|
1145 Main Street, Suite 403
Springfield, MA 01105
Office: 413- 737-9099
Fax: 413- 737-0377
info@mk-immigration.com
71 Legion Parkway, Suite 11
Brockton, MA
Office: 508-297-2065
Office: 508-941-5800
Fax: 508-587-1160
|
|
|
|
 Visa
Information
Immigration Law is a complex ever-changing area of law. The two primary agencies that deal with immigration issues in the United States are the U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services (US CIS formerly known as INS) and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), while the State Department handles immigration issues that arise overseas.
Below you will find a brief description of some
of the areas of immigration law that Attorney Mahsa Khanbabai
practices. For a more detailed description of each please contact
Attorney Khanbabai.
Adjustment of Status
Adjustment of status is a procedure allowing certain non-U.S. Citizens already in the United States to apply for permanent resident status. Persons admitted to the United States in a nonimmigrant, refugee, or parolee category may have their status changed to that of Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) if they are eligible to receive an immigrant visa and one is immediately available. In such cases, the alien is counted as an immigrant as of the date of adjustment, even though the alien may have been in the United States for an extended period of time.
Consular Processing
Consular processing involves processing for permanent residency through the issuance of an immigrant or non-immigrant visa by a U.S. Consulate abroad. In consular processing, the interview for an immigrant visa takes place at a U.S. Embassy or consulate located in the foreign person’s country of nationality (with some exceptions).
H-1B Temporary Professional Visa
An H-1B visa is a nonimmigrant classification that allows a foreign national to be employed temporarily in a specialty occupation. A specialty occupation requires theoretical and practical application of a body of specialized knowledge along with at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. For example, specialty occupations may include: architecture, engineering, mathematics, physical sciences, social sciences, medicine and health, education, business specialties, accounting, law, theology, and the arts.
Labor Certification
The Labor Certification process allows a foreign national to be sponsored for permanent residence by an employer. The Labor Certification process requires that a foreign national have an offer of employment in the United States. There are multi-steps involved in this process, including recruitment efforts by the petitioning employer as well as documentation of the ability to pay the employee wages.
Student Visas
The Immigration and Nationality Act provides two nonimmigrant visa categories for persons wishing to study in the United States. The “F” visa is reserved for non-immigrants wishing to purse academic studies and/or language training programs, and the “M” visa is reserved for non-immigrants wishing to pursue nonacademic or vocational studies.
Removal and Deportation
Removal and/or deportation are processes by which the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) attempt to deport/remove non-citizens from the United States. These proceedings are conducted before the Immigration Court (EOIR).
Asylum
Persons fleeing their country because of persecution on account of their race, religion, or political opinion may try to apply for asylum in the United States. You may be able to ask for protection in the United States if: (1) you feel that you will be harmed if you return to your own country; or (2) you have suffered harm there in the past. The threat or harm must come from the government or someone the government cannot or will not control based on at least one of five reasons, (race, ethnicity, religion, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group). Generally, you must have lived in the United States for less than one year to be eligible.
Naturalization and Citizenship
Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) are eligible for U.S. Citizenship by applying for naturalization through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (CIS). Most LPRs must wait for a period of five (5) years prior to such application, however, persons who obtain their “green card” through marriage to a U.S. Citizen may apply for citizenship after only three (3) years of lawful permanent residency.
|
|
