Petition of Alien Relative (Family Based Immigrant Visas)

This success story is essentially a love story. Our client, a young man from El Salvador, came to our office wanting to straighten out his immigration status. He had entered the country illegally several years before and unbeknownst to him an immigration judge had ordered his removal. He had lived a quiet, hard-working life in time since arriving. He had helped build up a successful restaurant business and always paid his taxes. He had met the love of his life and become a father. His girlfriend already had a son from a past relationship and our client had come to view this boy has his own flesh and blood. They were very close. With a new baby in the picture, our client decided to make sure his future was secure by dealing with his immigration past.
During the process of dealing with his case, our client revealed to Ms. Wong some very good news. He had just proposed to his girlfriend and she had said yes. No matter what happened to him, she wanted to spend the rest of her life by his side. Ms. Wong immediately asked – is your fiancée a US citizen?! He told her yes. Before the celebrations were over, Ms. Wong had our client and his new wife filing an I-130 petition for an alien relative. We filed the paperwork in December, 2012. Due to our client's immigration case, USCIS requested an interview with the couple. The interview occurred in late February, with one of our attorneys present. The officer could clearly see that these two people were very much in love. We received the approval in the mail in early March. With this approval many other options opened up for our client. Most importantly, he and his family are very happy together.

Our client, a young Chinese lady, came to see us in May of 2011 and wanted to know if she could do anything to help her ageing father who living alone in China was a constant worry for her. The young lady's parents had divorced long ago and her mother was now also living in the US as a citizen. All too aware of the issues surrounding caring for an aged parent, Ms. Wong put our best National Visa Center team in New York on the case.
We filed an I-130 petition the day after meeting with the client and received the approval just over a month later. Recognizing the need for a joint sponsor on the case due to the low level of our client's income, Ms. Wong approached the client's mother. In spite of the breakdown of her marriage, after speaking with Ms. Wong about the case, she was only too happy to help.
As our client is over the age of 21 and her father qualified as an immediate relative a visa would be immediately available as soon as we could secure an interview. The only delay in our case came about after our client had to leave the US to visit her father in China for several months. This time, however, allowed our client to gather the required documents for the Packet 3 and 4 visa application. When she and her mother returned to the US we picked back with the case immediately and filed the visa application in March of 2012. Within three weeks we were informed of the interview date for the end of April. After successfully completing the interview our client is now reunited with her father here in the United States where he lives as a permanent resident.

Our firm represented a woman who was applying for adjustment of status to get her green card based on a petition from her U.S. Citizen husband. She had previously been arrested by immigration and was considered a fugitive on an order of supervision. As such, she was very worried that she would be arrested during her green card interview even though she is eligible to adjust status. Our staff filed her application to adjust status, and also decided to file a Motion to Reopen and apply for asylum as a protection for the client in case there was a problem at her green card interview. Luckily, the client was not picked up by immigration during her interview, and after submitting many supplemental documents to support her application, she just had to wait for a decision. One of our attorneys pushed the USCIS officer for a decision multiple times, and finally the green card application was approved. We then filed a motion to terminate the client's removal proceedings based on her approved green card application. Attorney Andy Bramante and Legal Assistant Chunli Wu worked very hard on this case.

Our client was the beneficiary of an I-130 Petition for Alien Relative filed by his U.S. citizen sister in October 1997. The I-130 was approved in February 1998.  Tragically, in 2005, our client's sister died of lung cancer. 
Our client did not seek our help until 2011 when he feared al hope might be lost of staying in the United States. At this point in time, had his sister lived our client would have been automatically eligible for a visa application under the 245 (i) exemption. After meeting with him and discussing his life and family, Ms. Wong fixed on a course of action. She determined that the client had another qualifying relative,  a U.S. citizen brother, through whom he could continue his application. Along with our client's application for permanent residence (green card), we filed the required I-864 form to substitute the sponsor and request that the previous I-130 approval be re-instated.
We filed in September, 2011 and our client had his green card interview in December. At the interview the officer asked for proof that our client had resided continuously in the US since the date of his sister's death. Once again, Ms. Wong determined the strategy and requested social security statements from our client. These documents showed that our client had been present in the US and this satisfied USCIS. In late January 2011, we received notice that the I-130 would be reinstated and in early February our client at last received his green card.

In 2008, a Chinese, legal permanent resident (greed-card holder) of the United States came to our office seeking our help to bring her daughters to the United States and to secure status for her daughters already living here. Our client had left in China in 2006 after living through years of torment and tragedy. After having four children, all girls, with her husband, two of which were raised by relatives to avoid the notice of the government, her family lived in constant fear of persecution under the one-child policy. Following the sad and untimely death of her husband, our client found a new love with an American citizen and left China. After securing permanent residency through marriage she came to the US with her two youngest daughters. When she came to our firm our client had already started the process of becoming a US citizen. Her hope was that she would eventually be able to reunite with all her children. Our firm immediately filed I-130 petitions for her children here in the US. She later informed us about the fact that she had two more daughters remaining in China.
While waiting for the priority date to open up, our firm helped our client secure her citizenship of the United States. Recognizing that this altered the status of the applications of her daughters under the age of 21, who now qualified as immediate relatives and therefore could adjust their status without waiting any longer, we informed USCIS and secured their permanent residency with a few months. We then began the process of bringing our client's remaining children to the US. We filed packet 3 and 4 applications in November and with their consular interviews scheduled for early next year we have no doubt that after many years of struggle this family of wonderful women will finally be reunited, permanently, here in the United States. 

