Author Archive Phillip Kim

ByPhillip Kim

How to Apply for a K-1 Fiance Visa in Fresno Immigration Attorney Fresno Green Card Lawyer

Spouse and Fiance(e) of an American Citizen

Spouse – If you are an American citizen you have two ways to bring your foreign spouse (husband or wife) to the United States to live. They are

Immigrant visa for a Spouse of a U.S. Citizen – An immigrant Petition for Alien Relative is required.

Nonimmigrant visa for spouse (K-3) – It is important to note that application for the nonimmigrant visa for spouse (K-3) who married a U.S. citizen must be filed and the visa must be issued in the country where the marriage took place. After the visa process has been completed, and the visa is issued, the spouse can travel to the United States to wait for the processing of the immigrant visa case. Two petitions are required:

Petition for Alien Relative and
Petition for Alien Fiancé (e)

Fiancé(e) – If you are an American citizen, you may bring your fiancé(e) to the United States to marry; and live here.

Nonimmigrant visa for fiancé(e) (K-1)- To travel to the United States for marriage. fiancé(e) petition is required.

For More information, Please contact

Immigration Law Offices of Phillip Kim, Inc.
8050 North Palm, Suite 300 (Palm & Nees)
Fresno, CA 93711

Phone:
(559) 761-9742

https://phillipkimlaw.com/

ByPhillip Kim

How to Get Citizenship in Fresno Immigration Lawyer Attorney Fresno Greencard Attorney in Fresno

Immigration Law Offices of Phillip Kim, Inc.
8050 North Palm, Suite 300
Fresno, CA 93711
(559) 761-9742

You may file for a Certificate of Citizenship if you meet any one of the following requirements:

#1: You may file for a certificate of citizenship if all of the following actions occurred before your 18th birthday and prior to February 27, 2001: You regularly resided in the United States after admission as a lawful permanent resident (green card holder), and both of your parents, the parent having legal and physical custody of you, or your sole surviving parent naturalized as a U.S. citizen.

#2: If you are the natural born child of a U.S. citizen, you were born outside the United States and you are claiming citizenship by having been born to U.S. citizen parent(s), you automatically become a U.S. citizen at birth if: You were born to two U.S. citizen parents and at least one of your parents had a residence in the United States or one if its outlying possessions. This residence had to have taken place prior to your birth; or You were born to parents, one of whom is an alien and the other a U.S. citizen who, prior to your birth, had been physically present in the United States or one of its outlying possessions for a period or periods totaling not less than five years, at least two of which were after the age of 14 years.

#3: If you are the biological or adopted child of a U.S. citizen, you were born outside the United States, and you are claiming citizenship by action of law, you automatically become a U.S. citizen if: You have at least one parent who is a U.S. citizen, whether by birth or naturalization; and You regularly reside in the United States in the legal and physical custody of your U.S. citizen parent; and You have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence and You have not yet reached your 18th birthday; and You are a biological child, you were legitimate, or you were legitimated while in the legal custody of your legitimating parent(s) prior to reaching your 16th birthday; or You are a biological child born out of wedlock and you have not been legitimated and your mother naturalizes as a U.S. citizen.

#4: If you are now over the age of 18 years but all of the above conditions applied to you before your 18th birthday and you were under the age of 18 on February 27, 2001.

*** Please note that the list above is by no means complete. You may also qualify for citizenship in other circumstances depending on the specific facts of your case.

Immigration Law Offices of Phillip Kim, Inc.
8050 North Palm, Suite 300
Fresno, CA 93711
(559) 761-9742
For More Information, Please Call:

(559) 761-9742

https://phillipkimlaw.com/

ByPhillip Kim

J Visa Waiver of the Two-Year Home Residence Requirement

The statute declares that exchange visitors subject to the two-year home country residence requirement may seek a waiver of that requirement in four situations:
(1) upon request of an interested government agency;
(2) upon a showing of undue and unanticipated hardship to the exchange visitor’s family in the United States
(3) when the exchange visitor faces persecution in his or her home country; or
(4) when the exchange visitor’s home country declares that it does not object to the waiver. This is the so-called “no objection” statement.

The waiver may be filed using more than one of the situations above.

