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How to Apply for a Work Permit under New Immigration Law

The Obama Administration’s latest new immigration law could benefit many immigrants.

Effective June 15th, 2012, President Obama’s new immigration law will do two things for young immigrants: prevent deportation and grant work permits.

The Obama Administration decided it was time to address the needs of thousands of struggling, young immigrants. Many of these immigrants were brought the United States at a young age and have significant ties to this country – some have lived here since they were children and only speak English. The new law is meant to provide these immigrants with a solution that would prevent them from being deported and would also allow them to work legally in the U.S.

The law is tailored for immigrants who are currently under the age of 30. The immigrant must prove that he is not a threat to the country. Good moral character will also be taken into account. This means that if the immigrant has a history of crime or criminal offenses, he may be denied under this new law.

The new law is meant for young immigrants who came to the U.S. under the age of 16. As minors, these immigrants had no choice in coming to this country. Now that they are here, they should be allowed to stay and get work legally.

Finally, the last requirements under this law are that the immigrant is currently in school or has graduated from high school. If you have received some form of a G.E.D., then that would be acceptable as well. You must also have been living in the U.S. since 2007. If you left at any time within the past 5 years or are currently NOT in the U.S., then you might not be eligible to apply under this law.

Even though you meet these minimum requirements, you may not be eligible for the benefits of this new law. For example, documents must be submitted as proof or evidence that you meet the requirements. If you fail to provide the government with proper documents, your case may be denied.

Furthermore, there may be more requirements for specific cases. A certain criminal offense might still mean that you are eligible for some protection under this law, while other offenses will bar you from benefits altogether.

For these reasons, it is important to discuss your options with a specialized immigration lawyer. Contact Attorney Phillip Kim for more information about Obama’s new law and how it will affect you.

Phillip Kim, esq.
Phillip Kim Law Center

Fresno Office
(559) 448-8500
PhillipKimLaw.com

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Working in the US Without Your Papers? This Legislative Bill May Help You

Led by Congressman Felipe Fuentes (D-Los Angeles), The California Opportunity and Prosperity Act (COPA) is a law that focuses on making California a stronger, wealthier nation with less illegal immigration issues.

COPA would do two things for illegal immigrants:

  1. 1. They would be allowed to work in California legally (even though they may not have their papers)
  2. They would not be given harsh punishment if they are caught by federal officers (some immigrants will be placed on the bottom of the “deportation list”, other immigrants could be forgiven and might avoid deportation altogether)

COPA is called a prosperity act because, if immigrants are allowed to legally work in the California, it is possible that the state will gain $325 millions of dollars per year.

Registering some immigrants that are currently working will mean that there are more tax dollars entering California’s budget. The money we would gain from these immigrants would help fund safety and educational programs in California.

Currently, immigrants are usually detained right away and forced to sign papers that guarantee their deportation. Under COPA, immigrants will be given time to get their papers together if they are ever caught by federal officials.

COPA would only apply to certain qualifying immigrants in California. In order to qualify, you must meet the following requirements:

  1.  You must be paying state taxes and have an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
  2. You must have NO felonies (NO convictions for felonies either)
  3. If you are a suspected terrorist, you do not qualify
  4. You must know English, or at least be learning it
  5. You must pay a fee and provide a photo of yourself
  6. You must have NO public charges against you
  7. You must have lived here since before Janurary 1, 2008

There is much heated debate about COPA. It was defeated 15 times in Washington D.C. because of political fights between Republicans and Democrats. That’s why it is now a Californian bill.

Some say that this Act should be passed because states have a right to determine their immigration policy. Others disagree and want to leave it up to the federal government.

There are also possible drawbacks of this bill. What if the 2013 California administration is more conservative than the one we have right now? If used the wrong way, this bill could be used as a tool to root out illegal immigrants and register their names in the system. It would become much easier to find and convict immigrants if they willingly sign themselves up as undocumented immigrants.

Of course, if the bill is used for purposes it was meant for, it could mean a sigh of relief for almost 1 million undocumented immigrants in California.