Our client is a medical school student who was forced to drop out of school because she was not a lawful permanent resident.  In 2000, while still in the home country, our client's father divorced her mother and married a visiting U.S. citizen.  Our client came to the U.S. with her father and sister with "conditional permanent resident" status.  When her father filed his petition to have the conditions removed, the government denied his petition and revoked his status (and his daughters' status).  When he tried again, the government accused him of marriage fraud (he had never lived with his U.S. citizen wife after coming to the U.S.)  The government again told him and his daughters that they have no status and must leave the U.S. 
Meanwhile, our client was showing that she is a brilliant student.  She came to the U.S. at age 15, learned English quickly, graduated number one in her high school, got a full scholarship to a major university, and was later accepted to medical school.  After completing her first year of medical school, the school asked her to withdraw from school because it said she was not a lawful permanent resident.  She came to us for help. We interviewed her relatives, developed family and expert affidavits, and assembled many dozens of documents.  We filed an I-751 Petition asking the government to recognize that her father's marriage was genuine OR that our client would suffer extreme hardship if she left the United States.  The USCIS sent her a Notice of Intent to Deny.  We responded with additional expert affidavits and provided many legal arguments to show that the government was incorrect in its reasoning.
Finally, after eight months of deliberations, the government called our client to notify her that her Petition has been granted and she will be receiving her green card in the mail soon.  Our client is again applying to medical school, and within a few years, she hopes to be caring for the medically-underserved people in her state.  By that time, she will also be eligible to be a U.S. citizen

Our client, once a citizen of Lebanon who is now a Legal Permanent Resident, needed to formally establish the relationship between himself and his parents via I-130 Petition of Alien Relative. This seemingly complicated process was made easy by Margaret Wong and Associates; William Low, the case attorney, accompanied the client during the I-130 interview. Because of excellent case work and William Low's experience, our client's I-130's were approved at the interview.  

In 2011, a college graduate from Macau retained our firm to help get him a green card. He was on an F-1 visa but graduated in May 2011 with a Masters in Economics. Around the same time, he also married his USC girlfriend. In September 2011, we filed the I-130 petition as well as I-485/I-765 applications. His I-765 employment authorization application was approved in December 2011, which allowed our client to get a Social Security Number. His interview was in late March 2012. Attorney Andy Bramante prepped the client and his wife for the interview and also attended the interview with the young couple. Despite the fact that the couple had very little assets or finances together, Attorney Bramante was able to help the couple prove it was a real marriage. Their case was recommended for approval by the Officer. We received the approval notices about one week later. Our client is very happy that our firm was able to help him achieve his goal of getting his green card. Caseworker Chunli Wu was also instrumental in the success of this case.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) had denied an I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, filed on behalf of an Indian national by his sponsoring relative. The Indian national and his relative contacted Margaret W. Wong & Associates seeking help. The attorneys and staff members of the firm filed a Motion to Reopen for USCIS to review the case once more because it had been denied by USCIS error. USCIS acknowledged its mistake and forwarded the I-130 petition to the National Visa Center for further visa processing. The client was ecstatic and called the firm to convey this joyous news. The attorneys and staff members at Margaret W. Wong & Associates were pleased to help this individual like the countless others that seek the firm's aid in the immigration process.

In May 2010, our office was retained by a Chinese man, who was a beneficiary of an approved I-130 from his U.S. sister with a priority date of August 2000. His wife and two children were derivative beneficiaries, however the children turned 21 before the priority date was current. Their visa priority date became current on June 1, 2010. The following day we filed a request demonstrating that although the two children were "aged out" and now over 21, they should still remain as children under CSPA and be eligible for an immigrant visa as a derivative of their father's approved I-130. In that request, we asked that the Immigrant Visa fee bills be sent to our office so that the family could adjust status in the United States. The I-864 Affidavit of Support and the IV fee bill were filed in August 2010. The following month, we filed packet 3 and packet 4 visa applications so the family could come to the United States as Green Card holders. By January 2011, we still had not received any word from the National Visa Center. Upon finding out the case had been translated to the Guangzhou Consulate, we refilled the Packet 3 and Packet 4 applications with the consulate directly. After some time, the interviews were scheduled for early 2012. By mid January, we received the word from our clients that family passed the visa interview process and is now making plans to immigrate to the United States.

A couple from China retained our firm in April 2011 in order to obtain a green card for the husband. The I-130 Petition for an Alien Relative, I-485 Application to Register Permanent Status and I-765 Work Authorization were submitted right away on the same month of April. The husband's work authorization card was approved in July 2011. Attorney Francis Fungsang attended the I-485 interview in October 2011 in which the client's green card was approved. Since the green card is based on a marriage, there is a conditional period of 2 years. In 2013, our firm will work with this client to get the conditions removed so he can become a legal permanent resident

Our Uruguayan client approached us in order to become a permanent resident and receive her green card. She has been living in the U.S. for ten years, and would like to continue to reside in the states, so that she can continue to receive the best medical attention possible for her condition. Because her daughter was 21 years old and a U.S. citizen, we applied for our client's permanent residency by having her daughter petition on her mother's behalf. We were successful in our efforts, and our client was able to obtain her green card and continue to receive the proper treatment for her illness.

Adult Child Petition for Parent A client from Macedonia engaged us in January 2011 to help her get a green card.  Her husband's and children's conditional residency status had been withdrawn in 2005, but a daughter married a U.S. citizen in 2006 and became a citizen herself in 2010.  We filed a Petition for Alien Relative and Application for Adjustment of Status.  The client's work authorization was approved in 90 days; and her green card followed a month later.

In late September 2010, a young out-of-status Indian client from Tennessee asked us to help his new LPR wife file an I-130 Petition for Alien Relative.  Because the marriage was arranged by their families and the couple met each other only two weeks prior to their recent marriage, the couple had nothing but a marriage certificate and a few pictures to show their marriage was bona fide.  Wishing to avoid an I-130 interview which might subject our client to arrest, we developed numerous affidavits from his wife’s family and his family.  The sworn documents explained the marriage, the lack of documents, and the couple’s plan to make a life together.  The I-130 was filed in November 2010 and was approved with neither an RFE nor an interview in April 2011.