I. Request by a Government Agency
i. A US government agency must submit documentary evidence showing that the exchange visitor’s departure would be clearly detrimental to a program or activity of official interest to an agency of the US government.

ii. Broad and remote connection to the agency could qualify.
For example, if a J-1 exchange visitor is working at a research institute that receives National Science Foundation (NSF) money, the NSF should be considered.
If the J-1 exchange visitor is acting a consultant on a contract to expand trade to his or her homeland, the Dpt. of Commerce should be considered.

II. Exceptional Hardship
i. The elements to be considered:
1. Physical or mental conditions of the spouse or child that would be adversely affected by residence abroad
2. Need for the spouse to remain in the United States to continue employment essential to family maintenance or to care for a dependent relative
3. Applicant’s inability to support his or her family abroad or to support them in a separate household in the United States
4. Interruption of spouse (US citizen)’s established career
5. Serious economic consequences
6. Severance of close family relationship
7. Erroneous advice of a US consul or immigration officials, before marriage, that foreign residence requirement did not apply
8. A regime in the home country that is unfriendly to the United States
ii. These are not exclusive considerations, and each case is decided on its own merits.
iii. The assessment of hardship must be based on “a totality of the circumstances”.

III. Persecution in Home Country
i. The applicant possesses a belief or characteristic a persecutor seeks to overcome in others by means of punishment of some sort;
ii. The persecutor is already aware, or could easily become aware, that the applicant possesses this belief or characteristic;
iii. The persecutor has the capability of punishing the individual; and
iv. The persecutor has the inclination to punish the applicant.

IV. No Objection Statement
i. The statement must be transmitted to the Dpt. of State through official channels; Statements not addressed to the Dpt. of State and statements transmitted by the exchange visitor or by his attorney or other private individuals or organizations will not be acceptable.
ii. In many instances, the country’s consular officers are given authority by their governments to issue such statements; in such cases, they must transmit the statement to the Dpt. of State, either through the US diplomatic mission in their country or through the country’s mission in Washington.
iii. In no objection cases as in other waiver requests, the Dpt. of State reviews the “program, policy, and foreign relations” of the case in deciding whether to recommend a waiver to the CIS.

ByPhillip Kim

Cancellation of Removal Deportation Defense by Fresno Immigration Attorney Phillip Kim

Cancellation of Removal by Immigration Attorney in Fresno

I. Aliens Eligible for Cancellation of Removal
You may be eligible to have your removal cancelled under
section 240A(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). To qualify for this benefit, you must establish
in a hearing before an Immigration Judge that:

A. 1. Prior to the service of the Notice to Appear, you have maintained continuous physical presence in the United States for ten (10) years or more, and you have been a person of good moral character as defined in section 101(f) of the INA during such period;

2. You have not been convicted of an offense covered under sections 212(a)(2), 237(a)(2), or 237(a)(3) of the INA; and

3. Your removal would result in exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to your United States citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse, parent, or child, and you are deserving of a favorable exercise of discretion on your application.
OR

B. 1. You have been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty in the United States by your United States
citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse or parent, or you are the parent of a child of a United
States citizen or lawful permanent resident and the child has been battered or subjected to extreme
cruelty in the United States by such citizen or lawful permanent resident parent;

2. Prior to the service of the Notice to Appear, you have maintained continuous physical presence
in the United States for three (3) years or more and you have been a person of good moral character
as defined in section 101(f) of the INA during such period;

3. You are not inadmissible under sections 212(a)(2) or 212(a)(3) of the INA, you are not deportable
under section 237(a)(1)(G) or sections 237(a)(2)-(4) of the INA, and you have not been convicted of
an aggravated felony as defined under the INA;

4. a. Your removal would result in extreme hardship to you or your child who is the child of a United
States citizen or lawful permanent resident; or

b. You are a child whose removal would result in extreme hardship to you or your parent; and

5. You are deserving of a favorable exercise of discretion on your application.

Note: If you have served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States for at least 24 months,
you do not have to meet the requirements of continuous physical presence in the United States.
You must, however, have been in the United States when you entered the Armed Forces. If you
are no longer in the Armed Forces, you must have been separated under honorable conditions.

