[Please note: The Client’s name and case key details may have been altered to preserve the identity of the client. This Success Story is not intended to be an offer of service or case plan. Every case is unique. The Success Story is presented for information purposes only.]
From late 2019 to early 2021, the [nap_names id=”FIRM-NAME-1″]. Wong team in Cleveland assisted a woman named Marthe from Canada who was trying to obtain a marriage-based green card due to her recent marriage to a United States citizen named Charles who impressed us as being a very good man.
One of the reasons that the process took so long was that Marthe, although she had a copy of her birth record, had a difficult time obtaining a certified copy of the “long-form certificate” which was a requirement of USCIS. For sure, we did what we could to help which included finding the appropriate website and instructing Marthe, who was in frequent pain due to a health issue, as to how to apply for the certified copy but, despite our efforts and those of Marthe and Charles, several months transpired before we were able to acquire the document which we immediately forwarded to USCIS.
Another reason for the slowdown was that it was psychologically tough for Marthe to do the research necessary to procure a copy of her previous husband’s death certificate because the man had been very abusive to her but finally Charles stepped in and managed to complete the exercise.
Then, of course, there was the Covid-19 pandemic which significantly slowed the procedure immigration procedure for many applicants.
These delays were a particular hardship for Marthe because she was suffering from recurring back problems and needed to secure a travel document so she could see her doctor in Canada who knew exactly what had to be done to bring her relief, but she could not return to her homeland without an approved travel document which was finally received several months later after we requested expedited processing.
Indeed, when our team met with Marthe upon her return, she seemed a lot more relaxed and focused than she had been before her treatment. Accordingly, we instructed her to bring a copy of Charles’ private health insurance policy, which covered Marthe also, to her USCIS interview to demonstrate that she was highly unlikely to ever be a “public charge.”
In November of 2020, Marthe and Charles were granted an interview in Cleveland which they attended accompanied by a member of our team. Thankfully, Marthe’s recent travel to Canada for medical purposes was not questioned.
Marthe was queried, however, about a denial of entry to the United States that occurred right after she and Charles were married. It seems that when they were crossing the U.S./Canadian border Marthe had told the guard that she lived in Northeast Ohio when she should have said that she was entering as a visitor and would stay at the home of her new husband. The whole matter was resolved quickly and Marthe was allowed another try at entry into the U.S. within a couple of hours for which she was given a green light.
Overall, though, the ISO liked Marthe, and the interview went well. As our team expected, Marthe was approved for a green card which she received shortly thereafter, in time for her birthday.
For sure, Marthe expressed gratitude to the [nap_names id=”FIRM-NAME-1″]. Wong team for being patient and “going the extra mile” to help her. Subsequently, she promised to come to see us in August of 2022 when it would be time to apply for a permanent green card and several years later when she would have the opportunity to apply for U.S. citizenship.
In the meantime, as Marthe told us, her doctor in Canada located a counterpart in Northeast Ohio, who accepted she and Charles’ health insurance, and instructed him as to what to do to bring relief to Marthe should her back problems flare-up again.
“I now don’t have to leave this man for any reason,” Marthe told us as she smiled lovingly at Charles.
