Humanitarian Parole
Under section 212(d)(5)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), humanitarian parole is used sparingly to bring an otherwise inadmissible individual into the United States for a temporary period of time due to urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public...
L-2 Visas or Green Cards for Students?
The L-1 visa holder may change status to permanent residence through the EB-1 or EB-5 green card programs. Most foreign students in the USA hold either F-1 status or J-1 status. The child of an L-1 visa holder may attend school under the L-2 visa. The L-1 parent has...
Diversity Immigrant Visa Program
The congressionally mandated Diversity Immigrant Visa Program is administered annually by the Department of State and selectees are drawn from a randomized computer drawing. Up to 55,000 diversity visas (DVs) are available annually among all entries for persons who...
DACA: Guidelines and Procedures
Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA): On June 15, 2012, the Secretary of Homeland Security announced that certain people who came to the United States as children and meet several key guidelines may request consideration of deferred action...
H-2B: Temporary Non-Agricultural Workers
Who May Qualify for H-2B Classification? The H-2B program allows U.S. employers who meet specific regulatory requirements to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary non-agricultural jobs. To qualify for H-2B nonimmigrant classification, the...
How to Evaluate a Regional Center’s EB-5 Offering
In the past year I have traveled to more than a dozen cities in China, talking to many potential EB-5 investors. Basically these investors have only two simple questions: (1) “Will my Green Card be approved?” and (2) “Will I get my money back?” The USCIS has approved...
VAWA: The Violence Against Women Act
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) allows battered spouses (both women and men), parents, and children of abusive U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents to petition for legal status without relying on the...
The U-Visa
In October 2000, Congress created the U visa with the passage of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act. The U visa provides nonimmigrant status and is set aside for victims of crimes who have suffered substantial mental or physical abuse and are...
U.S. Immigration: Then and Now
The United States has had a rich history of accepting immigrants from a wide array of backgrounds and for a variety of reasons ranging from humanitarian and religious to political and economic. Commonly regarded as a “melting pot,” the U.S. has been a nation of...
Senate Passes Landmark Immigration Reform Bill
After two months of heated debate and much speculation in the media, S.744 - the bipartisan immigration reform has passed through the Senate by a margin of 68-32 (with 14 of 46 Republicans voting in favor). Along with the controversial provision of a "pathway to...