The petitioner filed himself the I-130 petition for his spouse and step-daughter in August 2008. The Service issued a Notice of Intent to Revoke after the Consulate interviewed the visa applicant and determined the marriage was to circumvent the immigration law and for immigration purpose only i.e. they could not establish bona fide spousal relationship existence.  The petitioner came to us. We conducted a detailed review of his documents submitted to the Service and to the Consulate. We obtained a detailed statement from the beneficiary and petitioner regarding the interview, the independent documents establishing their spousal relationship. In preparing the rebuttal to the NOID, we directed the petitioner to obtain affidavits from individuals in China who had firsthand knowledge of the materiality of the marriage, photos taken since their courtship, remittances, plane tickets and email correspondence, and federal tax returns, basically the complete history of their relationship to date. With these documents, we prepared a detailed brief with independent documents to establish the validity of the relationship and genuine marital relationship between the parties. Significantly, we provided a detailed examination of their prior marital relationship with their former spouse, how and why the marriage broke down, their subsequent acquaintance, how their relationship developed over the years, planning of the marriage, and the intervening events up to the consular interview. We further identified the hastiness of the consular interview that the negative views formed by the consular officer was not supported by the events and short duration of the interview. With all the evidence produced, we successfully overcame the intent to revoke and the Service reaffirmed the approval earlier made, and they sent the decision back to the NVC for continuation of the consular processing.  The Consulate contacted the beneficiary for an interview in August and the IV successfully issued. The beneficiary and her daughter are now happy reunited with the petition in the U.S. to make their household whole again.   

Scott Bratton was recently successful in helping our clients get their I-130 petition approved in California.  The clients were interviewed on two occasions and the last interview took approximately 2 ½ hours.  The approval means that our client will be able to pursue his adjustment of status case with the Immigration Court.

A citizen of Mexico has just received approval of her USC husband’s immigrant petition filed on her behalf in March 2010 after successful interview.  She, her husband and small children are happy to hear of the approval and we will work with her to continue with her next step to become a lawful permanent resident.  Lori A. Pinjuh worked on this case.

In December 2006, just prior to, and right after their marriage, our clients started consultation with our firm to get permanent residency for the husband, a Canadian, allowed to stay in the United States with non-immigrant working visa. We filed I-130 and I-485. It was not easy to get his conditional green card because by honest mistake he forgot to disclose to us the criminal conviction of an incident that took place 26 years ago when he was living in the United States as student. Non-disclosure of the conviction became a major issue for possible denial for misrepresentation. We submitted the criminal records after the Court located the documents in the archive. In April 2008, conditional green card was approved valid for 2 years. Our clients have expressed loyalty to our firm. They came back to us in January 2010 to file for I-751 with his green card expiring in April 2010. We filed I-751 in March 2010. The petition was approved after 2 months ½. We believe that the supporting documentary evidence we submitted was sufficient and convincing to prove bona fide marriage.

Clients in general are after quick, efficient and excellent legal service on immigration matters. Husband is the beneficiary of USC wife's petition for green card. As foreign student, he is allowed to stay in the United States pursuing doctorate degree in the final year of his student visa. Considering the various issues concerning US visa expiration, plan to get married to his USC fiancée for years to start a family in the US and dictated by economic necessity to find a decent job and work in this time of recession, we filed the I-130, I-485 and the ancillary request for employment authorization I-765 about seven (7) days after their marriage in February 2010. In March, 2010, CIS requested for additional evidence to which we promptly filed our response within ten (10) days from receipt of the notice. Employment authorization was approved and after interview in May 2010, conditional green card was issued.

Wife, the beneficiary of USC husband's petition for green card, was born in mainland China but, had lived and worked in Singapore for the last 7 years. She has been traveling to the United States since 2006 with visitor's visa. After her last entry with non-immigrant visa as an Artist, she overstayed and got married. She last entered with J-1 visa. We filed I-130, I-485 and I-765 but we needed to clear the issue of whether or not she was subject to 2-year foreign residency punctuated by discernable issue of intent to adjust status by marriage to a US citizen. Case was filed in February, 2010. After interview, work authorization and conditional green card were almost simultaneously approved after 2 months and 23 days.

The client came to the United States as one of minor dependents of Vietnam refugees. In 1999, while still a permanent resident, he went home to Vietnam and got married. Their marriage for immigration purposes is a preference category that the Vietnamese wife will have to wait for at least 5 to 6 years to become eligible to migrate to United States. In 2002 however he became a US citizen passing the CIS citizenship test despite deficiency in English Language. He filed for temporary non-immigrant visa (K-3) for his wife and minor son (K-4). Visas for his wife and minor son were issued and both came to the United States in February 2003. Our clients thought that the K-3 visa was an immigrant visa and that the green card process had stopped up to that stage. On the contrary, the K-3 and K-4 for his wife and son had expired in 2005 and thus they went out-of-status and became vulnerable to removal from the United States. In April, 2008, we filed immediately the applications for green card and employment authorization. The case was approved in 7 months.

One of our clients, a Chinese national had a legal entry in 2002 as tourist (B-2 visa). His wife entered a year later and was granted asylum status. An I-730 was filed and approved for him as a derivative but the petition was sent to China rather than staying in the United States. When he filed for his green card, it was denied and he was placed in removal proceedings. Our firm filed a motion to reopen I-730 petition. We also filed an I-130 for him since his wife was a Legal Permanent Resident. She also is applying for citizenship which once granted and she is sworn in, he would be considered an immediate relative of a USC and get his green card with an approved I-130. Attorney Larry Hadfield prepared the client. Attorney Jason Lorenzon attended the interview and assisted the clients in developing their love story about how the two came to the US at different times and lost each other and went incessantly looking for each other. He also assisted the clients in telling the story about when she got ill with cancer and how he cared for her and focused all of his attention on her. About 10 minutes before the interview, the couple forgot their pictures, so Mr. Lorenzon stalled the interview for about 20 minutes while the husband went back to get his photos. The interview went ahead and was recommended for approval! Our client has another avenue in which to get his green card and stay permanently with his wife in the United States.

Our client is an Indian National who has married a United States Citizen. An interview on the pending I-130 was conducted in the USCIS office and after careful preparation with the client and the client's spouse, the bona fides of the marriage were submitted and the I-130 was approved. The I-485 is still pending due to the medical report not being properly completed by the doctor, but one of our attorney's made sure that the doctor 's report was updated and refilled the same day.

