CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

NATIONALITY: Kenyan                                                                                                        

LOCATION: Cleveland, OH

Our client is from Kenya who came to the U.S. on a F-1 student visa to pursue his undergraduate degree. In May 2016, our client married his current U.S. citizen wife.  He retained our office in November 2016 for his green card application.  Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on December 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 June 30, 2017, our client was interviewed at Cleveland Ohio USCIS office. Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu from our office also accompanied our clients as well. Eventually, on July 3, 2017, his green card application was approved.

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CASE: L-1A petition extension / I-129

PETITIONER: Child Care Center in Cleveland, OH

BENEFICIARY: Chinese Child Care Center Director

Our client is a Chinese company which has its US subsidiary in the greater Cleveland area (Avon Lake).  In 2016, our client opened a new business and has offered child care services to children from the age of 6 weeks to 12 years old. They contacted our office in the middle of June 2017 to seek legal assistance for a possible L-1A extension for their employee. She came from China in 2016 with her L-1A visa to work as a Child Care Center Director.

The L-1A nonimmigrant classification enables a U.S. employer to transfer an executive or manager from one of its affiliated foreign offices to one of its offices in the United States.  This classification also enables a foreign company which does not yet have an affiliated U.S. office to send an executive or manager to the United States with the purpose of establishing one.

Upon retention, our office prepared and eventually filed the L-1A extension petition with various supporting documents. The application included a detailed employer support letter, documentation to demonstrate the qualifying corporate relationship between the parent company in China and the U.S., financial documents, past experience documents, organization chart, and physical premises evidence among others. We filed the L-1A extension petition on June 21, 2017 via premium processing.

Eventually, our client’s L-1A application was approved on June 29, 2017 without any RFE. Her L-1A status has been extended to August 2019.

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CASE: N-400 (Citizenship / Naturalization)

APPLICANT: Kenyan

LOCATION: Cleveland, OH

Our client contacted us in March 2017 to seek legal representation for his naturalization and citizenship N-400 application. He came to the United States from Kenya and obtained his green card in December 2006.

After retention, his N-400 application was filed on April 4, 2017 with all supporting documents. Prior to his citizenship interview, our office prepared him via conference calls.  On June 20, 2017, our client appeared at the Cleveland, OH USCIS office for his naturalization interview. Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu from our office also accompanied our client as well. Our client answered all questions correctly and passed his naturalization and citizenship interview. Eventually, his application was approved on June 27, 2017. His oath taking is scheduled in which he will become a naturalized U.S. Citizen.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

NATIONALITY: Filipina                                                                                                        

LOCATION: Cleveland, Ohio

Our client is from the Philippines who came to the U.S. on a J-1 exchange visitor’s visa in March 2016. Her J-1 program was not subject to the 212(e), two-year foreign residency requirement. In January 2017, our client married her current U.S. citizen husband.  She retained our office on February 15, 2017, for her green card application.  Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on March 21, 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 26, 2017, our client was interviewed at the Cleveland Ohio USCIS office. Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu, a partner for our office also accompanied our clients as well. Eventually, on the same day of the interview, her green card application was approved.

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CASE: N-336 (Citizenship / Naturalization / Request for a Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings)
APPLICANT: Liberian
LOCATION: Cleveland, OH

Our client filed an N-400 application in February 2015 to the USCIS. He came to the United States from Liberia and obtained his green card in 2009.  However, in July 2015, the USCIS denied his naturalization application and stated that our client failed to establish that he met the Good Moral Character requirement for naturalization. The USCIS especially questioned our client’s previous marriage and mentioned that it was invalid. The USCIS informed him that if he believes that he can overcome the grounds for the denial, he can submit a request for a hearing on Form N-336 within 30 calendar days of the issuance of the denial decision.  He retained our office and sought for legal assistance of his N-336 application.

The N-336 application was filed on August 21, 2015, with all supporting documents including our client’s affidavit, letters from his family, documents to show that our client has supported his daughter from the previous marriage. Our office prepared him before his N-336 interview, and also accompanied him on October 8, 2015, at the Cleveland CIS office. Our client explained about his previous marital life and submitted all of the requested documents. Eventually, on April 27, 2017, his N-336 application was approved. His oath taking already took place and he became a naturalized U.S. Citizen.

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CASE: H-1B Visa Extension Petition

PETITIONER: Industrial Material Company

BENEFICIARY: Chinese Industrial Material Research Scientist

LOCATION: Ohio

Our client is an industrial material company focused on the production and commercialization of high-performance / non-immunogenic biomaterials for use in the medial and consumer healthcare arenas. They are located in Wooster, Ohio. They contacted our office in December 2016 to seek legal assistance from our office for their foreign employee’s H-1B extension. The beneficiary is from China and obtained his Master’s degree in Plant Pathology in the United States. The proffered position for the Beneficiary is an industrial material research scientist which qualifies as a specialty occupation. This proffered position is clearly a “specialty occupation” because the minimum requirements for this position are a Bachelor’s Degree in Science/Engineering or its equivalent.  Moreover, our office helped this employee’s previous H-1B case in 2014 and it was approved by the USCIS.

