Tag Archive Fresno

ByStaff

Learn About the E-2 Investor Visa

The Investors visa can be a very broad category. If you are interested in investing a large sum of capital in a U.S. company you, your employees, and your family may be eligible for a visa of up to 2 years. When 2 years is up, your visa is eligible to be extended if your stay remains temporary. That means that the E-2 visa is considered non-immigrant and you should intend to leave the country in the future. If you are interested in fully immigrating to invest in a U.S. company and becoming a permanent resident, look into the green card process for investors.

To be eligible for an E-2 visa, you should see a list of countries from which investors have been approved for temporary stay in the U.S. These countries are called treaty countries, and the E-2 visa is also referred to as the treaty investors visa. If you are a national from an eligible country and are currently in the U.S., you can file for E-2 status as an investor. From outside the U.S., the U.S. state department can issue you a visa and you can declare investor status when you enter the U.S.

To be an eligible investor, you should own at least half of the commercial enterprise and plan to oversee, direct, and advance its further growth. The enterprise must present a substantial investment, meaning that it can financially sustain the investor and his or her family and aims to generate new jobs, goods, or services.

However, the investment should still meet traditional business standards of being at risk for loss and aimed at making profit. The investment should meet legal requirements and the investment capital must be gotten lawfully. That means that money flowing into the enterprise cannot have involved criminal activity on any level.

Spouses and children of investors can also travel on the E-2 visa, and they are not subject to the same nationality requirements as the investor. The children must be unmarried and under the age of 21.

If you are the family member of an investor already in the U.S. and would like to change your status to the E-2 visa, you can file to change your status. Immediate family members of investors are generally given an E-2 visa for the same amount of time as the investor and can usually be similarly renewed.

For more information and help with getting a visa, contact immigration attorney Phillip Kim.

ByStaff

What is the EB-2 Status Work Visa?

Permanent workers in the U.S. under EB-2 preference demonstrate that they are educated and/or highly skilled in their professional area. With EB-2 Preference, you will be granted a visa that is eligible for permanent residence status. That means you can use your EB-2 visa to get your green card and permanently relocate to the U.S.

There are 3 major areas of eligibility for the EB-2:

  1. Your prospective job requires an advanced degree which you have. An advanced degree is defined as above a U.S. bachelors or its foreign academic equivalent. It’s also acceptable to apply with a bachelor’s (or its equivalent) and 5 years relevant professional experience doing your prospective job. If you plan to substitute work experience for an advanced degree, show that your employment was progressive and that you attained a higher level of knowledge or esteem during this time. Any academic degrees must be proven through proper documentation. Applicants in this area must also have a Labor Certification Application submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor by their prospective employer on their behalf.
  2. You have exceptional professional ability in a field of the arts, sciences, or business. Entrepreneurs are eligible to get EB-2 status. Skilled or talented applicants in this category of eligibility must also have a Labor Certification Application filed on their behalf by the prospective U.S. employer. Your application should provide documentation.
  3. Eligibility with a National Interest Waiver. The National Interest waiver takes the place of the Labor Certification requirement for the other applicants. National Interest Waiver applicants are claiming and must demonstrate that the U.S. would greatly benefit from their immigration and absorption into the U.S. economy. National Interest Waivers are self-petitioners and do not need to have prospective employment in order to apply for a permanent work visa. If you are granted a National Interest Waiver, you do not need to have labor certification. You can petition for a NIW as an entrepreneur.

If you are eligible for EB-2 status visa in the second or third eligibility category, you must meet at least 3 of the following criteria:

  • documents demonstrating educational attainment, including academic records, certificates, etc.
  • documentation of at least 10 years full-time relevant professional experience
  • a professional license or certificate qualifying you to practice your trained profession
  • evidence that your professional experience was salaried, paid work
  • commendations of skill or experience from peers, associations, or the government
  •  membership (or past membership) in professional associations in your field of work

For the EB-2 status visa, your family can also apply to travel with you as permanent residents with EB-2 status. Qualifying family are spouses and unmarried children under 18 years old.

For more information and help with getting a visa, contact immigration attorney Phillip Kim.