An Italian national entered the United States under visa wavier and was authorized to stay for three months. He later married his US citizen girlfriend. We filed his I-130 and I-485 Applications within his authorized stay expired. Client received his I-485 approval notice right after his interview. It took less than three months from the filing date for him to get his green card.

An alien from Hong Kong entered the United States without inspection. She later married her US citizen husband and had two children. The alien retained our firm to assist her for adjustment of status. Our firm filed I-130 petition on behalf of her husband for her and the petition was approved in five months. After filing Pkt.3 with National Visa Center, the alien was scheduled for an interview at the US Consulate in Hong Kong. In the meantime, we prepared the I-601 wavier application for her to submit during the Consulate interview. The I-601 was approved in 2 months and the alien was issued immigrant visa to return to the United States right away and she received her green card shortly after her admission.

A Ghana national was placed in deportation proceedings and charged with overstaying his visa. Our office filed an Asylum Application as he was fearful of returning to his country. About a week before his individual hearing, our client got married. Our office assisted his wife in filing an I-130 immigrant petition days before the hearing. Our Attorney Jason Lorenzon attended the individual hearing and convinced the Immigration Judge to grant a continuance due to the pending I-130 immigrant visa petition which when approved will enable him to adjust his status to that of a legal permanent resident. The clients attended their interview at USCIS and everything went fine since our office assisted them in filing the visa petition with the correct exemption requests. The I-130 visa petition was approved and our client will be able to adjust status with the immigration court at his next hearing!

One of our clients a Chinese National was placed in deportation proceedings. He did get married after being placed into deportation proceedings. Our team filed an immigrant visa petition I-130 with USCIS with the appropriate exemption requests (this ensures that the USC spouse is aware that the alien is in deportation proceedings). Because this is a New York case, when a person is in deportation proceedings and gets married to a United States Citizen, they are subject to a "Stokes interview." This is where the couple is separated and asked the same questions. Then they are brought back together and given an opportunity to rebut the discrepancies. Attorney Jason Lorenzon prepared the couple for a grueling interview. Attorney Lorenzon also attended the interview. The interview lasted well over four hours. Attorney Lorenzon argued that this was a bona fide marriage after the Officer was looking for a "typical marriage." No Federal Case Law exists defining what a marriage should or should not be. This I-130 was approved and our client will be able to apply for adjustment of status (aka green card) !

One of our clients a Canadian National entered the country and had several H2-B visas. His last H2-B visa expired in 2001 and he remained in the United States and fell out of legal status. He never left the country since. In 2003, he fell in love with a United States Citizen. He married her in 2006. Our firm filed the I-130 immigrant visa petition along with the I-485 adjustment of status application in December of 2009. Attorney Jason Lorenzon prepared the couple and the Canadian national for their interview going through the bona fides of marriage and some of the pitfalls that immigration would look for. Attorney Lori Pinjuh attended the interview and the application for permanent residence was granted the very next day. Less than three months from filing to approval!

Our client had an I-130 petition pending several years before hiring our firm. This was based on his marriage to a United States citizen. We needed an I-130 approval in order to proceed with adjustment of status with the Immigration Judge. We were able to push USCIS and get an I-130 interview in North Carolina. In March 2010, the I-130 petition was approved after an interview. Scott Bratton is handling the case.

We helped our client from Korea file an I-130 Petition on behalf of his son who is currently in removal proceedings. The I-130 Petition was approved in less than six months.

An Indian national who is also a naturalized United States citizen retained our firm to process his mother's I-130 immigrant petition for alien relative and I-485 application for permanent resident after his mother, a Canadian citizen, entered the United States with visa waiver. We filed the applications in April 2009. We received a Request for Evidence Notice in August 2009 requesting for birth records of both petitioner and beneficiary. However, our clients did not have such documents. After our instruction, client was able to obtain alternative evidence. In early November 2009, shortly after the submission of the response to the RFE, we received the I-130 Approval. A week later, we also received the I-485 Approval. His mother's green card was granted without an interview.

We were retained by a citizen of the US to work on immigrant visa applications for his wife and his wife's son (USC's step-son). We already received approval of the wifes I-130 immigrant relative petition and were waiting on approval of the step-sons application. On November 2, 2009 we received the I-130 approval for the step-son. Now the case is forwarded to the NVC so the US Consulate abroad can schedule interviews for the mother and son to come to the US with immigrant visas.

Our client from Togo retained our firm to file an I-130 Petition on his behalf for his step-son who is living in Togo. The Service issued a Request for Evidence to establish the parentage of the child and to verify the step-relationship. We responded to the request, and the I-130 Petition was approved. Now, our client's step-son will be able to apply for consular processing to immigrate to the United States to live with his family.

One of our clients, a Mexican National, married an American Citizen. Our client originally entered as a student and had a valid H1-B visa. The couple was married for a very brief time before filing an immigrant petition, the so called I-130 application for an immediate relative. The I-130/I-485 application was filed by our senior paralegal Ding Reyes. Attorney Jason Lorenzon prepared the clients and he prepared them as if they would experience a "notorious" Stoke Interview in New York City. These are interviews were the couple is separated and asked a series of questions and the answers must be similar or the same, such as who woke up first, what is his favorite food, what is his favorite meal? The couple was well prepared, the interview lasted about 15 minutes and our client received an I-551 stamp in his passport, meaning that the I-130 was approved and he received permanent resident status that very day.

One of our clients, a Chinese national was placed into proceedings. Our team represented her in proceedings and found that she was married to a USC spouse and had two USC children with her spouse. Paralegal Jian Tang filed a I-130 petition with the necessary exemption requests, since the spouse was in deportation proceedings. Because she was in proceedings and her husband filed an immigrant visa petition (I-130), she and her husband faced the notorious "Stokes" interview in New York City. In a Stokes interview, the couple is split apart and the interviewing Officer asks grueling questions of each spouse for about an hour. Each question is asked of the other spouse and the answer must be the same or similar. Our Attorney Jason Lorenzon prepared our clients for this grueling process. Because she was without status in the United States, she was unable to show the paper record necessary to prove a bona fide marriage. Attorney Jason Lorenzon attended the interview and pointed that fact out to the interviewing officer. He understood the complexities of her situation and since they were so well prepared for the Interview, the immigrant visa petition was approved that day! She will be able to adjust status and receive her green card in the near future.

