Author: Alan Lee

1. Can I Change of Status From Tourist Visa to Student Visa?

I came from Hong Kong 3 months ago to visit friends in the U. S. and was just about to go back when I looked at this school and was interested in their arts program. My stay does not expire for another 3 months. If I obtain an I-20 school acceptance form from the school, can I change my status in the United States to F-1 student rather than going back to Hong Kong just to interview for the F-1 visa and come right back? It would seem like quite a waste of time and expense for me to go out and come back in.

Mr. Lee answers,
If you are fairly certain that you can obtain the F-1 visa at the American consulate overseas, that may be the better choice regardless of the extra time and expense. That is because U.S.C.I.S. processing times on change of status to F-1 student are uncertain, e.g. Vermont service center processing times are 6.5-8.5 months/California service center 2.5-4 months, and the agency many times does not adhere to these timelines. During the time of processing, U.S.C.I.S. insists that persons in the U. S. on B-1 or  B-2 statuses keep maintaining those statuses through extension until the agency makes a decision on the change of status request. In addition, you are not allowed to go to school until the time that the change of status is approved. Finally a change of status is not a visa, and if you leave the U. S. at any time in the future, you would have to interview and receive a F-1 visa in your passport even if you had a change of status with U.S.C.I.S. An exception to the requirement of obtaining a new visa for F-1 students who received a change of status would be those taking trips to Canada or Mexico or the Caribbean islands (not Cuba) for 30 days and less.

2. I Am Worried About My Political Asylum Application That I Filed in December 2017 – Is It Lost?

I filed my political asylum application with the Vermont service center of the U.S.C.I.S. in December 2017 and received a receipt. Soon after, I was asked to do fingerprints and photographs. Since that time, I have heard nothing, and am worried that my case is lost. What can I do?

Mr. Lee answers,
You can now check your case online with U.S.C.I.S. As of January 2019, the agency is allowing affirmative asylum applicants (those who apply for the first time at U.S.C.I.S. and not the immigration court) to check their cases online through the U.S.C.I.S. online status system – https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do.  You can input your asylum receipt number (it begins with 3 letters and the first letter is “Z” followed by 10 numbers). Although it may not give detailed information, it will generally give an idea of where your case is at in terms of action.

3. A Company is Offering to Change My Visitor’s Visa to H-1B Specialty Worker – Can It Be Done Now?

I came to the U. S. in February under a visiting visa and was given 6 months to stay. A friend of a friend recommended me to a company which said that they could get me an immediate H-1B visa status. I was surprised because I thought that companies could only do this in the first part of April every year under some type of selection process, and it is now June. The company said that they were exempt because I would be placed on the campus of a college to take care of some of the software development necessary for the school’s IT system. Is that possible?

Mr. Lee answers,
There is indeed an exception under the circumstances that you describe above. Under the rules, a college is an institution of higher education exempt from the requirement of having to file H-1B’s under the April selection process. A private employer can qualify for the institution’s exemption when it places workers on campus. The factors that U.S.C.I.S. looks at are that the majority of the worker’s duties must be performed at the qualifying institution, and the job duties must directly and predominantly further the essential purpose, mission objectives or functions of the qualifying institution. In your case, performing software development to improve the school’s information systems would appear to help the functions of the college. (I note that there are other issues that U.S.C.I.S. examines with reference to third-party placements, especially in the computer area, such as whether this is a specialty occupation and whether there is sufficient petitioner control over the worker who goes onto a third-party site – but I imagine that those are issues for another day).

1. Filing for My Brother And His Family, But One of Her Daughter Is U.S. Citizen. Should I Include Her in Application?

Mr. Lee Answers:
On the I-130 petition, you are technically only applying for your brother. However, the I-130 petition does ask for information on all of his family members. So you should certainly include the U. S. citizen daughter on the I-130 form.