ByStaff

Where to Apply For a Visa if You Have Been Removed, Deported, or Living Undocumented: The I-212 Waiver For Ineligible Immigrants

The I-212 Waiver can be used to let you re-enter the U.S. if you are currently ineligible to do so. Immigration law says that previous removals from the U.S., including at a port of entry or unlawful living in the U.S. makes visa applicants ineligible to re-enter the U.S. and ineligible to re-apply for a new immigrant (permanent, resident) visa. The I-212 can be used to waive your ineligibility regardless of previous removal history or history of illegal presence in the U.S.

If you were turned away at a U.S. port of entry but were not under formal removal proceedings, you do not need to file this form in order to re-apply for your visa. Likewise, if you have been deported previously but have waited the necessary amount of years before re-applying, you do not need to file this form. Applicants seeking non-immigrant visas, border crossing cards, T or U visas, and applicants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) do not need to file this form unless they need special consent for readmission. You should file the I-212 if you are seeking an immigrant visa during a time of ineligibility or are currently ineligible for a non-immigrant visa.

The application for the ineligibility waiver is separate from your application for a visa and has some different procedures. Where you should file this form is different depending on your reason for ineligibility. There are 2 major groups of ineligibility covered by the I-212 waiver: previous removals and unlawful residence in the U.S. These 2 groups have different application procedures, so you should be clear on the grounds of your ineligibility before applying for readmission.

Ineligible applicants who have undergone removal proceedings should file the I-212 at the same time or after they apply for change of status to get their visa. If you are ineligible to readmission to the U.S. because you have been previously removed, you should file the I-212 before you return to the U.S. If your removal is active but pending, you should file the form before leaving the U.S. If you are still in the U.S., you should file your I-212 at the same U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office you file for change of status. Otherwise, file your I-212 at the office where your application is pending. For example, if you applied for your visa at the USCIS office in Ciudad Juarez and are currently residing outside the U.S., you should submit your waiver to the Ciudad Juarez office as well.

If you are currently in removal proceedings, file your waiver with the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR). The immigration court processing your removal will tell you which office to submit your I-212 waiver to and give you further or unique instructions for filing. You can file the I-212 if you are currently undergoing active removal.

If you have previously lived in the U.S. unlawfully, you must depart the U.S. before filing for readmission. There will most likely be a 10 year waiting period before you are granted readmission under the I-212 waiver.

Where you should file the I-212 visa is different. For applicants needing consent for readmission but who are applying for a non-immigrant visa, you should file your waiver with an office of the U.S. consulate. Similarly, you should file with the U.S. consulate if you are applying for an immigrant visa and are required to file the I-601 waiver at the time of your visa application. If you are not required to get a visa before entering the U.S. as a non-immigrant, you can get your border crossing card and file your waiver at the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol office at the site of entry processing your admission.

For more information and help with filing for a visa, contact immigration attorney Phillip Kim.

ByStaff

Want to Come to the U.S. as a Specialized Employee? If Your Company Has a Relationship with a U.S. Office, You May Qualify for L-1B Status!

L-1B classification is for intracompany employees that are transferred to the U.S. for specialized knowledge of a company. L-1B status is used by specialized knowledge employees that are transferred from a company in a foreign country to an affiliated company in the U.S. If an office is not open in the U.S., employees who have specialized knowledge about the company can be transferred to the U.S. to set up an office.

Are you eligible? For starters, the U.S. employer must meet certain qualifications. The employer must have a relationship with the foreign company. This relationship can be one of the following: branch or parent companies (the foreign company created the U.S. office or vice versa), sister companies, or affiliated organizations. Two distinct companies that have nothing to do with each other will not qualify. But a company that spread internationally or is related to another company is qualified.

Also, the employer must be doing business in the U.S. and in at least 1 other country. This business can be direct or through the use of an affiliate business (sort of like a middle-man) while the employee stays in the U.S. “Doing business” means actively producing or supplying good and services. Just the presence of employees or offices abroad does not mean that they are “doing business”.