We will keep you updated about the progress of this bill. As on now, the bill needs more than 500,000 signatures to appear on the ballot.

To learn more about COPA, please visit the official website, here.

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Working in the U.S. Without a Green Card? Learn How to Apply for One

There are many ways to obtain a green card as a worker. Some of the categories that may be approved for a worker’s green card are: offer of permanent employment, entrepreneurship, investment, special or particular skills. There are also certain fields of work currently allowing green card applications as workers. If you have a job offer for permanent work, you can apply for your green card from both inside and outside the U.S. but the procedure does differ.

If you are living in the U.S., you must first submit a petition for status as an immigrant worker. After your petition there is a waiting period for a visa. After your visa becomes available, you can apply for your green card as a permanent worker. Your ability to prove your eligibility as a permanent worker with a job offer will aid in the green card process.

If you are not yet living in the United States, submit your petition as a worker from your country of origin. After your application is submitted, there will be a waiting period for an available visa. Once your visa is approved, you may travel to the U.S. for residence.

For more information on obtaining a green card, contact immigration attorney Phillip Kim.

(559) 761-9472

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Related to a U.S. Citizen? Learn How to Get a Green Card!

There are multiple ways to get a green card as a relative of a U.S. citizen. As the spouse, unmarried child, or parent of an adult citizen (over 21 years old) you qualify as an immediate relative. Green cards for immediate relatives are unlimited, so there is no waiting for a visa as an immediate family member. Receiving a green card will allow you to live and work in the U.S. as a permanent resident.

If you are already in the United States, to receive a green card, you will file need to file for permanent residence. Second, you will petition for your status as an immediate relative of a citizen. For immediate relatives of U.S., these two steps can be done at the same time or you can submit your petition and then file for residence.

If you are not yet living in the U.S., you must submit your petition for residence as a family member of a citizen first. After your petition is submitted, there is a waiting period for a visa to allow you to travel to the U.S. This process is the same for immediate and non-immediate family members of citizens.

Your status as a child will most likely be counted from the date of your petition, and that to keep the status of child you must be 21 years old or younger. Also, children under 21 must be unmarried through the green card process in order to count as immediate relatives. If you are the married child of a U.S. citizen you do not count as an immediate relative, but can still petition for residence as a family member of a U.S. citizen.

For more information and help with getting a green card, contact attorney Phillip Kim in Fresno, California.

(559) 761-9742

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Getting a Green Card: Who Qualifies For the LIFE Act?

The Legal Immigration Family Equity (LIFE) Act allows some people to change their status to permanent resident even if they would not be otherwise eligible. Protection under the LIFE Act is called Section 245 adjustment of status and it might be able to help you get a green card.

To get a green card under the LIFE act, someone needs to have petitioned for you as an alien worker or relative or have a labor certification filed before April 30, 2001. If you have one of these petitions in your name, you may qualify for a green card through the LIFE act. Section 245 needs you to have a visa readily available to you, so file your form when one becomes available. If you have a visa available and the proper certification (listed above) the LIFE Act can provide permanent residence regardless of unlawful presence in the U.S., working illegally in the U.S., or leaving the U.S. during your stay, which disrupts your continuous stay. This means you can file for Section 245 residence under the LIFE Act if you are currently present in the U.S. unlawfully or have been working without a permanent work visa.

In order to receive a green card under section 245, you must be admissible to the U.S. This means you should be careful not to trigger inadmissibility. For example, you should not depart the country after unlawful stay in the U.S. because you will be barred from re-entry. Look into INA law for instructions on avoiding inadmissibility.

Children and spouses of section 245 green card holders may also be offered protection from removal if they have been living in the U.S. and can be granted employment lawfully under your LIFE Act residence card.

You should check the dates that section 245 requires you or your family to have been in the U.S. because they are often changing. Always be careful to file the most current forms with the most current information to avoid delays in your application process.