2. Fiancé(e) Visa

My fiancé lives is a Bulgarian citizen but lives in Spain. I want to bring him here so that my family can see us be married and because I already have a son from a previous relationship, I was hoping to have him live here with us. We were researching and came across the income requirements of a sponsor. This kind of destroys our hope because I am a single mom on state assistance and housing assistance. I have already traveled to see him in Spain and we plan to go again as soon as I can save up the money. Thankfully my family helped pay for it last time. What can we do? I read about joint sponsors however I am a bit confused with it. How does it all work? I currently live with my mom and son. However I support my son and we go joint with the bills and things.  Does that make my household 2 or 3 ? And when trying to figure out this number for the Poverty guideline, do I include my fiancé in this number? If I do, that would make it 3 or 4.

Mr. Lee Answers:
A joint sponsor is allowed to share income and assets with you if living in the same residence. The number of people in your household would be four – you, your son, fiancé and your mother. The income of both you and your mother should exceed the poverty guidelines for a family of 4. If not, assets can be counted at 1/5 value in addition to the income to meet the guidelines.

 3.Petty Offense Exception

 Plea “Not Guilty”. Offered deferred prosecution, and case dismissed 12 months later by city attorney (2012). I know this qualifies for the petty offense exception (no previous or subsequent contact with law enforcement). Under the current Administration, should there be any concerns for green card renewal? I am a legal permanent resident since 1980.

Mr. Lee Answers:
Who knows what the Trump administration will try next? However, that being said, your situation under current law should not preclude you from having your green card renewed.

1. Can My Sister’s Child Immigrate Under the Child Status Protection Act?

I petitioned for my sister (U. S. citizen for sibling) with a priority date of March 31, 2006. That date just became available to immigrate, and she and her husband are scheduled for interview at the American consulate. However, the notice did not include their daughter who was born on January 2, 1995. She is 24 years old, and we understand that the time that the I-130 petition was pending is given as a credit to her age. The petition was approved on April 15, 2009. Looking at the Department of State visa bulletin, our priority date was reached under the dates of filing chart in January 2019. We went to a consultant who told us that the child should be able to immigrate, so we do not understand what is going on now. Can you explain?

Mr. Lee answers,
Unfortunately the Department of State and U.S.C.I.S. made a decision to only stop counting and “freeze” a child’s age when the priority date is reached on the final action chart (chart A), and not the dates of filing chart (chart B). The consultant was looking at chart B and not chart A which only became open to your sister’s priority date on June 1, 2019. Your sister’s daughter was over the age of 21 by 3 years and 149 days as of June 1, 2019. She is given credit for the period of time that the I-130 pended at U.S.C.I.S., which was 3 years and 103 days. Thus because the priority date became available 46 days after she turned 21 under CSPA counting, she is unfortunately not able to immigrate with her parents. Lacking any other way to come to the U. S., her parents can immigrate and then immediately file petition(s) for her under the F-2B category for an unmarried son or daughter of a lawful permanent resident. The waiting time is currently approximately 6 years.

2. Failed the Marriage Interview – What Are My Chances of Appeal?

I and my husband went through our marriage interview at U.S.C.I.S. with our lawyer, and we just received a denial. We think it was unfair because the immigration officer picked on small things that either I or my husband could not specifically remember. What are our chances if we appeal the decision?

Mr. Lee answers,
You should consult with the lawyer who was with you at the time of the marriage interview. Usually the attorney will have written down all the questions and answers that both you and your husband provided and can assess the effect of any differences in your answers and their significance. A long time U.S.C.I.S. section chief in charge of marriage interviews once spoke at an immigration lawyers’ meeting at which he cheerfully stated that he would be hard-pressed to pass a marriage interview with some of his officers. The rule of reason should apply, and if your attorney believes that the discrepancies were minor or explainable, you should go forward with the appeal.

3. Applying for H-1B and Wanting to Get Into F-1 Higher Education Program, What Can I Do?

I have optional practical training that ends on July 30, 2019. My company applied for my H-1B, and I received the word that I was selected, but I am not sure that it will be approved. I also want to take a higher degree program and want to transfer into that. What effect will that have if the H-1B papers are approved? Does that nullify my H-1B?