As an employee, you must meet certain requirements as well. Before coming to the U.S., it must be true that you worked for one whole year, nonstop, in the affiliate company abroad. Nonstop means that you did not take prolonged breaks during that year. For example, if you work at “Company 1” for 5 months, and then work for “Company 2” for a couple months and eventually come back to “Company 1” for the last 7 months does not mean you qualify. The job had to have lasted for one whole, complete year. Certain breaks like vacation might be acceptable. Speak with an attorney for more specific information about your case. Also, the year of employment must have been done within 3 years before coming to the U.S.

If you are the employee, you must also plan to come to the U.S. to provide services to the company or affiliate company. The services you can provide must depend on your specialized knowledge.

What is Specialized Knowledge? As the employee, your knowledge must consist of knowing information about the company you plan to work for. You must have extensive knowledge of the organization’s services or products provided, research or equipment that is used by the company, or the organization’s special techniques or management, AND how this company information is applied to the international market. Or you must have expertise in the company’s procedures or what actions the company takes to reach certain goals. Overall, specialized knowledge is not common in the industry you belong to. You have to be a notch above “skilled”. You need to know more than what the company’s interests are.

If you are sent to set up a new office, you must provide evidence of the area where the office will be located. The area must be sufficiently reserved by you or your company. The employer must be financially able to pay you and start a business.

If you come to set up a new office, you can stay for an initial period of 1 year. If you come as a professional employee, you can stay for 3 years. For both groups, the stay can be extended by 2 years until you reach the maximum of 5 years.

Your family can come to the U.S. too! Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 years of age are eligible for L-2 status. If approved, they can stay for as long as you do. Is your family already here? They can apply for L-2 status with Form I-765 with a fee. Your spouse can apply for and get work authorization while they stay here.

***Don’t meet the criteria of affiliated company? You might still be eligible: If you will be working at an unaffiliated company, your employer has to show…
That you will not be supervised by the unaffiliated organization employer AND
That you will not be considered “labor for hire” for the U.S. company or organization

This is not a full article on L-1B classification. There are a lot of other facts to consider and sometimes exceptions can be made to individual cases. For more information about L-1B status and whether or not you are eligible, contact specialized Immigration Lawyer Phillip Kim today!

ByStaff

The I-212 Waiver: A Breakdown of the Waiver Application Process if You Have Been Previously Removed, Deported, or Living Undocumented

The I-212 Waiver can be used to let you re-enter the U.S. if you are currently ineligible to do so. Immigration law says that previous removals from the U.S., including at a port of entry, and unlawful living in the U.S. makes visa applicants ineligible to re-enter the U.S. and ineligible to re-apply for a new immigrant (permanent, resident) visa. The I-212 can be used to waive your ineligibility regardless of previous removal history or history of illegal presence in the U.S.

The I-212 should be filed at the same time or after any other forms necessary for your readmission. If you are applying for an immigrant visa, you should submit your waiver alongside your application for residence. If you are required to submit any other waivers for re-entry, you should file the I-212 at the same time and at the same office. Where you should file your forms will depend on the reason for your ineligibility and the type of visa you will be applying for. Make sure to check that you are applying with the correct office or department. Possible application destinations could be a local office of the U.S. Consulate, an office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the U.S. Border and Customs Patrol office, or an office of the U.S. Department of State. Whether or not you can file your waiver while also present in the U.S. will depend on the grounds of your ineligibility. If you have previously lived illegally in the U.S. and this is the reason for your waiver application, you must depart the U.S. before filing your waiver.
Once you know whether or not you need to file the I-212 and where you should be applying, you are ready to file your form. The I-212 will require in-depth writing in English explaining your previous migration history and other personal information. The I-212 waiver has a filing fee currently at $585 U.S. dollars. Take care to send your filing fee to the correct office, in the correct amount to avoid delays in processing your application. Applicants filing with the USCIS office should pay to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Some applicants may be eligible for a fee waiver, so see if you qualify to avoid the filing fee.

You will be required to submit documents along with your waiver. If your application is pending and being reviewed, the person in charge of reviewing your waiver may look at additional information, both positive and negative, associated with your re-entry to the U.S. You should submit as much documentation as possible with your waiver to strengthen your case for admission to the U.S. Any documents written in a language other than English should include a full English translation in order to be reviewed. You should also take care not to submit your original documents and submit only copies. Make sure to keep your original personal documents because you may need them later. When filing the I-212, you are required to submit copies of your immigration history and records of any previous removals, departures, or deportations. This is required of all waiver applicants.