Our Malaysian client thought he was legally married to a U.S. Citizen on December 2005. The US Citizen wife was married back in the eighties, but her spouse died in Laos in 1987. In the nineties, his wife lived together with a boyfriend in Colorado. They never went to a minister or to Court to get married. They just lived together until they eventually separated sometime in 2005. In December 2005, she married our client. His wife filed an I-130 Petition for our client and his two children. They were represented by different counsel back then and on their interview in June 2006, the Immigration Service found out that the US Citizen wife was still "married" to his old boyfriend through the common law marriage laws of Colorado and that the death certificate of his first husband was not authentic. They also pointed out issues on their living arrangements and denied the case due to the invalidity of their marriage. Our client and his two daughters were then placed in Immigration Court proceedings in Denver and our office was retained. We had the US Citizen spouse divorce his "boyfriend / husband" so that he could re-marry our Malaysian client. We also contacted the US Embassy in Laos and the wife's sister in order to properly obtain a valid death certificate - or at least something that would be acceptable by the Immigration Service. We filed a new I-130 and requested continuances with the Denver Immigration Court. At the I-130 interview, our attorney accompanied our clients in Denver. The Officer took issue regarding the death certificate and the living arrangements of the family (husband moves back and forth from new York to Denver and daughters live in New York during school months). The officer issued a Request for Evidence addressing this issue. On response we submitted affidavits and more documentation, arguing that our client has to move around due to his work and that the kids are in New York to take advantage of school scholarships, and that regardless of that issue the marriage is still a good marriage. In February 2009, the I-130s were approved. We filed termination with the Immigration Court in Denver and the Immigration Judge granted our termination. In August of 2009, our client and his two daughters, accompanied by our attorney, went to their green card interviews in Denver Colorado. The interview lasted over two hours but all issues were resolved and documented. There was not even any request for more evidence. Our client and her two young daughters recently received their permanent resident cards. Attorney JP Sarmiento worked on the case.

Our client is in proceedings and is being detained. A new I-130, immigrant petition for alien relative was filed on his behalf for his wife by our office. Several Master Calendar hearings went by, client is still detained and the I-130 was not adjudicated. One of our attorneys, Jason Lorenzon scheduled an InfoPass with USCIS to figure out why the petition had not yet been approved. After being called all kinds of expletives by the USCIS Supervisor, Attorney Lorenzon was able to speak directly to the interviewing officer and asked to arrange for a "Stokes" interview which assess whether or not the marriage is viable and valid. The Officer called Mr Lorenzon back and was ready to the interview the very next morning, but we had difficulty getting a hold of our client. Mr. Lorenzon asked the officer to schedule the interview for the following week, and after several days of phone called, it was finalized on a Monday afternoon for a Tuesday morning interview. Attorney Margaret W. Wong attended the interview and assisted our clients in this process which ultimately lead to the approval of the I-130 petition and our client will be able to present that to the Court at his next master calendar hearing.

Our client is an Indian National who has married a United States Citizen. An interview on the pending I-130 was conducted in the USCIS office and after careful preparation with the client and the client's spouse, the bona fides of the marriage were submitted and the I-130 was approved. The I-485 is still pending due to the medical report not being properly completed by the doctor, but one of our attorney's made sure that the doctor 's report was updated and refilled the same day.

M.T., a citizen of Gambia, entered the US in 1994 on a B-2 visitor visa. He later married a US Citizen who filed an I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. Their marriage ended in divorce, therefore our client was not able to pursue his Green Card application, I-485, with CIS. He was put in removal proceedings for having overstayed his visa. Margaret Wong & Assoc., CO. LPA was retained to represent his before the Immigration Court. Our office filed an application for cancellation of removal before the court since our client had been continuously resided in the US for at least 10 years before the NTA (Notice to Appear) was issued, and he had US Citizen Children who would suffer unusual and extreme hardship if he would be ordered deported. In the meantime, our client married his second wife, a US citizen. His second wife filed an I-130 Petition. Once the petition was approved, our office filed an application for adjustment of status, I-485, before the immigration judge. This application was approved in 2009 and our client is now a Legal Permanent Resident (the cancellation application was withdrawn since we pursued the I-485). Attorney Deborah Lee handled this case for Margaret Wong & Associates, CO. LPA.

Our clients, a father and son both citizens and nationals of India, were "waived in" at the US Canada border when they entered the United States in 1994. At the time of entry, only the father was a permanent resident of Canada and his son was only 3 years old. Both overstayed since 1994. The father filed for a Labor Certification application with assigned 1994 priority date making him a beneficiary of a US visa petition before the first 245 (i) cutoff date of January 14, 1998. In 2001, the father, after divorce, got married to a US permanent resident. The step-mother legally adopted his son and the Decree of Adoption was issued in the United States in May 2001. In 2003 the step-mother as permanent resident filed an I-130 petition for the legally adopted step-son and the petition was approved in March 2007.  In August 2008, the step-mother became a naturalized US citizen. With the quota opened, it upgraded the approved I-130 petition for adopted step-son to an immediate relative. In November 2008 we filed for the stepson an I-485 application for a green card and I-765 application for a work authorization. USCIS sent us a request for additional evidence with major issues focusing on the legal entry of the stepson who entered the United States as a citizen and national of India without a visa. We argued that the step-son was covered by 245 (i) and therefore eligible to adjust status. The green card was approved at the interview 6 months from filing the case.