Mr. Lee answers,
In order for you to take the higher degree program, you do not have to take another action with U.S.C.I.S. as you are already in F-1 status under your optional practical training. U.S.C.I.S. operates under the last action rule, and if its last action is the approval of the H-1B petition, that would supersede the F-1 status and you would be automatically converted to H-1B.

4. We Have the Choice of My Wife Applying for Labor Certification Green Card and Me Applying for Political Asylum – What Road Should We Take?

I came into the U. S. under a H-4 visa from China and my wife is presently under H-1B and the company is offering to sponsor. But that is a long case according to the lawyer which may take 3 to 5 years because of the China quota on visas, and I am thinking of applying for political asylum. When I was 10 years old, I was in Beijing and a military truck ran over my leg near Tiananmen Square in June 1989. Also the local birth control authorities wrecked our house in 1995 because my sister would not come out of hiding when she was pregnant with the second child. Should I do that or ask my wife to do the labor case?

Mr. Lee answers,
Your wife should do the employment based case as long as the company is viable and capable of sponsoring her for the green card. The chances of the employment based case being approved as opposed to the asylum case are much greater. I doubt that the circumstances that you describe for your political asylum case would allow a grant of asylum as you were likely not an active protester at the age of 10 near Tiananmen Sq. and the target of the birth control authorities was your sister and not you. Under H-4 status, you are not allowed to work unless your wife has an I-140 employment preference classification approved or is eligible to file for time over the six-year limit on H-1B visas. If you are concerned about ability to work, you can try to apply for H-1B status if qualified and a sponsoring organization is available (next April if a cap employer or at any time if the employer is cap-exempt) or attempt to change your status to F-1 student under which you may be able to work part-time on campus, or at a later point request work authorization from the school (curricular practical training), or even optional practical training from U.S.C.I.S.

1. International Student- Using TPS Work Permit to Do Paid Summer Internship, Is It Okay?

My brother is an international student from Nepal. He recently got his TPS and he is trying to use the TPS work permit to do some paid Internship in Summer related with his studies. I have some concerns: a) Should he do that, what will be your recommendation? b) How it will impact him once the TPS expires next year. c) Just want to make sure with Legal professional that he is not doing something that can cause Immigration problem for him in future?

Mr. Lee Answers:
If your brother is an international student holding valid status as a student, his work under a TPS work permit would be violative of his student status even if authorized by U.S.C.I.S. in my opinion.  He could have another option to perhaps obtain curriculum practical training or pre-completion practical training from the institution to work in his paid internship as you say that it is related to his schooling. I encourage him to discuss the matter with the designated school official (DSO).

2. Do I Have A 60-Day Grace Period After My Job Ends Early?

I am an H1-B visa holder. My job here in the US was supposed to last three years but my employer informed me in April 2019 that my position will end on 30 July 2019 (a full two years early). Will I have until the end of September to leave the USA?

Mr. Lee Answers:
You would have a 60 day grace period to leave the United States given the fact that the employer would have ended your job a full 2 years before the ending date of your H-1B petition. U.S.C.I.S. believes that under the circumstances, you can use the time to find another position, change status, or leave the U. S.

3. Immigration – Two Cases

I came in US on J1 visa and applied for religious asylum, I got my work permit and I have SSN. But then I met my boyfriend and first we were friends but later on it became more than that. Day by day with him and I started to change my religious views. I realized that that religion is not good. We want to get married but we both don’t know what is the best option because I cannot be in two processes at the same time. What do you suggest to me?

Mr. Lee Answers:
At a 2017 meeting of the New York American Immigration Lawyers Association chapter with the New York City District Director and chief of staff, a member of the audience suggested a solution to a situation like yours – that you request the asylum office to put your case on hold while pursuing an adjustment of status application based upon marriage. You could also request the asylum office to cancel your case. I assume that your boyfriend is a U. S. citizen and that your religious asylum case is pending with U.S.C.I.S. and not in the immigration court. If either of these 2 situations exists, my answer may be different.