You should also submit documentation that strengthens and proves any claims about your positive moral character, good community standing, need for U.S. medical treatment or social services, or any close ties to the U.S. You must also submit documentation about negative qualities that may play a factor in your admission to the U.S. Having no major negative factors on your application will be reviewed positively. You can also aim to demonstrate that denying your admission to the U.S. would cause extreme hardship to you or your family. The grounds for claiming extreme hardship can be broad but there are guidelines you should look into. Records that can demonstrate these factors can include police or criminal records, medical records, school records, employment history, official state documents such as birth or marriage certificates and so on. You can also submit documentation that would show poor conditions to which you or your family would be returned if your application was denied.

Overall, you should pay close attention to the correct filing method for the waiver. Only correctly filed and completed forms will be reviewed and only properly submitted documentation will be included in your case. Failing to properly file your I-212 waiver or any other forms will result in a significant delay in your application’s processing time.

For more information and help with filing for a visa, contact immigration attorney Phillip Kim.

ByStaff

Interested in J-1 agency? Learn More Here

J-1 visas are designed to increase social interactions between people of different countries. These visas enhance cultural values and education throughout the world. Specifically, J-1 visas allow foreigners to come to the U.S. with non-immigrant status as foreign exchange students, interns, trainees, or workers.

Every month, more than 150,000 people participate in the J-1 program. These Student Visas are amongst the most popular non-immigrant visas.

There are a variety of programs available to those seeking J-1 non-immigrant status. Agriculture, hospitality, business, communication, and engineering are just some of the programs that are available to people world-wide.

Some programs come with a salary and others don’t. It depends on the company or organization and what their specialty is. Time periods also vary from one organization to the next. While some companies sponsor students for up to 18 months, others keep workers or students for just the summer of a 6 month program.

J-1 exchange visitors need sponsorship from such organizations. There are a few different ways to secure sponsorship:

• Contact the company directly and they will assist you with what you need to do in order to get a position in their firm

• Contact a third part recruiting agency in your home country who will take your resume or qualifications and match you with a job or education opening in the U.S.

• Find a company that will hire you on your own and contact a sponsorship organization that will offer you a sponsorship if your suggested employer or university clears their required standards.

Companies often offer some advice about how to get a visa but this is not always the case. Furthermore, they do not go through the process step-by-step with you, leaving room for error in your application.

Specialized Immigration Attorneys will assist you in finding the right company and sponsor. They will also file your visa paperwork for you, so you can be sure that your request won’t be denied if you are eligible. Plus, Immigration Lawyers will work with you if you want or need to reapply for a visa or extend your status.

Immigration Attorney Phillip Kim has handles a variety of immigration cases. If you have any questions about J-1 Agency or how to apply for a J-1 visa, contact Attorney Phillip Kim right away!

ByStaff

The I-212 Waiver: A Breakdown of the Waiver Application Process if You Have Been Previously Removed, Deported, or Living Undocumented

The I-212 Waiver can be used to let you re-enter the U.S. if you are currently ineligible to do so. Immigration law says that previous removals from the U.S., including at a port of entry, and unlawful living in the U.S. makes visa applicants ineligible to re-enter the U.S. and ineligible to re-apply for a new immigrant (permanent, resident) visa. The I-212 can be used to waive your ineligibility regardless of previous removal history or history of illegal presence in the U.S.

The I-212 should be filed at the same time or after any other forms necessary for your readmission. If you are applying for an immigrant visa, you should submit your waiver alongside your application for residence. If you are required to submit any other waivers for re-entry, you should file the I-212 at the same time and at the same office. Where you should file your forms will depend on the reason for your ineligibility and the type of visa you will be applying for. Make sure to check that you are applying with the correct office or department.

Possible application destinations could be a local office of the U.S. Consulate, an office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the U.S. Border and Customs Patrol office, or an office of the U.S. Department of State. Whether or not you can file your waiver while also present in the U.S. will depend on the grounds of your ineligibility. If you have previously lived illegally in the U.S. and this is the reason for your waiver application, you must depart the U.S. before filing your waiver.
Once you know whether or not you need to file the I-212 and where you should be applying, you are ready to file your form.