A client came in on a visitor's visa from Tanzania. He was put into removal proceedings. While he was in proceedings, he married his U.S. citizen girlfriend. She filed an I-130 Petition for Alien Relative on his behalf. They appeared together for their interview without an attorney, and the adjudicating officer asked them to come back for a second interview based on discrepancies made during the interview. The client retained our firm to accompany them to the second I-130 interview. After the interview, CIS issued a notice of intent to deny because of what appeared to be serious discrepancies in the testimonies of the client and his wife. We filed a response to the notice of intent to deny with ample supporting documents to explain the nature of those discrepancies. CIS approved the I-130 Petition. The Immigration Judge approved the green card application.

A client from Romania came in on a visitor's visa. He and his father applied for asylum, and the applications were denied by the Immigration Judge. Our client fell in love with a U.S. citizen and married her. Several days later he self-deported to Canada. With the help of an attorney, the client's wife filed an I-130 immigrant visa petition on his behalf. The petition was denied for failure to include evidence that the client had left the country. The former attorney filed the I-130 petition a second time, and it was denied a second time for failure to show that the client actually resided outside of the United States for a two-year period. Our firm took over and filed a motion to reopen the denial of the I-130 petition, which was denied. We filed a new third I-130 petition with all supporting documents to show that the marriage was indeed valid, and the I-130 petition was approved. Our attorneys, JP Sarmiento and Deborah Lee, handled the case for the firm.

A client from China entered the United States on a B-1 visa. He met and fell in love with a United States citizen from Vietnam. We filed an I-130 petition/I-485 application on their behalf in December 2008. They were scheduled for an interview at USCIS five months later, and our client will receive his green card. JP Sarmiento handled the case for the firm with the assistance of Jian Tang and Deborah Lee.

Our client came to the US with a B-2 visitor's visa in 2001. When her visa expired, her father, who got his Green Card in 2006, filed an I-130 (petition for alien relative) for her. However, by 2006, our client was already over 21 years old. On the other hand, our client's mother came to the US as a beneficiary of an I-130 petition filed by her sister (the client's aunt) in 1994. Additionally, our client was the derivative beneficiary of her mother for the same I-130 petition that was filed in 1994. On behalf of the client, our office filed for a new I-130 with her mother as the petitioner, and an I-485 (to adjust our client's status to permanent resident) as well as an I-765 (application for employment status).

I-130: family based immigrant visa petition: US Wife petitioning Canadian citizen wife, the I-130 was filed in March 2009 and was approved in April 2009, without RFE.

A native of Venezuela married an America Citizen. This client previously had an approved I-130 petition but aged out due to the complicated CSPA regulations. Our attorney, Larry Hadfield prepared the client and our client's spouse for the interview. Our attorney Jason Lorenzon attended the interview with our client and spouse assisted them in this tedious process. The Officer recommended approval of the Adjustment of Status Application and after the pending background checks are complete, the Client will receive a Welcome Notice and a Green Card within 7-8 weeks!

A Canadian National came to visit her boyfriend and entered on the Visa Waiver program. She decided that they hit it off so well that she would not return to Canada and they got married. She retained us to file the necessary applications. The application was filed in October, the couple had their interview in January and the application was approved shortly thereafter. She received her green card in February!

Our Malaysian client thought he was legally married to a U.S. Citizen on December 2005. His wife was married back in the eighties, but her spouse died in Laos in 1987. In the nineties, his wife lived together with a boyfriend in Colorado. They never went to a minister or to Court to get married. They just lived together until they eventually separated sometime in 2005. In December 2005, she married our client. Since our client and his two children were both legal entry overstays, they were eligible to adjust to permanent resident status. His wife filed an I-130 Petition for our client and his two children. They were represented by different counsel back then and on their interview in June 2006, the Immigration found out that the US Citizen was actually "married" to his old boyfriend through the common law marriage laws of Colorado and that the death certificate of his first husband was not authentic. They also pointed out their weird living arrangements and denied the case. Our client and his two daughters were then placed in Immigration Court proceedings and our office was retained. We had the US Citizen spouse divorce his "boyfriend / husband" so that he could re-marry our Malaysian client. We also contacted the US Embassy in Laos and the wife's sister in order to properly obtain a valid death certificate - or at least something that would be acceptable by the Immigration Service. We filed a new I-130 and requested continuances with the Denver Immigration Court. At the I-130 interview, our attorney accompanied our clients in Denver. The Officer took issue regarding the death certificate and the living arrangements of the family (husband moves back and forth from new York to Denver and daughters live in New York during school months). The officer issued a Request for Evidence addressing this issue. On response we submitted affidavits and more documentation, arguing that our client has to move around due to his work and that the kids are in New York to take advantage of school scholarships, and that regardless of that issue the marriage is still a good marriage. In February 2009, the I-130s were approved. We filed termination with the Immigration Court in Denver. Our clients are now eligible and will obtain their green cards. Attorney JP Sarmiento worked on the case.

I-130/485/765 filed July 2008 with petitioner being the USC son (Korean) for beneficiary mother whose green card expired for overstaying in her home country.  She subsequently entered the US with a B-2 visa.  The work permit was approved in September 2008 and the I-130 was approved in January 2009 without an interview being set.

A South American client came to USA in 1966. He entered legally, with a visa, but overstayed through the years. He had lost his I-94 and unfortunately when he entered USA his passport was not stamped in USA. In 2004 we filed an I-485 petition requesting for a green card based in his entry date and having stayed in USA all those years, since by then he was eligible under current law. Then we found out of a bigger problem: there was not enough evidence to prove that he lived in USA for four years of all his life here. We tried to gather documents, reports, and we could not find anything, as those years showed blank in many documents; therefore his application unfortunately was denied. Apparently his employer during those years had found out he was illegal and managed to disappear all his work records. The family was going through problems, especially due to our client's health condition. We helped them file for a second I-485, this time based on a petition from his son (US citizen). When the time came for interview USCIS insisted on the need of an I-94 to prove he entered legally. We had applied for a copy of his I-94, but were not given one, since the database of the office that had to issue the copy was created in the early 80's, and our client arrived to USA in 1966.. We had to insist with the Immigration Officer and submit a letter from USCIS where they informed of this, and finally, after four years of struggling for this client, his green card was approved in September 2008.

