiver Category)
CLIENT: Korean
LOCATION: Raleigh, North Carolina

Our client contacted us in February 2012 about the possibility of doing a National Interest Waiver. He is a post-doctorate researcher and scientist in the field of Chemistry, and is currently working as a post-doctorate researcher in an academic institution in Raleigh, North Carolina.

His contributions have placed him at the “pinnacle of the field” of inorganic materials and solid-state chemistry. He is a leading scientist with an excellent reputation in the development of successful synthesis of several new layered perovskite structures, which he then characterized by several in-depth structural methods.

Our client was on a J-1 visa, but he got his 212(e) waiver before he applied for the National Interest Waiver I-140 and I-485 applications.

As a primer, NIW applicants must have a master’s or higher degree. The landmark immigration case that discusses the standards for NIWs is Matter of New York State Department of Transportation , 22 I&N Dec. 215 (Comm.1998). This case held that the qualifying applicant must show the following elements in his or her I-140 NIW petition: First, it must be shown that the alien seeks employment in an area of substantial intrinsic merit. Next, it must be shown that the proposed benefit will be national in scope. Finally, the petitioner seeking the waiver must establish that the alien will serve the national interest to a substantially greater degree than would an available U. S. worker having the same minimum qualifications.

Our office prepared a 17-page brief for our client’s NIW filing. Our client also obtained 7 letters of recommendation from his colleagues and internationally-recognized scientists. Our office also included his publication records, presentation records, and conference materials in the NIW application. We demonstrated the intrinsic merit of our client’s research in the United States, the national scope of his research, and asserted that our client would serve the national interest to a substantially greater degree than would an available U.S. worker having the same minimum qualifications. His NIW application contained 35 exhibits (Exhibit A to NN).

Our office filed his I-140(NIW) petition to the USCIS Texas Service Center on October 1, 2012. On November 30, 2012, the USCIS approved his I-140 petition without any Requests for Evidence.

While his I-140 was pending, we filed an I-485 adjustment of status application for our client and his wife on November 20, 2012. Everything went smoothly and the receipt notices and fingerprint appointment came on time.  Our client received his work permit and travel permit from the USCIS on December 26, 2012.

Eventually, on February 8, 2013, the USCIS Texas Service Center approved our client’s adjustment of status application.  Our client’s wife also received the I-485 approval as a derivative applicant of this case. Now, our client finally is a green card holder.

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If you have any questions, please fill out the free consultation form below, and we will respond as soon as possible privately. 

For other national interest waiver success stories, please click here.

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CASE: I-140 / National Interest Waiver
CLIENT: Korean
LOCATION: Raleigh, North Carolina

Our client contacted us in February 2012 about the possibility of doing a National Interest Waiver. He is a post-doctorate researcher and scientist in the field of Chemistry, and is currently working as a post-doctorate researcher in an academic institution in Raleigh, North Carolina.

His significant contributions have placed him at the pinnacle of the field of inorganic materials and solid-state chemistry. He is a leading scientist with an excellent reputation in the development of successful synthesis of several new layered perovskite structures, which he then characterized by several in-depth structural methods.  Also, our client has designed a solar photo-catalyst testing device and has used it to study the catalytic activity of his synthesized nano-materials.

Upon review of his credentials and qualifications, our office determined that he was qualified for the National Interest Waiver (NIW) category. Being qualified for NIW is beneficial since you would not need an employer nor family member to petition for you for green card purposes. You’d be eligible for a self-petition and unless you are from China or India, in which case you’d still have to wait for priority dates to be current, you would be eligible to apply for adjustment of status (green card) immediately without any lag in priority dates.

As a primer, NIW applicants must have a master’s or higher degree. The landmark immigration case that discusses the standards for NIWs is Matter of New York State Department of Transportation , 22 I&N Dec. 215 (Comm.1998). This case held that the qualifying applicant must show the following elements in his or her I-140 NIW petition: First, it must be shown that the alien seeks employment in an area of substantial intrinsic merit. Next, it must be shown that the proposed benefit will be national in scope. Finally, the petitioner seeking the waiver must establish that the alien will serve the national interest to a substantially greater degree than would an available U. S. worker having the same minimum qualifications.

Our office prepared a 17-page brief for our client’s NIW filing. Our client also obtained 7 letters of recommendation from his colleagues and internationally-recognized scientists. Our office also included his publication records, presentation records, and conference materials in the NIW application. We demonstrated the intrinsic merit of our client’s research in the United States, the national scope of his research, and asserted that our client would serve the national interest to a substantially greater degree than would an available U.S. worker having the same minimum qualifications. His NIW application contained 35 exhibits (Exhibit A to NN).

Our office filed his I-140(NIW) petition to the USCIS Texas Service Center on October 1, 2012. On November 30, 2012, the USCIS approved his I-140 petition without any Requests for Evidence.

FREE CONSULTATIONS

If you have any questions, please fill out the free consultation form below, and we will respond as soon as possible privately. 

For other National Interest Waiver success stories, please click here.

For other success stories, please click here.

Also feel free to contact our office anytime for free consultations.

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