Articles Posted in Family Visas

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In this segment, attorney Jacob J. Sapochnick answers one of your most frequently asked questions: My husband is a green card holder and I am an F-1 student. Can I stop school, stay, and work in the United States? For the answer to this question please keep watching. For more information about filing an I-130 as a green card holder, please click here.

Overview: 

If I marry a permanent resident in the US, without any other visa, can I now stay, live, and work in the United States?

Unfortunately, you cannot live and stay in the United States, without any other visa, even if your husband is a legal permanent resident (LPR), who is planning to file Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative on your behalf. The fact that your LPR spouse is going to file the I-130 petition on your behalf, is NOT going to allow you to stay in the United States on that basis alone. This is because, for permanent residents, spousal visas are subject to a numerical limitation.  Once the I-130 petition is filed, the immigrant spouse must wait until their priority date becomes current according to the visa bulletin. Once the petitioner becomes a US Citizen, a spouse visa then becomes immediately available. While their priority date becomes current, the immigrant spouse should remain in the United States in a different visa category, which in this situation would be in student visa status.

For more information please contact our office for a consultation.

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In this segment, attorney Jacob J. Sapochnick discusses the marriage based green card process for persons who entered the United States legally. To learn more about adjustment of status within the United States please click here. For information about employment-based green cards click here.

Overview:

  • The process discussed is only for persons who entered the United States legally (those who were legally inspected through a United States port of entry);
  • If you did not enter the United States legally but are married to a United States citizen, you may qualify for a waiver if you have acquired only unlawful presence in the United States;
  • The US Citizen spouse and the intending immigrant must be legally free to marry. Pending dissolution proceedings in a foreign country will present a problem;
  • Both parties must reside in the United States in order to file for adjustment of status;
  • Once the civil marriage takes place, the USC spouse and intending immigrant must file several forms with CIS along with supporting documents (I-130, I-485, I-864, G-325A, etc.);
  • The intending immigrant will NOT be able to travel internationally until they are issued an advance parole by filing form I-131 with CIS. It takes approximately 90 days for an advance parole document to be issued from the receipt date of the I-131;
  • The intending immigrant will receive conditional permanent residence status if the marriage was less than 2 years old on the day they were given permanent residence;
  • If you have received conditional permanent residence status, you must remove the conditions within the 90 day window immediately before your permanent resident status expires;

For more information about the removal of conditions process please click here. For a consultation please contact us.

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In this segment, attorney Jacob J. Sapochnick discusses common reasons for green card denials. To read more about family-based green cards please click here. For information about employment-based green cards click here.

Overview:

There are generally two ways to apply for a permanent resident green card 1. through a qualifying family relationship and 2. through employment. Please note that special categories of green card applicants exist beyond these two options including obtaining a green card through 245i, the diversity immigrant visa program , the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), Asylum, and based on a U visa.

There are several reasons a green card application may be denied which may include, but is not limited to the following: health, criminal, and security related issues, failure to demonstrate that the applicant will not become a public charge, failure to respond to a request for evidence by the required deadline, prior immigration violations, inability to meet the requirements for a green card, and not showing up to required immigration appointments.

If your green card application has been denied, you may be able to rescue your application by filing a motion to reopen. To assess your specific case please contact us for a consultation.

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In this segment, attorney Jacob J. Sapochnick answers one of your most frequently asked questions: What are some ways to obtain relief from deportation?

Overview:

There are generally four ways to obtain relief from deportation through Cancellation of Removal, Prosecutorial Discretion, Asylum, or Adjustment of Status.

  • Cancellation of removal is a good option for people who have resided in the United States for 10+ years;
  • Asylum is a good option to avoid removal for those who qualify. In order to qualify, an asylum applicant must be unable or unwilling to return to their home country as a result of persecution or well-founded fear of persecution on the basis of five statutorily protected grounds including: race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion;
  • Adjustment of status is an option for those who have an immediate relative that is a United States Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR). These individuals may adjust their status to lawful permanent residence;
  • Another way is through Prosecutorial Discretion;

For more information please contact us for a consultation.

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In this segment, attorney Jacob J. Sapochnick answers one of your most frequently asked questions: How do I pass a green card marriage interview?