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

(559) 761-9742

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Are You a Mexican Professional Worker? Learn How to Apply for a TN NAFTA Visa

 

The TN NAFTA visa is meant for professional workers from Mexico and Canada. This visa allows Mexican citizens to come to the U.S. and work for at a professional job that meets NAFTA requirements. To learn more about those requirements, see our past articles.

You must have a TN NAFTA visa before entering the U.S.

The process of applying involves proving that your employment is on par with NAFTA requirements. Required documents are: Form DS-160 (Nonimmigrant Visa Application, $140), a valid passport, a 2×2 photo of you, and a letter or statement from your boss or future employer in the U.S. This letter should outline the following information: facts about your profession (stating that the profession requires someone with professional ability), evidence that you will be hired (how the employer will pay your salary, full time or part time), and a detailed statement, letter, or contract that explains the business activities that your employer will provide.

This letter or contract will explain why you are entering the U.S. and your new job with the U.S. employer. The employer should also describe how long you plan to stay in the U.S. for, as well as your educational background and qualifications that show your status as a professional worker. Your employer must also explain that he or she complies with state law and DHS regulations that concern the business or place of employment. The employer should explain how he or she is going to pay your salary.

If you choose to bring your family with you, they will need to submit paperwork as well. Your spouse and any children under the age of 21 can join you in the United States. First and foremost, they must prove their relationship to you. They must also provide proof of their citizenship in Mexico and copies of your entry documents (in other words, the family must show that the TN NAFTA visa holder is obeying legal requirements). Also, the family does not have to have Mexican citizenship. They can be citizens of another country.
Your family will be allowed to study but not work. If you are already in the United States and want your family to join you, they will need copies of your I-94 papers (Arrival-Departure Record) to show that you are still maintaining your status.

Basically, all of this means that you must establish that the job you will be employed for is a legitimate one that belongs to a NAFTA list category. You have to show that your intended stay is only temporary (show that you have a stable home in Mexico). Your employer has to demonstrate that you, the applicant, meet all the minimum degree requirements for the job you are going to take. Degrees, diplomas, educational certificates, and professional licenses or membership to professional organizations are all examples of your educational status.

You should translate documents that are written in Spanish. And include validation of your documents by a credible outside source – there are some companies that offer professional validation of documents. You may need to contact one of these agencies.
Also show your work experience or business records if you were self-employed. All of these documents will help demonstrate that you are coming to the U.S. to work in a special field. One note: you do NOT need to prove that you are licensed to work in a certain field.

Every state has different laws relating to this issue. If you want to learn more, contact Immigration Attorney Phillip Kim. He has expertise in immigration law and can help you determine if the NAFTA Visa is the right type of visa for you.

(559) 761-9742

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How to Get an E-2 Visa as the Employee of a New Investor

The E-2 visa for foreign investors is designed to promote investment in U.S. companies for people not looking to immigrate permanently. If your employer is in the U.S. on an E-2 “treaty investors” visa, you may also be eligible to travel on an E-2 visa for work in a new business enterprise or U.S. investment.

Your employer must already be a foreign investor with E-2 status living on a treaty investors visa in order for you, the employee, to also qualify for the E-2 visa. If you are looking to work in the U.S. but do not qualify for the E-2 visa, you may be eligible for other visas. Further, the E-2 visa is a non-immigrant, temporary visa. If you are looking to become a permanent resident of the U.S., look into information on the green card process.

To qualify for the E-2 visa, you need to be the same nationality as the employer who holds E-2 status. Your position in the enterprise should either hold some seniority or your skills should be considered irreplaceable to the firm. Things to keep in mind about this requirement can be whether or not you will be performing a unique or individual skill in the job, whether or not these skills are found elsewhere in the U.S., and whether or not your skills will garner a compensating wage.

If you think you are eligible for the E-2 visa, you can file for status as the employee of an investor. If you are not currently in the U.S., you should contact the state department for your visa and petition for E-2 status when you enter the country.

