Tag Archive Citizen

ByPhillip Kim

Fiancé(e) Visas by Immigration Attorney in Fresno

This page provides information for U.S. citizens wishing to bring a foreign national fiancé(e)

living abroad to the United States to marry.

If you plan to marry a foreign national outside the United States or your fiancé(e) is already

residing legally in the United States, you do not need to file for a fiancé(e) visa.

Eligibility Requirements

If you petition for a fiancé(e) visa, you must show that:

● You (the petitioner) are a U.S. citizen.
● You intend to marry within 90 days of your fiancé(e) entering the United States.
● You and your fiancé(e) are both free to marry and any previous marriages must have

been legally terminated by divorce, death, or annulment.
● You met each other, in person, at least once within 2 years of filing your petition. There

are two exceptions that require a waiver:
1. If the requirement to meet would violate strict and long-established customs of your or

your fiancé(e)’s foreign culture or social practice.
2. If you prove that the requirement to meet would result in extreme hardship to you.
Application Process

After the Fiancé(e) Visa is Issued

Once issued, the fiancé(e) visa (or K-1 nonimmigrant visa) allows your fiancé(e) to enter the

United States for 90 days so that your marriage ceremony can take place. Once you marry,

your spouse may apply for permanent residence and remain in the United States

Children of Fiancé(e)s

If your fiancé(e) has a child (under 21 and unmarried), a K-2 nonimmigrant visa may be

available to him or her. Be sure to include the names of your fiancé(e)’s children

Permission to Work

After admission, your fiancé(e) may immediately apply for permission to work Application

for Employment Authorization.

What happens if we do not marry within 90 days?

Fiancé(e) status automatically expires after 90 days. It cannot be extended. Your fiancé(e)

should leave the United States at the end of the 90 days if you do not marry. If your fiancé

(e) does not depart, he or she will be in violation of U.S. immigration law. This may result in

removal (deportation) and/or could affect future eligibility for U.S. immigration benefits.

We want to make plans for our wedding. How long will this process take?

To check the current processing times
For More Information, Please Contact:
Fresno Immigration Attorney Phillip Kim
(559) 761-9742
https://phillipkimlaw.com/

ByPhillip Kim

Naturalization for Spouses of U.S. Citizens by Immigration Attorney in Fresno

In general, you may qualify for naturalization if you have been a permanent resident (green

card holder) for at least 3 years, have been living in marital union with the same U.S. citizen

spouse during such time, and meet all other eligibility requirements under this section.

In certain cases, spouses of U.S. citizens employed abroad may qualify for naturalization

regardless of their time as permanent residents.

General Eligibility Requirements

● Be 18 or older
● Be a permanent resident (green card holder) for at least 3 years
● Have been living in marital union with the U.S. citizen spouse, who has been a U.S.

citizen during all of such period, during the 3 years immediately preceding the date of filing

the application and up until examination on the application
● Have lived within the state, or US district with jurisdiction over the applicant’s place of

residence, for at least 3 months prior to the date of filing the application
● Have continuous residence in the United States as a lawful permanent resident for at

least 3 years immediately preceding the date of filing the application
● Reside continuously within the United States from the date of application for

naturalization until the time of naturalization
● Be physically present in the United States for at least 18 months out of the 3 years

immediately preceding the date of filing the application
● Be able to read, write, and speak English and have knowledge and an understanding of

U.S. history and government (civics)
● Be a person of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of

the United States, and well disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States

during all relevant periods under the law

Spouses of U.S. Citizens Employed Abroad

Generally, the spouse of a U.S. citizen who is employed by the U.S. government, including

the military, or other qualifying employer, whose spouse is stationed abroad in such

employment for at least 1 year, may be eligible for naturalization

In general, a spouse of a U.S. citizen employed abroad must be present in the United States

pursuant to a lawful admission for permanent residence at the time of examination on the

naturalization application and at the time of naturalization, and meet of all of the

requirements listed above except that:

● No specific period as a permanent resident (green card holder) is required (but the

spouse must be a permanent resident)
● No specific period of continuous residence or physical presence in the United States is

required
● No specific period of marital union is required; however, the spouses must be living in

marital union.

Note: You must also establish that you will depart abroad immediately after naturalization

and that you intend to reside in the United States immediately upon the termination of your

spouse’s employment abroad.
For More Information, Please Contact:
Fresno Immigration Attorney Phillip Kim
(559) 761-9742
https://phillipkimlaw.com/

ByPhillip Kim

Green Card Through Family by Immigration Attorney in Fresno

Many people become permanent residents (get a green card) through family members. The United States promotes family unity and allows U.S. citizens and permanent residents to

petition for certain relatives to come and live permanently in the United States. You may be eligible to get a green card through a family member who is a U.S. citizen or permanent

resident, or through the special categories described below. For more information on the

categories below, Please Contact : Fresno Immigration Attorney Phillip Kim

There are two distinct paths through which you can get your green card. Many family members who are already in the United States may qualify for adjustment of status to

permanent residence in the United States, which means they are able to complete their immigrant processing without having to return to their home country. Those relatives outside the United States or those who are not eligible to adjust status in the United States

may be eligible for consular processing through a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad that has jurisdiction over their foreign place of residence. For more information on these processes, Please Contact :Phillip Kim

If Your Family Member is a U.S. Citizen

You may be able to get a green card as an immediate relative or as a family member in a preference category if your U.S. citizen relative files a Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, for you. For more information on immigrant petitions, Please Contact :
(559) 761-9742