Our client, a native of Canada, had been living in the United States, continuously, for over thirty years. Our client's father lived in Cleveland, Ohio, working under the auspices of a work authorization document, while he patiently awaited approval for permanent residency. In the meantime, his wife still resided in Canada, pregnant with his son, our client. Our client's family remained separated by distance until our client's father, who was now a permanent resident of the United States, brought his wife and new born son to live with him in Cleveland. Our client remained in Cleveland his entire life, obtaining an education via the Cleveland Public School System and making economic and industrial contributions as a machinist. In November of 2007, our client contacted us with hope of becoming a permanent resident. Our client filed an I-485, an application to adjust to permanent resident status. Soon thereafter, his status was adjusted based on continuous residence, and became a proud permanent resident of a community of which he was so long a part.

The arduous process of immigrating into the United States, along with the many challenges involved, proved to be a test of resolve, character, and commitment for our client from Ghana. Furthermore, the diligence and persistence through which our client's case was handled undoubtedly led our client to obtaining a green card, and securing a future abounding with opportunity. Although our client was fully committed to becoming a permanent resident of the United States, his heart was devoted to reuniting his family; a family separated by distance, but held together by the dream of a new life in a new country. Our client was the direct beneficiary of an immigrant petition, filed by his wife, a citizen of the United States. Soon thereafter, I-130's-an immigrant petition for a relative-were filed for his three children, all of whom were waiting half a world away in Ghana, while our client was hard at work in Cleveland, Ohio. After months of dedication, the longest of hours, and personal devotion, our attorneys, paralegal caseworkers, and various staff were very much pleased to receive a phone call from our client, both excited and proud to inform us that he received his green card in the mail! Our client is now an excited permanent resident of the United States, and is proud father of three children, all of whom are now together, living a new life in a new country.

Although we take pride in the success of each and every case, the joy we receive in keeping a family together is a feeling that often remains unparalleled. We recently filed a family-based immigrant visa petition for a family with whom we have a longstanding history. It has been our pleasure to successfully file all immigration matters for them. Our client retained our services with the goal of filing an I-130 and an I-485 for his parents, the two people in the world that had done so much for him. With the hope of keeping our client's entire family together, we filed two separate I-130/I-485 petitions. Following the diligent work and commitment of our attorneys and staff, both applications were quickly approved! Such a story does not simply underscore our ability to successfully practice law, but it highlights our absolute devotion to each and every client, each and every family.

In January 2007 we were retained by a US Citizen to get a green card for her father, citizen of Canada. He entered the country in August 2006 to visit her, and still had a valid visa. The daughter definitely wanted him to stay in USA. We filed four petitions for them at the same time: petition for alien relative, green card, work authorization and travel document (I-130, I-485, I-765 and I-131, respectively). We had requests for additional evidence twice in this case, and we timely filed the responses. However, the problem was, they made our client go three times to have his fingerprints taken. Twice we received notices saying that "the fingerprints were rejected for not being visible". Apparently something in our client's skin made them impossible to read. We constantly did follow up in this case. His travel document was approved in March 2007, followed by the approval of his work authorization in April 2007, valid for a year. However, since the fingerprints' delays took so long, we had to request a renewal of the work authorization in December 2007 and it was approved in three months. We insisted in this case and persuaded USCIS to disregard the requirement for and FBI background check. Instead we offered to provide Police background checks from the County Police and the Police Department in two cities where he had lived. We got the documents and were able to prove he had no criminal records, nor had he ever been arrested. Finally, the other two petitions were approved in May 2008 and our client received his green card. He is now having a good time living with his daughter and family.

In 1996, this client came from Philippines to visit her parents, who were living in USA for three years. They had come with a visitors' visa and had overstayed. After being with her parents for a while she decided to take the same risk as them, and stayed too. Later she met a good man who was a US Citizen and they got married. She received her green card and was very happy, but she felt sorry for her parents, who had no legal status. In 2005 we had worked on her case for I-751 (removal of conditions to receive a permanent resident card instead of two-year, due to marriage). We advised her that she could file a petition for her parents, but her chances would be better if and when she became a US citizen. In 2007 she had been a resident for 3 years, so she retained us to file for her naturalization, which we did. By September 2007 she became a US citizen, so in December 2007 we filed I-130 and I-485 (Petition for relative and green card) for both parents. They were all very happy just to be able to start this case. In January 2008 their fingerprints were taken and we received an RFE (request for evidence), where they were asking for the father's birth certificate. Problem is, he did not have one and it would be too expensive and would take a long time to have him get one in his country. We replied the RFE with a sworn affidavit from the father regarding his basic biographical data. Shortly after that, they were scheduled for an interview which took place in the end of June 2008. We prepared them for the interview and one of our attorneys assisted. In the end we were told that our clients would be approved and that USCIS would not require his birth certificate. Three weeks later the parents received their green card and the family was lawfully reunited and happy. Well almost everyone: they have a son who is still living in Philippines, and chances are they will ask for our help to file a petition for him.

The opportunities to succeed and live well in the United States are only two reasons we were contacted by our English client, a client with a wonderful family, whose friendship we have valued for many years. Our client originally immigrated into the United States on F-1 visa status, which is a non-immigrant, full-time student visa that allows those from outside of the country to obtain an education in the United States. Our client fell out of F-1 status, but longed to remain in the United States and share her life with those whom she loved: her parents. Both our client's mother and father filed an I-130, an immigrant petition for a relative. Unfortunately, our client was over 21 years of age, thus establishing her I-130 petition as second preference. This technicality lengthened the amount of time for the quota to open, thus affecting our client's eligibility for adjustment of status. Fortunately, our client's mother became a naturalized citizen of the United States and filed an I-130, which was upgraded to first preference, thus opening the requisite quota. Our client also benefited from being the beneficiary of a previously approved I-130 petition filed by her father. With the help and hope of her parents, accompanied by the diligence and knowledge of our attorneys, our client was fast approaching a new life in the United States. Soon, our client's I-485 application to adjust to permanent resident status was approved. That our client's adjustment was the direct beneficiary of an immigrant petition was in large part based on a previous I-130 petition filed by her mother when her mother maintained permanent resident status. Our client now strives to provide opportunity for a new generation: her two wonderful daughters, born in USA and proud citizens of this country.