The I-212 will require in-depth writing in English explaining your previous migration history and other personal information. The I-212 waiver has a filing fee currently at $585 U.S. dollars. Take care to send your filing fee to the correct office, in the correct amount to avoid delays in processing your application. Applicants filing with the USCIS office should pay to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Some applicants may be eligible for a fee waiver, so see if you qualify to avoid the filing fee.

You will be required to submit documents along with your waiver. If your application is pending and being reviewed, the person in charge of reviewing your waiver may look at additional information, both positive and negative, associated with your re-entry to the U.S. You should submit as much documentation as possible with your waiver to strengthen your case for admission to the U.S. Any documents written in a language other than English should include a full English translation in order to be reviewed. You should also take care not to submit your original documents and submit only copies. Make sure to keep your original personal documents because you may need them later. When filing the I-212, you are required to submit copies of your immigration history and records of any previous removals, departures, or deportations. This is required of all waiver applicants.

You should also submit documentation that strengthens and proves any claims about your positive moral character, good community standing, need for U.S. medical treatment or social services, or any close ties to the U.S. You must also submit documentation about negative qualities that may play a factor in your admission to the U.S. Having no major negative factors on your application will be reviewed positively. You can also aim to demonstrate that denying your admission to the U.S. would cause extreme hardship to you or your family. The grounds for claiming extreme hardship can be broad but there are guidelines you should look into.

Records that can demonstrate these factors can include police or criminal records, medical records, school records, employment history, official state documents such as birth or marriage certificates and so on. You can also submit documentation that would show poor conditions to which you or your family would be returned if your application was denied.

Overall, you should pay close attention to the correct filing method for the waiver. Only correctly filed and completed forms will be reviewed and only properly submitted documentation will be included in your case. Failing to properly file your I-212 waiver or any other forms will result in a significant delay in your application’s processing time.
For more information and help with filing for a visa, call immigration attorney Phillip Kim

ByStaff

The Fiancée Visa Application Process and How to Get Your Green Card as a Former Fiancé(e) Non-immigrant

If you are the fiancé of a U.S. citizen, you can apply for a visa in order to travel to the U.S. and perform your marriage ceremony. After your 90-day fiancée visa expires and you are married to a U.S. citizen, you can apply for a change of status to become a permanent resident with a green card.

The application process has a few steps you can follow below:

1. The U.S. citizen partner should file a petition for fiancée non-immigrant. This form has a filing fee of $340 and will require you to submit documentation of your relationship with your partner, documentation of the petitioner’s citizenship status, family-based immigration forms, biographic information, and any past immigration history. Applicants who have petitioned for 2 or more K-1 visas in the past must file for a waiver in order to be eligible to apply for any additional fiancé visas. You should file this form with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services lockbox in Dallas. Take care to address your application, completely fully and correctly, to the correct location. The fiancé visa application cannot be processed at local USCIS offices abroad or in the U.S. Failure to submit your petition to the correct destination may result in a long delay in your review process.

2. After your fiancé visa is approved, travel to the U.S. and perform your marriage ceremony as soon as possible to avoid violating any immigration laws. Your fiancé visa is only active for a duration of 90 days. After this period the visa will expire and you will be required to depart the U.S. if you are still unmarried. If you remain present in the U.S. on an expired visa you may prompt removal or deportation proceedings which can negatively affect your chances to immigrate in the future.

3. After travelling to the U.S., the immigrant party is eligible to apply for employment authorization. The citizen partner does not need to petition for employment authorization on behalf of the immigrant. If you have K-1 non-immigrant status and want to work, you can file this form with USCIS. There is a filing fee of $380.

4. After you and your spouse are married, the immigrant spouse can file for a change of status to conditional permanent resident. In order to be granted resident status there must be a visa readily available to you. At first, your green card will be on a conditional basis, which means it does have an expiration date. You should file separately for your immigrant children. Each application for change of status has a filing fee of $985. After your petition for residence in approved, you can live legally in the U.S.