Overview: 

  • The green card marriage interview usually takes place three to four months after the green card application is filed with CIS
  • In  this video we will will cover tips on how to prepare for your interview, what to expect, and the types of questions you may be asked during the interview

For more resources on what to expect during the I-485 interview please click here and here.

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In this segment, attorney Jacob J. Sapochnick discusses whether a K-1 visa is a safe visa. Security concerns have recently arisen in the media and in Congress following the terrorist attack in San Bernardino which killed 14 people. It was recently discovered that the female shooter which carried out the attack entered the United States on a K-1 visa. In this segment we discuss whether the K-1 visa is a secure enough visa. While we do not disregard terrorism as a legitimate threat to the security of the United States, we believe the K-1 visa does not pose a risk to the safety of United States citizens. Rather, the process to obtain a K-1 visa is extremely invasive and complex.

Overview

  • The San Bernardino gun woman, Tashfeen Malik, entered the US on a fiancé visa. So is the fiancé visa safe?
  • Applying for a K-1 visa is a very rigorous and complicated process — there are a multitude of things both the applicant and petitioner are required to disclose — it is unlikely that a terrorist would use this visa in order to gain entry and inflict harm. It is somewhat easier for them to falsify and/or misrepresent information on a tourist visa application, and enter the US on a tourist visa, than to obtain a K-1 visa.
  • The K-1 visa applicant is subjected to a background check and an interview at a US consulate or embassy overseas as a security and fraud prevention mechanism
  • The K-1 visa applicant must provide a police clearance record, military record, court and prison records, proof of bona fide relationship, and must disclose any inadmissibility issues
  • Even once the K-1 visa is granted, the fiance is only allowed 90 days to marry the US Citizen spouse. If the fiance does not do so they must depart the United States or face removal proceedings
  • If the fiance marries the US Citizen spouse and seeks permanent residence, the fiance must provide the same documents once again, undergo security screening, and attend an interview with the spouse
  • Even once the fiance receives their green card, it will be conditional based on their marriage to the US citizen spouse meaning that it is only good for 2 years
  • The fiance must file an I-751 removal of conditions application with their spouse, before the expiration of their conditional green card in order to obtain the 10 year permanent resident card
  • The I-751 application process is a document intensive and invasive process which requires the couple to provide documented evidence that their marriage was entered in good faith and not for the purposes of obtaining an immigration benefit.

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In this segment, attorney Jacob J. Sapochnick discusses one of our most frequently asked questions: I have married a different petitioner than the one who filed my K-1 fiancé visa, can I still apply for my green card?

Overview

– The K-1 fiancé visa allows you to marry only the original US citizen petitioner that filed your K-1 fiancé visa

–The K-1 fiancé visa does not allow you to enter the United States and later adjust your status to permanent residence within the United States, while married to a different person

– It is possible for you to proceed with an adjustment of status from your home country, if you have now married a different person than the one who petitioned for your K-1 fiancé visa, through a process known as consular processing

–Couples who are concerned about the impact of physical separation on their relationship may consider the K-3 visa as an alternative to consular processing

–If you have accrued unlawful presence in the United States you will be subject to a bar and will need to file a waiver before applying for permanent residence

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Want to know what’s new on the November Visa Bulletin? In this segment attorney Jacob J. Sapochnick discusses the new changes including the dual chart system, family-based preference categories, and EB visa updates for China, India, Mexico, Philippines.

For more information on the Visa Bulletin click here.

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Entered the country illegally and now married to a US Citizen? Watch the video below for more information on the possibility of applying for a green card.

– There is a big difference in having entered the United States illegally and entering the country legally but remaining in the United States past your authorized stay as indicated on your visa

– The process outlined in this video outlines information to be followed if you entered the US without inspection after April 2001; before this date section 245 of the law can be used to adjust status in US

– In 2013 a new waiver was introduced allowing aliens to seek a pardon if the only offence is an overstay

If you are ready to get started please call our office.

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Want to hear how the new changes to the October visa bulletin can affect you? Keeping watching.

– Starting with the October 2015 visa bulletin there will be a new separate cut-off date chart for filing of adjustment of status applications

– The dual chart serves several purposes

– New cutoff dates will be an advantage to those who have been working for the same employer for years

For further questions please call our office.

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