The arduous process of immigrating into the United States, along with the many challenges involved, proved to be a test of resolve, character, and commitment for our client from Ghana. Furthermore, the diligence and persistence through which our client's case was handled undoubtedly led our client to obtaining a green card, and securing a future abounding with opportunity. Although our client was fully committed to becoming a permanent resident of the United States, his heart was devoted to reuniting his family; a family separated by distance, but held together by the dream of a new life in a new country. Our client was the direct beneficiary of an immigrant petition, filed by his wife, a citizen of the United States. Soon thereafter, I-130's-an immigrant petition for a relative-were filed for his three children, all of whom were waiting half a world away in Ghana, while our client was hard at work in Cleveland, Ohio. After months of dedication, the longest of hours, and personal devotion, our attorneys, paralegal caseworkers, and various staff were very much pleased to receive a phone call from our client, both excited and proud to inform us that he received his green card in the mail! Our client is now an excited permanent resident of the United States, and is proud father of three children, all of whom are now together, living a new life in a new country.

Our client, a native of Canada, had been living in the United States, continuously, for over thirty years. Our client's father lived in Cleveland, Ohio, working under the auspices of a work authorization document, while he patiently awaited approval for permanent residency. In the meantime, his wife still resided in Canada, pregnant with his son, our client. Our client's family remained separated by distance until our client's father, who was now a permanent resident of the United States, brought his wife and new born son to live with him in Cleveland. Our client remained in Cleveland his entire life, obtaining an education via the Cleveland Public School System and making economic and industrial contributions as a machinist. In November of 2007, our client contacted us with hope of becoming a permanent resident. Our client filed an I-485, an application to adjust to permanent resident status. Soon thereafter, his status was adjusted based on continuous residence, and became a proud permanent resident of a community of which he was so long a part.

This story is about a man who was a Canadian citizen married to a United States Citizen woman. They got married in 1998 and since then they have been coming to USA to visit the in-laws. Now that the wife's parents are retiring, the couple wants to move from Canada to USA so that they can be close to them. The love and affection for parents knew no borders, so in December 2006 our clients decided to approach us and find out a solution. As always, our office was ready to help them. For that purpose we first filed I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) in January 2007, since the wife was a US Citizen and it was approved in June 2007. Now our next step was to apply for an Immigrant Visa. Since he was residing in Canada, the DS-230 forms and supporting documents evidencing their purpose to live permanently in USA were sent to the National Visa Center (NVC) in November 2007. In April 2008 he was scheduled for an interview in U.S Consulate in Canada. We worked hard to prepare the client for his interview and as a result he got his Immigrant Visa in May 2008. Now the couple has moved to USA and is happily living close to their parents.

On May 24, 2005 we filed an H-1B for a Slovakian MBA accountant. We requested Premium Processing and she got her approval within fifteen days. This enabled her to work for three years under a non-immigrant status. A year after that, her employer was willing to sponsor her for an I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker). We started her papers, but in the meantime she got married to an American Citizen. She and her husband chose to stop processing the I-140 application and to apply for I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) instead. We filed it in August 2007, together with I-485 (Adjustment of Status) and I-765 (Employment Authorization Document). She received her I-765 in November 2007 and her I-485 and I-130 were approved in January 2008.

Our client from Mexico came to USA with an illegal entry before 1997. In 2001 she had married a US citizen and filed for a Green Card with another lawyer, but had been rejected. We started her case in the last days of July 2007, when we filed simultaneously the I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative), and I-485 (Adjustment of Status), both for her and her son. We also filed an I-765 (Employment Authorization Document) for her. The I-130 was based on her marriage to the US citizen but also in Section §245(i), of the Immigration and Nationality Act, since she was present in USA before 2001 and her mother had filed a visa petition for her in 1998. Her I-765 was approved in November 2007. We prepared her for the interview and also explained her circumstances to the immigration officer. Both she and her son were approved in January 2008 and they received their Green Cards three days later.

Our client retained Margaret Wong and Associates after her I-130 had been denied. We appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals. We argued the CIS' decision was erroneous and was based on factors it could not consider in adjudicating the case. The Board agreed and remanded the case to CIS for adjudication under the proper legal standard. Scott Bratton and Kristie Lumakin handled the case.

On July 2006 we were hired by a family from Mexico. The mother had married a US citizen and they needed to file I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative), Adjustment of Status to Permanent Resident (I-485) and Employment Authorization Documents (I-765) for the mother and her three daughters (stepdaughters of the petitioner). They were in a hurry because the oldest daughter would be 21 in March 2007 and it would take years for her to get a green card after that. We filed all petitions for the mother and each of her daughters on the same day, in October 2006 (the family did not have much funds to get all required documents sooner). We requested expedite processing for the oldest daughter, since she would soon age out. The four of them got their Fingerprint appointments within a month. Inexplicably, USCIS did some unusual things while processing these cases: they expedited all the petitions for the second daughter, who got all her approvals in the end of November 2006, and USCIS sent the rest of the papers to another city for processing. We had to complain and insist to bring them back to the previous service center.
On January 2007 they sent interview notices for the mother and youngest daughter only, forgetting about the oldest, to which we submit a Mandamus Complaint. We insisted that they needed to set an interview for her before she turned 21. In the meantime we discovered that both the oldest and youngest daughters had criminal records with Juvenile Court (for under aged alcohol possession and other). We followed up and talked to Immigration officers and Juvenile Court on how to make sure those records would not affect the case (the charges in one daughter's case had been dropped). We finally got a call from the Immigration officer in charge of Mandamus complaint and got an appointment for the oldest daughter...for two days before her 21st. birthday! The mother and second daughter got their approval notices shortly after their interview, and the oldest one was approved eight days after her 21st. birthday. Later we heard that everyone had got their green cards by mail, except for the youngest daughter, so we had to work with USCIS follow up her case until she received it.