II. Aliens NOT Eligible for Cancellation of Removal: You are not eligible for cancellation of removal under
section 240A(b)(1) of the INA if you:

A. Entered the United States as a crewman after June 30, 1964;
Form EOIR-42B
Revised October 2008
U.S. Department of Justice
Executive Office for Immigration Review
OMB#ll25-0001
Application for Cancellation of Removal and Adjustment
of Status for Certain Nonpermanent Residents

B. Were admitted to the United States as, or later became, a nonimmigrant exchange alien as defined in
section 101(a)(15)(J) of the INA in order to receive graduate medical education or training, regardless
of whether you are subject to or have fulfilled the 2-year foreign residence requirement of section
212(e) of the INA;

C. Were admitted to the United States as, or later became, a nonimmigrant exchange alien as defined in
section 101(a)(15)(J) of the INA, other than to receive graduate medical education or training, and are
subject to the 2-year foreign residence requirement of section 212(e) of the INA, but have neither fulfilled
nor obtained a waiver of that requirement;

D. Are an alien who is either inadmissible under section 212(a)(3) of the INA or deportable under
section 237(a)(4) of the INA;

E. Are an alien who ordered, incited, assisted, or otherwise participated in the persecution of an individual
because of the individual’s race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or
political opinion; or

F. Are an alien who was previously granted relief under section 212(c) of the INA, or section 244(a) of
the INA as such sections were in effect prior to the enactment of the Illegal Immigration Reform and
Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, whose removal has previously been cancelled under section
240A of the INA.

For more information, please contact Attorney Phillip Kim at (559) 761-9742

ByPhillip Kim

Green Card (Permanent Residence)

A permanent resident is someone who has been granted authorization to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis. As proof of that status, a person is granted a permanent resident card, commonly called a “green card.” You can become a permanent resident several different ways. Most individuals are sponsored by a family member or employer in the United States. Other individuals may become permanent residents through refugee or asylee status or other humanitarian programs. In some cases, you may be eligible to file for yourself.

The steps to become a permanent resident are different for each category and will depend on if you are currently living inside or outside the United States. The main categories are listed below. More information is available in the links to the left.

Green Card Through Family
How to apply for permanent residence when a family member petitions for you·
Green Card Through a Job
How to apply for permanent residence based on a job offer or employment.
Green Card Through Refugee or Asylum Status
How to apply for permanent residence when you have been granted refugee or asylum status·
Other Ways to Get a Green Card
Learn about the many other ways that you may qualify for permanent residence
If you are unsure which immigration path best fits your particular situation, see the “Green Card Processes & Procedures” link to the left which includes:·

Green Card Eligibility
Learn who can apply for permanent residence
Adjustment of Status
Learn about the multi-step process for individuals inside the United States that want to get a green card
Consular Processing
Learn about the multi-step process for individuals outside the United States that want to get a green card

For More Information,
Please Call: (559) 761-9742
https://phillipkimlaw.com/

ByPhillip Kim

Green Card Process and Permanent Resident Card Application Procedure

Immigrants in most categories will need an immigrant petition, Petition for Alien Relative, Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant, or another petition) filed on their behalf.

A petition establishes the underlying basis for your ability to immigrate and determines your immigrant classification or category. Some categories of immigrants may be able to self-petition. Most people immigrating based on humanitarian programs are exempt from the petition requirement.

Some immigrant petitions can be filed at the same time as the adjustment application (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status), known as “concurrent filing” while other categories of immigrants will be required to wait until they have an approved petition before being allowed to apply for adjustment of status or an immigrant visa. For more information about concurrent filing, Click HERE.

Visa Availability

A visa is always available for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens. If you are in a family or employment based preference category, visa availability is determined by:
Your priority date
The preference category you are immigrating under
The country the visa will be charged to (usually your country of citizenship)

The Department of State is the government agency that controls visa numbers. The annual limits for visa numbers are established by Congress and can be referenced in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

First, a priority date will be assigned to you based on your immigrant petition filing date (the date that the petition is properly filed with the Gov.) or, in certain employment-based cases, the date the application for a labor certification was accepted by the Department of Labor. Your priority date holds your place in line for an immigrant visa.

This date, along with your country of nationality and preference category, determines if or how long a person will have to wait for a visa to be immediately available. When the officials are ready to approve an applicant for permanent residency in a visa category that has limited numbers, we must first request a visa number from the Department of State.