The E-2 visa lasts for an initial period of 2 years. If your skills are still necessary and your investor employer extends his or her stay in the country to grow the investment, your E-2 employee visa can also be extended. However, you should remember that skills considered necessary at one time may not be considered so at a later time. This means that there is no guarantee that you will be able to extend your E-2 visa performing the same job duties that got you that visa originally. The E-2 visa does allow for travel abroad and you are generally granted your 2 year stay upon returning to the country.

For more information and help about getting a visa, contact Immigration Attorney Phillip Kim.

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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.

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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.

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The EB-1 Visa for Permanent Workers

The EB category of visas is intended for workers wanting permanent residence in the U.S. One preference category of the EB visas is the EB-1 for applicants with extraordinary academic ability, outstanding professorial reputation, or managers and executives of multinational companies.

If you are applying for the EB-1 visa in the “extraordinary ability” category, it is not necessary to have a job offer in order to be granted your visa. However, you should have full documentation of your commendations in the arts, sciences, business or sports. In order to be eligible to get an EB-1 permanent visa with outstanding ability, you must meet at least 3 of the following criteria:

  • evidence of national or international prizes or awards
  • membership in selective or exclusive professional associations for highly qualified members
  • published material in relevant publications and well-known media
  • history or prospect of judging the work of others in your field
  • evidence of your major contributions to your field of work
  • commercial success or fame
  • history of a leading role in professional organizations
  • high salary or other significant compensation for your services in your field of work.
  • performance or participation in showcases or exhibitions

Applicants who have received a significant award, such as the Nobel Prize or Pulitzer, do not need to have meet the above criteria but must provide evidence of their winning.

Applicants applying for EB-1 preference visa for professors or researchers are required to have an offer of employment before applying for permission to immigrate with a work visa. The EB-1 for professors and researchers also requires at least 3 years of professional scholarly experience. In addition, applicants need to meet 2 of the following criteria in order to be eligible to apply:

  • receiving major prizes in the field of work
  • membership in professional associations requiring excellence and exclusivity
  • published materials by others about or in response to your work
  • authoring published works in the field
  • judging or commenting on (ex: working as a judging panelist) the work of others in the field.
  • evidence of significant contributions to your field

International executives or managers need to have been working their position for at least 3 years. In order to immigrate as a manager or executive, you need to have worked at the same company that will be employing you in the U.S. for at least the past year from abroad. You cannot have been working in that position in the U.S. prior to applying.

If you qualify for the EB-1 preference category for permanent work visas, you will need to file a petition for alien worker. If you are applying as an “extraordinary ability” applicant you can petition for your visa yourself. Professors, researchers, managers, and executives must have their U.S. based employer petition for their admittance on their behalf. This petition has a $580 filing fee and can be filed by sending your application to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services lockbox in Dallas.

Once you file this petition and a visa becomes available to you, you can also file your petition for permanent residence. This form, called the “change of status” form, will update your visa to that of permanent resident and you can then get your green card.

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

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Testimonials


"My family member recommended Attorney Phillip Kim. My whole experience with Attorney Kim's office was pleasant. Attorney Kim was thorough in preparing my case and assured me answering all of my questions throughout the process. I got my Green Card in a little over 3 months from filing and the entire process took less than one year. I would definitely recommend Attorney Phillip Kim to anyone who wants to fix their immigration status." Gina & Edgar from the Central Valley