◆ Immediate Relative of a U.S. Citizen
You are an immediate relative of a U.S. citizen if you are:

◆ The child (unmarried and under 21 years old) of a U.S. citizen
◆ The spouse (husband or wife) of a U.S. citizen
◆ The parent of a U.S. citizen (if the U.S. citizen is 21 years or older)
◆ Family Member of a U.S. Citizen in a Preference Category
You are a family member of a U.S. citizen in a preference category if you are:

◆ An unmarried son or daughter (21 years or older) of a U.S. citizen
◆ A married son or daughter (any age) of a U.S. citizen
◆ A sibling (brother or sister) of a U.S. citizen
If Your Family Member is a Permanent Resident

You may be able to get a green card as a family member in a preference category if your

family member filed a Form I-130 on your behalf. For more information on immigrant

petitions, Please Contact :Fresno Immigration Attorney Phillip Kim

◆ Family member of a permanent resident in a preference category
You are a family member of a permanent resident in a preference category if you are:

◆ The spouse of a permanent resident
◆ The child (unmarried and under 21 years old) of permanent resident
◆ The unmarried son or daughter (21 years or older) of a permanent resident Green Card Through Special Categories of Family

You may also be eligible to get a green card if you:

◆ Are a battered child or spouse of a U.S. citizen
◆ Entered the United States with a K visa as the fiance(e) or spouse of a U.S. citizen or an accompanying child
◆ Obtained V nonimmigrant status
◆ Are a widow(er) of a U.S. citizen
◆ Are born to a foreign diplomat in the United States
For more information on “Adjustment of Status” and “Consular Processing” , Please

Contact:
Fresno Immigration Attorney Phillip Kim
(559) 761-9742
https://phillipkimlaw.com/

ByPhillip Kim

Are you eligible to apply for naturalization?

Before you apply for naturalization, you must meet a few requirements.
Depending on your situation, there are different requirements that may apply to you.
However, generally, an applicant for naturalization must:

• Be a lawful permanent resident (have a “green card”).
• Demonstrate continuous permanent residence in the United States for at least 5 years.
(In some cases, this may be 3 years if you are married to a U.S. citizen.)
• Show that you have been physically present in the United States for 30 months.
(In some cases, this may be 18 months if you are married to a U.S. citizen.)
• Show that you have lived for at least 3 months in the state or USCIS district where you claim residence.
Before applying for naturalization please keep in mind that if you have a parent that was a U.S. citizen, either by birth or naturalization, before you turned 18 years old, you may have a claim to citizenship.
These are general guidelines that do not apply to every applicant. For more information on these requirements, please visit :
Fresno Immigration Attorney Phillip Kim
(559) 761-9742
https://phillipkimlaw.com/

Do you support the principles and ideals of the U.S. Constitution and
are you willing to swear an oath to the United States?

You must be willing to support and defend the United States and its Constitution.
You declare your “attachment” or loyalty to the United States and the Constitution when you take the Oath of Allegiance at your naturalization ceremony.
You become a U.S. citizen after you take the Oath of Allegiance.

Are you a man between the ages of 18 and 26?

If you are a man between the ages of 18 and 26, you must register for the Selective Service and provide proof of your registration to USCIS. If you are 26 or older but under the age of 31, you must provide proof that you registered with the Selective Service when you were required to do so.
If you were required to register and did not, you must bring to your interview both a written statement explaining why you did not register and a letter from the Selective Service System indicating your status. For more information, Please Contact:
Fresno Immigration Attorney Phillip Kim
(559) 761-9742
https://phillipkimlaw.com/

Have you ever been married, divorced, widowed, or had your name legally changed?

If yes, bring a copy of your marriage certificate, your divorce or annulment decree, or the death certificate of your former spouse. If you changed your name through a court, bring a copy of the court decree that legally changed your name. Also, if your current spouse was married before, bring evidence of the termination of your spouse’s prior marriage(s). Failing to show proof of your current marital status or legal name may delay your case.

This fact sheet attempts to simplify the naturalization eligibility requirements and list of documents that can be asked for during the naturalization interview. This fact sheet references the most commonly used documents, but is not an all-inclusive list. A USCIS Officer may ask for additional information and documents
that are not included in this fact sheet. For additional information on applying for naturalization, Please Contact:
Fresno Immigration Attorney Phillip Kim
(559) 761-9742
https://phillipkimlaw.com/

ByPhillip Kim

Citizenship Through Naturalization by Immigration Attorney in Fresno

Naturalization is the process by which U.S. citizenship is granted to a foreign citizen or national after he or she fulfills the requirements
established by Congress in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

In most cases, an applicant for naturalization must be a permanent
resident (green card holder) before filing. Except for certain U.S. military members and their dependents, naturalization can only be granted in the United States.

You May Qualify for Naturalization if:

You have been a permanent resident for at least 5 years and meet all other eligibility requirements.
You have been a permanent resident for 3 years or more and meet all eligibility requirements to file as a spouse of a U.S. citizen.
You have qualifying service in the U.S. armed forces and meet all other eligibility requirements.
Your child may qualify for naturalization if you are a U.S. citizen, the child was born outside the U.S., the child is currently residing outside the U.S., and all other eligibility requirements are met.

How to Apply for Naturalization Prepare for taking the naturalization test before you apply. We have educational materials and resources to help you prepare.

Note: You may already be a U.S. citizen and not need to apply for
naturalization if your biological or adoptive parent(s) became a U.S.
citizen before you reached the age of 18. For More Information,
Please Contact:
Fresno Immigration Attorney Phillip Kim
(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