Tag Archive Visa

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

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

ByStaff

The H-1B Visa: Are You Eligible?

Certain jobs are eligible for a temporary visa. The H1-B visa limits your stay in the U.S. to 3 years. If you are looking to stay in the U.S. for work long term, you should look into a visa that will transition into a green card for permanent residence. For temporary work, you might be eligible for the H1-B visa.

The H1-B has 2 levels of eligibility, some for the prospective job and others for you, the prospective worker. The job must require at least a bachelor’s degree. If the job does not require a BA or above, it should usually require a degree or entail specialized skills associated with a degree. To qualify to accept an eligible job and receive a visa to work, you should have education or training relevant to the job, a college education, or the foreign equivalent to a degree. You should also have an unrestricted license in your home country.

The H1-B visa is also meant to include researchers or development workers entering to work on a project with the U.S. Department of the Defense. Under this category, your employer does not need to apply for your visa.

Fashion models are also eligible for the H1-B visa if he or she is considered well known or highly regarded in the field.

To apply for the H1-B visa, your employer will need to apply for your certification and petition for your visa. Then, you should apply for your temporary work visa. If you are not living in the U.S., you can apply for your visa with the U.S. Department of State or with your U.S. Embassy.

There is a limit to the number of work visas given every year, so you are not guaranteed a workers visa. There may also be a waiting period for your visa to be approved even after your application has been accepted. This could mean that you will be guaranteed a visa but have to wait before there is one available for your travel.

For more help about 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

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 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

Getting a Green Card: Do You Qualify 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. For more information on being granted a visa before changing your status to resident, see our other posts or see U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services . 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

ByPhillip Kim

Temporary (Nonimmigrant) Workers in the United States

In order for you to come to the United States lawfully as a nonimmigrant to work

temporarily in the United States your prospective employer must generally file a

nonimmigrant petition on your behalf with USCIS1. The main nonimmigrant temporary worker classifications are listed in the table below. For more information about the filing

requirements for particular nonimmigrant classifications, Please Contact:
Fresno Immigration Attorney Phillip Kim
(559) 761-9742
https://phillipkimlaw.com/

Spouses and Children Seeking Dependent Nonimmigrant Classification

Spouses and children who qualify for dependant nonimmigrant classification of a temporary

worker and who are outside of the United States should apply directly at a U.S. consulate

for a visa.
Application to Extend/Change

Nonimmigrant Status.

Temporary (Nonimmigrant) Worker Classification

● E-1
Treaty traders and qualified employees.
Nonimmigrant Classification for Dependant Spouses and Children of a Temporary Worker ;

E-1(3)

● E-3
Certain “specialty occupation” professionals from Australia.
Nonimmigrant Classification for Dependant Spouses and Children of a Temporary Worker ;

E-3(3)

● H-1B
Workers in a speciality occupation and the following sub-classifications:

H-1B1 – Free Trade Agreement workers in a specialty occupation from Chile and Singapore.
H-1B2 – Specialty occupations related to Department of Defense Cooperative Research

and Development projects or Co-production projects.
H-1B3 – Fashion models of distinguished merit and ability.
Nonimmigrant Classification for Dependant Spouses and Children of a Temporary Worker ;

H-4

● H-1C(2)
Registered nurses working in a health professional shortage area as determined by the

U.S. Department of Labor.
Nonimmigrant Classification for Dependant Spouses and Children of a Temporary Worker ;

H-4

● H-2A
Temporary or seasonal agricultural workers.
Nonimmigrant Classification for Dependant Spouses and Children of a Temporary Worker ;

H-4

● H-3
Trainees other than medical or academic. This classification also applies to practical

training in the education of handicapped children.
Nonimmigrant Classification for Dependant Spouses and Children of a Temporary Worker ;

H-4

● I
Representatives of foreign press, radio, film or other foreign information media.
Nonimmigrant Classification for Dependant Spouses and Children of a Temporary Worker ;

I

● L-1A
Intracompany transferees in managerial or executive positions.
Nonimmigrant Classification for Dependant Spouses and Children of a Temporary Worker ;

L-2(3)

● L-1B
Intracompany transferees in positions utilizing specialized knowledge.
Nonimmigrant Classification for Dependant Spouses and Children of a Temporary Worker ;

L-2(3)

● O-1
Persons with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics and

motion picture or TV production.
Nonimmigrant Classification for Dependant Spouses and Children of a Temporary Worker ;

O-3

● O-2
Persons accompanying solely to assist an O-1 nonimmigrant.
Nonimmigrant Classification for Dependant Spouses and Children of a Temporary Worker ;

O-3

● P-1A
Internationally recognized athletes.
Nonimmigrant Classification for Dependant Spouses and Children of a Temporary Worker ;

P-4

● P-1B
Internationally recognized entertainers or members of internationally recognized

entertainment groups.
Nonimmigrant Classification for Dependant Spouses and Children of a Temporary Worker ;

P-4

● P-2
Individual performer or part of a group entering to perform under a reciprocal exchange

program.
Nonimmigrant Classification for Dependant Spouses and Children of a Temporary Worker ;

P-4

● P-3
Artists or entertainers, either an individual or group, to perform, teach, or coach under a

program that is culturally unique.
Nonimmigrant Classification for Dependant Spouses and Children of a Temporary Worker

; P-4

● Q-1
Persons participating in an international cultural exchange program for the purpose of

providing practical training, employment, and to share the history, culture, and traditions of

the alien’s home country.
Nonimmigrant Classification for Dependant Spouses and Children of a Temporary Worker ;

Not Applicable(4)

● R-1
Religious workers.
Nonimmigrant Classification for Dependant Spouses and Children of a Temporary Worker

; R-2

● TN
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) temporary professionals from Mexico and

Canada.
Nonimmigrant Classification for Dependant Spouses and Children of a Temporary Worker ;

TD

1. Only a few nonimmigrant classifications allow you to obtain permission work in this

country without an employer having first filed a petition on your behalf. Such classifications

include the nonimmigrant E-1, E-2, E-3 and TN classifications, as well as, in certain

instances, the F-1 and M-1 student and J-1 exchange visitor classifications.

2. The H-1C nonimmigrant classification is scheduled to expire on December 20, 2009.

3. E and L dependent spouses may apply for employment authorization.

4. Though the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) does not provide a specific

nonimmigrant classification for dependents of Q-1 nonimmigrants, this does not preclude

the spouse or child of a Q-1 from entering the U.S. in another nonimmigrant classification.

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

ByPhillip Kim

How to Get a GREEN CARD thru Family in Fresno California

Getting a green card through family in Fresno is one of the most common ways to get a green card in California. This video explains how to get a green card in Fresno through a family member such as a procedure, types of documents to submit, and what to expect in the process.

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.