"Amazing service. Great communication. My case was approved a little over three months. I have been recommending Mr. Kim to my family and friends." Alexa & Abraham from the Central Valley
"I am a DENTIST busy managing two offices and hired Attorney Kim recently. Alex Denes, DDS, PhD. Mr. Phillip Kim is a very knowledgeable and efficient immigration attorney. I was extremely pleased on how he handled the immigration of my father-in-law. His office staff is courteous and always returned my calls and email inquiries in a timely fashion. His Fresno office is very clean and he has extremely good knowledge of the US immigration law. I felt very safe having him handle our case. I am confident that you will not benefit of the same level of professionalism elsewhere. I am a busy professional, dentist with 2 offices and time and efficiency matters more. All that said, I found his fees to be extremely reasonable relative to the kind of service that he provides. I congratulate him on his knowledge and dedication as well as I congratulate his office staff for their professionalism. Dr. Alex Denes, DDS, PhD."
“I am a REGISTERED NURSE and My father just went through very lengthy difficult deportation proceedings. We hired our first lawyer, who lost our case. That’s when we hired Attorney Kim, who appealed and took our case to San Francisco Immigration Court. He attended our hearings in Court and finally won our case. My father now has a Green Card. If you have a Deportation Case or are about to be deported, please call me. I will tell you how Attorney Kim helped my father with his Deportation case. My Cell # is (559) 802-7124.” – by Nalleli Medina, RN; Tulare, CA.
"I am an ENGINEER. Attorney Kim helped me and my wife realize our American dream of staying together in the US by getting my wife a Green Card. It took less than three months. Please call my cell. (559) 978-9497 or home at (559) 297-4040. I will tell you more about Attorney Kim's practice." - by Leo HISUGAN & Marites HISUGAN; Fresno, CA.
“My green card application was denied. Attorney Kim appealed for me and attended the interview with me. It was approved at the interview. Please call me if you want to ask me about Attorney Kim’s work. (209) 534-7112.” – by Molly Harrington; Los Angeles, CA"
“I am a REGISTERED NURSE. We got our Green Card approved in less than three months. Everything went very well smoothly. Thank You. We highly recommend Attorney Kim. Please call us at (559) 475-0155. We will tell you more about our experience with Attorney Kim’s firm.” – by Raul TABADA, RN and Family; Fresno, CA.

 

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Testimonials

"I am a DENTIST busy managing two offices and hired Attorney Kim recently. Alex Denes, DDS, PhD. Mr. Phillip Kim is a very knowledgeable and efficient immigration attorney. I was extremely pleased on how he handled the immigration of my father-in-law. His office staff is courteous and always returned my calls and email inquiries in a timely fashion. His Fresno office is very clean and he has extremely good knowledge of the US immigration law. I felt very safe having him handle our case. I am confident that you will not benefit of the same level of professionalism elsewhere. I am a busy professional, dentist with 2 offices and time and efficiency matters more. All that said, I found his fees to be extremely reasonable relative to the kind of service that he provides. I congratulate him on his knowledge and dedication as well as I congratulate his office staff for their professionalism. Dr. Alex Denes, DDS, PhD."
“I am a REGISTERED NURSE and My father just went through very lengthy difficult deportation proceedings. We hired our first lawyer, who lost our case. That’s when we hired Attorney Kim, who appealed and took our case to San Francisco Immigration Court. He attended our hearings in Court and finally won our case. My father now has a Green Card. If you have a Deportation Case or are about to be deported, please call me. I will tell you how Attorney Kim helped my father with his Deportation case. My Cell # is (559) 802-7124.” – by Nalleli Medina, RN; Tulare, CA.
"Attorney Kim helped me and my wife realize our American dream of staying together in the US by getting my wife a Green Card. It took less than three months. Please call my cell. (559) 978-9497 or home at (559) 297-4040. I will tell you more about Attorney Kim's practice." - by Leo HISUGAN & Marites HISUGAN; Fresno, CA.
“My green card application was denied. Attorney Kim appealed for me and attended the interview with me. It was approved at the interview. Please call me if you want to ask me about Attorney Kim’s work. (209) 534-7112.” – by Molly Harrington; Los Angeles, CA"
“We got our Green Card approved in less than three months. Everything went very well smoothly. Thank You. We highly recommend Attorney Kim. Please call us at (559) 475-0155. We will tell you more about our experience with Attorney Kim’s firm.” – by Raul TABADA and Family; Fresno, CA.
“I hired two other lawyers before Mr. Kim. They could not do it. It was denied. Finally, my third attorney, Mr. Kim helped me to get my green card even after my husband died. Please call me at (559) 283-5636. (ask for Reagan). We will tell you more about how Mr. Kim helped us.” – by Sochinda Nguon & Reagan; Fresno, CA"

 

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