When a visa is available, you may file Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (if you are in the United States) or apply for an immigrant visa abroad (consular processing). If you are consular processing, the Gov. will forward your approved petition to the Department of State’s National Visa Center who will contact you when your priority date is about to become current as to what your next steps are and when you may apply for an immigrant visa abroad.

For more information on determining visa availability or filing abroad, see the “Visa Availability & Priority Dates” and “Consular Processing” links to the left.

Admissibility to the United States

All persons applying for an immigrant visa or adjustment of status must prove to the satisfaction of immigration or consular officials that they are admissible (eligible for admission) to the United States.

There are many grounds of inadmissibility that could potentially cause someone to be ineligible to become a permanent resident. For instance, there are health-related, criminal, security-related, and other grounds the office must consider.

In some cases and in certain situations, if you are found inadmissible to the United States you may be eligible to file a waiver on Application for Waiver of Ground of Inadmissibility, (the form required for most immigrants) or Application By Refugee For Waiver of Grounds of Excludability (the form required for refugees and asylees) to excuse your inadmissibility.

The grounds of inadmissibility that are determined by the particular category under which you are immigrating. If you are ultimately found inadmissible to the United States, your adjustment of status application or immigrant visa application will be denied. Congress has set the grounds of inadmissibility and they may be referenced in Section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

After all paperwork has been received, interviews conducted (if necessary), security checks completed, and other eligibility requirements reviewed, your case will be ready for a decision by the Government.

For more information, CALL (559) 761-9742 or Click HERE.

ByPhillip Kim

How to Get a Green Card by Employment Fresno California Greencard attorney

Job or Employment Based Green Cards

People who want to become immigrants based on employment or a job offer may apply for permanent residence or an immigrant visa abroad, when an immigrant visa number becomes available according to the following employment based preferences:
First Preference: Priority Workers, including aliens with extraordinary abilities, outstanding professors and researchers, and certain multinational executives and managers
Second Preference: Members of professions holding an advanced degree or persons of exceptional ability (including individuals seeking a National Interest Waiver)
Third Preference: Skilled Workers, professionals and other qualified workers
Fourth Preference: Certain special immigrants including those in religious vocations
Fifth Preference: Employment creation immigrants (investors or entrepreneurs)

For more information on green card eligibility through employment or a job offer, see the “Green Card Through a Job” link to the left.

Based on Refugee or Asylum Status

If you were admitted to the United States as a refugee or the qualifying spouse or child of a refugee, you are required to apply for permanent residence (a green card) 1 year after your entry into the United States in this status. If you were granted asylum in the United States or are a qualifying spouse or child of an asylee, you may apply for permanent residence 1 year after the grant of your asylum status.

If you are a refugee, you are required by law to apply for a green card 1 year after being admitted to the United States in refugee status.

If you are an asylee or asylee derivative spouse or child, you are not required to apply for a green card 1 year after being granted asylum or 1 year after being admitted to the United States in asylum status, although it may be in your best interest to do so.

For more information on green card eligibility for refugees and asylees, please CALL (559) 761-9742 or Click HERE.

ByPhillip Kim

Green Card Attorney Fresno California Citizenship Visa Lawyer

Green Card Eligibility

You may be eligible to apply for a green card (permanent residence) through your family, a job offer or employment, refugee or asylum status, or a number of other special provisions. In some cases, you may even be able to self petition or have a record created for permanent residence on your behalf. In general, to meet the requirements for permanent residence in the United States, you must:
Be eligible for one of the immigrant categories established in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)
Have a qualifying immigrant petition filed and approved for you (with a few exceptions)
Have an immigrant visa immediately available
Be admissible to the United States

Each requirement is detailed below.

Eligibility for an Immigrant Category

Individuals who want to become immigrants (permanent residents) through their qualified family member, a job offer or employment, or a special category will generally be classified in categories based on a preference system. Except for immediate relatives of a U.S. citizen who are given the highest immigration priority and a few other exceptions, Congress has set a finite number of visas that can be used each year for each category of immigrants. The general categories are listed below. For more specific information under each general category, see the links to the left.