Once retained, our office promptly filed the H-1B visa petition with various supporting documents on January 19, 2017 via regular processing service.  Since this petition was based on the extension, this petition was exempted from the annual cap of the H-1B.  Thus, we could file prior to the April 1.  There were no Requests for Evidence during the processing of the H-1B.  Eventually, our client’s H-1B Extension Petition was approved on February May 30, 2017.  Now the Beneficiary can continuously work for his Petitioner-Employer as an H-1B visa holder and he can work there for next three years.

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CASE: N-400 (Citizenship / Naturalization)

APPLICANT: Ecuadorian

LOCATION: Cleveland, 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 Ecuador and obtained his green card in January 2008. He had a “physical control of vehicle while under the influence” conviction in 2015 and was wondering if this will be a problem regarding the 5-year “good moral character” requirement for citizenship. We explained that we have to explain that he had good moral character despite this, and promised that we’ll submit a brief to the local CIS once the interview is scheduled.

Once retained, his N-400 application was filed on February 13, 2017 with all supporting documents. Prior to his citizenship interview, our office prepared him at our office. We prepared the said “good moral character” brief and submitted it before the interview, and also at the interview in person.  On May 9, 2017, our client appeared at the Cleveland, OH USCIS office for his naturalization interview. Attorney Sung Hee (Glen) Yu accompanied our client as well. Our client answered all questions correctly and passed his naturalization and citizenship interview. Eventually, his application was approved on May 30, 2017. His oath taking is scheduled in which he will become a naturalized U.S. Citizen.

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CASE: PERM Labor Certification    
EMPLOYER: Dental Group in Cleveland, OH
BENEFICIARY: Syrian Dentist

Our client is from Syria, who is currently working in the United States as an associate dentist under Temporary Protected Status (TPS). His current employer was willing to do an immigration petition for him, second-preference. Our client has a Doctor of Dentistry degree in Syria which is evaluated as an equivalent degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery degree the United States. He also has a license to practice dentistry in the state of Ohio. After talking to our client, our firm concluded that his employer can petition him as an associate dentist. Based on our client’s educational, professional and work background, 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 August 29, 2016, the prevailing wage request was filed.  After we obtained Prevailing Wage determination, our office filed the job order on December 22, 2016.  On March 3, 2017, we promptly filed PERM.  Eventually, on May 24, 2017, the PERM Labor Certification was approved – an EB2 position for the Syrian beneficiary. Now our client can file the I-140 petition.

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CASE: Marriage-Based Adjustment of Status

NATIONALITY: Indian                                                                                                        

LOCATION: Cleveland, OH

Our client is from India who came to the U.S. on an F-1 student visa. He completed his Bachelor’s program in Cleveland, Ohio.  In December 2016, our client married his current U.S. citizen wife.  He retained our office in January 2017 for his green card application.  Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on February 8, 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 May 10, 2017, our client was interviewed at the Cleveland Ohio USCIS office. Attorney and Partner Sung Hee (Glen) Yu from our office also accompanied our clients as well. Eventually, on May 18, 2017, his green card application was approved.

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CASE: I-485 Adjustment of Status based on Approved I-140 (EB-2)
EMPLOYER: Dental Group in Cleveland, OH
BENEFICIARY: Korean Dentist

Our client is from South Korea, who is currently working in the United States as an associate dentist under an H-1B status. His current employer was willing to do an immigration petition for him, second-preference. Our client has a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree in the United States. After talking to our client, our firm concluded that his employer can petition him as an associate dentist. Based on our client’s education and working background, our office determined that he was 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 29, 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 1, 2016, we promptly filed PERM.  Eventually, on July 8, 2016, the PERM Labor Certification was approved – an EB2 position for the South 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 tax records, and other necessary supporting documents. The I-140 Petition was filed on August 22, 2016 via premium processing service. Eventually, on August 29, 2016, the I-140 EB-2 Petition for our Korean client was approved without any Request for Evidence (RFE).

Once his I-140 was approved, our office filed an I-485 adjustment of status application for our client and his wife on October 13, 2016. Everything went smoothly and the receipt notices and fingerprint appointment came on time.  On May 9, 2017, the USCIS Nebraska Service Center approved our client’s adjustment of status application.  On the same day, the CIS approved our client’s wife’s adjustment of status applications as well.

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