5. You can file a waiver to have the conditions taken off of your green card and have your permanent resident status instated. If you do not choose to waive the conditions to your residence, it may expire or be limited. While living on a conditional green card, you should look into immigration law to ensure you do not violate the conditions of your residence. Any conditional resident children can be included on the main applicant’s waiver for unconditional residence.

For more information and help with getting a visa or green card, contact immigration attorney Phillip Kim.

ByStaff

Beware of Imitation Immigration Help Sites

 

The Internet provides people worldwide with much needed information and services. When it comes to immigration law, there is no shortage of websites that seem to offer harmless help.

In actuality, some sites are owned by unqualified, private businesses that seek to make a profit from unexpected users. Unlike our web services, some websites provide forms and claim that the cost of filing forms is much more expensive than it already is.

Immigration websites that provide forms and paperwork, but do not end in .gov may not be trustworthy sources. Some sites ask you to pay a fee, but it may not be the fee required by USCIS. So while you are paying for immigration services, the payment is not going to USCIS. Instead it is going to a personal business that is not legally qualified to provide you with information. Additionally, sites might offer incorrect or dated information about immigration processes. This will delay your case and may even result in a denial of your request for a visa or other document.

Particularly, we want our readers to take caution when websites claim to be “official” government sites. Often, these sites attempt to secure payments as “legal fees”. These sites may even gain your trust by charging an amount that USCIS would normally charge for the filing of a certain form. Whenever you are unsure about a website and the services it offers, contact an immigration attorney to ensure that you are on the right track.

When you use fraudulent websites to file claims and seek information about the legal process, you are jeopardizing your chance at being granted U.S. citizenship. Immigration has a lot to do with good timing – you have to apply for certain documents at the right time and if you miss a deadline, you may have missed your chance at becoming a legal resident of the United States (for example, once you have passed the age of 21, applying for a green card through a family member becomes a far lengthier process and sometimes impossible). When time is of the essence, it is very important to make sure that every step of the application process is reviewed by an attorney who has been authorized by the state bar.

While online sites may seem helpful and accommodating, when you are facing an issue as serious as deportation or family immigration, you do not want to make the mistake of trusting sites that are run by unqualified personnel. This blog is designed to give you accurate, up-to-date immigration information.

Rather than risk the use of imitation immigration sites, contact Attorney Phillip Kim for up-to-date and reliable information about immigration laws and reforms!

ByStaff

H-1B Visa: Annual Cap and Forms

While you may qualify for an H-1B visa, it is not guaranteed that you will be granted a visa. Other factors must be taken into consideration like the H-1B cap. Every fiscal year, 65,000 H-IB visas are granted to workers. If you have an advanced degree, higher than a Bachelor’s, then you may be exempt from the cap. Also, extra visas are set aside every year for workers from Chile and Singapore. Otherwise, your application may be rejected due to the limit per year. Contact an immigration attorney for more information about the fiscal year cap and whether or not you qualify for an H-1B visa.

 
When filing your petition, you need to ensure that all parts of your application are completed and submitted properly. Form I-129 must be completed and sent along with a check or money order for the filing fee. Along with the petition, make sure you send in all evidence and necessary documents. If not, confusion will result in a late response from USCIS or your petition might even be rejected. If you fail to complete the form entirely, you will be denied a visa. Other documents must also be submitted like the Labor Condition Application and evidence of your educational background like a final transcript or letter from the Registrar. If you’re applying on the basis of sufficient experience, you will need evidence of this as well.

 
Several forms must be filed in addition to the I-129. An H Classification Supplement to the form must be submitted and an H-1B Data Collection and Filing Fee Exemption Supplement. You must also organize the paperwork including a Table of Contents.

 
In terms of filing fees, it is the employer’s responsibility to pay for the forms that will be filed with USCIS. In some cases, arrangements are made between the worker and employer to determine who will pay for the I-120 petition and additional fees that are associated with it. Speak with your employer for more information and to reach an agreement on who will pay the final fees.

 
Applying for an H-1B visa can be complicated process. To avoid making any mistakes on your application, contact a specialized immigration lawyer who will make your case his top priority.
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the H-1B visa, contact Specialized Immigration Attorney Phillip Kim.