Family Based

Some relatives of U.S. citizens, known as immediate relatives, do not have to wait for a visa to become available. There is no limit to the number of visas that can be utilized in this category in a particular year. Immediate relatives include:
Parents of a U.S. citizen
Spouses of a U.S. citizen
Unmarried children under the age of 21 of a U.S. citizen

Note: U.S. citizens must be at least 21 years old to apply for their parents

The qualified relatives of a U.S. citizen or permanent resident in the remaining family-based categories may have to wait for a visa to become available before they can apply for permanent residency. These categories include:
First Preference: Unmarried, adult (21 years of age or older) sons and daughters of U.S. citizens
Second Preference A: Spouses of permanent residents and the unmarried children (under the age of 21)) of permanent residents
Second Preference B: Unmarried sons and daughters (21 years or age or older) of permanent residents
Third Preference: Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, their spouses and their minor children
Fourth Preference: Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens, their spouses and their minor children

For more information on green card eligibility through a family member, CALL (559) 761-9742 or Click HERE.

ByPhillip Kim

How to Renew Green Card; Fresno Immigration Attorney Green Card Lawyer Citizenship Visa Deportation

How to Renew a Green Card:

Permanent Resident Card, commonly known as a green card, is evidence of your status as a permanent resident with a right to live and work permanently in the United States. It also is evidence of your registration in accordance with U.S. immigration laws. A green card is also called Form I-551.

When to Renew a Green Card
You should renew your green card if you are a permanent resident with a Form I-551 valid for 10 years and the card is either expired or will expire within the next 6 months.

How to Apply To Renew a Green Card
If you are a permanent resident whose 10-year Form I-551 has expired or will expire within the next 6 months, you may renew your green card.

How to Renew a Green Card If You Are Outside the United States
If you are outside the United States and your green card will expire within 6 months (but you will return within 1 year of your departure from the United States and before the card expires), you should file for your renewal card as soon as you return to the United States.

If you are outside of the United States when the card expires and you have not applied for the renewal card prior to your departure, you should contact the nearest U.S. Consulate, USCIS office, or U.S. port of entry.

If you need help on filing an application to renew your Green Card,
Please contact

Immigration Law Offices of Phillip Kim, Inc.
1320 E. Shaw Avenue, Suite 148
Fresno, CA 93710

Phone:
(559) 761-1040

Immigration Attorney Phillip Kim represents his clients from the Central Valley, Southern California, and Northern California including Fresno County, Kings County, Kern County, Stanislaus County, Tulare County, Merced County, San Joaquin Valley County, Los Angeles County, and the San Francisco Bay area with cities such as Fresno, Clovis, Sanger, Merced, Tulare, Visalia, Modesto, Stockton, Hanford, Lemoore, San Jose, San Francisco, and San Diego.

Moreover, Immigration Attorney Phillip Kim’s clientele has expanded to other states in the United States and to other countries such as Canada, New Zealand, Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Belgium, Greece, Australia, India, the Philippines, South Korea, China, Malaysia, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Laos, Vietnam, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Honduras, Colombia, Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Yemen, Iran, Egypt, Afghanistan, etc.

At the Law Offices of Phillip Kim, Inc. we are able to provide a personalized service that is structured to effectively achieve your goals.

ByPhillip Kim

E-1 E-2 Visas; Treaty Trader Visa; Treaty Investor Visa

The E1 and E2 nonimmigrant visa categories are comprised of treaty traders and treaty investors entitled to be in the United States under a bilateral treaty of commerce and navigation between the United States and the country of which the treaty trader or investor is a citizen or national.

*� The purpose of a treaty trader is to carry on substantial trade in goods, services and technology, principally between the United States and the foreign country of which s/he is a citizen or national.

� The purpose of a treaty investor is to direct the operations of an enterprise in which s/he has invested, or is actively investing, a substantial amount of capital in the United States.
Spouses and unmarried children under the age of 21 of an E1 or E2 nonimmigrant may be granted the same status to accompany the E1 or E2.

The EB5 immigrant employment-based visa category is for individuals who wish to reside permanently in the United States with the intent of creating or developing a business enterprise in the U.S. The EB5 visa category allows for conditional residency for persons who invest $1 million (or under certain circumstances $500,000) in a new commercial enterprise that employs 10 U.S. citizens or authorized immigrant workers full-time and engage in the business through day-to-day management or policy formation.

For more information, contact us.