1. Can I Transfer My H-1 In This Condition?

I have a valid H-1 visa and already on 6th year on H-1B. I am looking for some employer who can file green card for me. My Visa from current company is in extension process and have received (Request for Further Evidence) RFE on the same. My Employer will respond to that RFE but I have a following questions – 1. Can I transfer my H-1 to other employer who can file GC for me in this condition? 2. If yes can i start working immediately with new employer once transfer is filed? Will it be too much risky. 3. Shall I wait for Approval to complete? 4. Can other employer start my GC if I am not in his payroll till labor approval?

Mr. Lee Answers:
In your situation, you can transfer to another employer and begin working immediately once the transfer is filed. The risk is that a failure of U.S.C.I.S. to approve the transfer means that you will be considered out of status. Whether to wait for your approval to be completed is up to you, and you would have to take into consideration your wishes for safety and permanent residence. Perhaps the employer can expedite your filing under premium processing.  A new employer can begin your green card process even if you are not on the payroll. An employment based PERM case does not require the beneficiary to work for the employer until permanent residence is approved.

2. My Husband Is a Citizen Here But Is Unemployed For a Few Months Now. Is It Possible for Him to File Immigrant Papers For Me?

Mr. Lee Answers:
Even if your husband has been unemployed for a few months, he may still be able to file for you, especially if he or you has a friend or relative who is willing to be a joint sponsor and capable of taking on the support obligation. In such case, your husband would fill out an affidavit of support on form I-864, and the friend or relative would fill out another I-864 and check mark the form as a joint sponsor.

3. My girl friend and I want to get married and we both not from USA. My question is can we get married and can we get the green card?

Mr. Lee Answers:
Usually people from other nations have no problem getting married in the United States. However, being married does not confer any particular advantage towards getting the green card. Most immigration to the U. S. is done through family-based petitions in which one party is related to someone who has permanent resident or U. S. citizenship status, or through employment-based petitions in which an employer plays a central role. Whether you can live here normally without any problem if you do not have any status will probably depend upon the ongoing story of ICE enforcement under the Trump administration.

1. Is My Grace Period 10 Days or 60 Days Where The Company Dismisses Me Two Days After my H-1B Time Runs Out?

I was on H-1B visa with my company and went home to have the visa put in my passport when I had about four months left on my petition. The consul took so long that by the time that my passport got the stamp and I returned, I only had a few days left on my authorized stay. My employer was mad that I had taken so much time to get the visa and did not want to be put under so much pressure to do the processing for my H-1B extension that it fired me two days after my status expired. I immediately contacted a competing company which is interested in sponsoring me for a new H-1B, but wonder if I have the time to have it done. Do I have 10 days grace or do I have 60 day grace period? I’ve heard different things.

Dear reader,
Where an employer dismisses you after the ending date of your H-1B, you are not allowed the 60 day grace period as you were not fired within the validity period of your H-1B. You are, however, allowed the 10 day grace period during which your status will continue to be legal if the new employer is able to submit the petition to U.S.C.I.S. within that period of time. I note that even where the new employer is unable to do so, U.S.C.I.S. may still grant the H-1B transfer and extension without making you leave where there is good reason for which the petition is late. From your set of facts, it would appear that you have good reason for a late petition, that the delay is not attributable to any fault on your part, and you have made good faith efforts to regularize your status as quickly as you could. The only other suggestion that I can make is that the company should apply for your new petition under premium processing if it will be late since U.S.C.I.S. is variable in time with its adjudications, and if you are in the US 180 days after the grace period ends and the new H-1B extension part in the US is denied, you would face a three-year bar if you left and had to come back to the US.

2. Am I In Danger Where I Got Divorced Soon After Me and Ex-husband Got Green Cards From His Company Employment and I Was Only Married a Short Time?

I married my ex-husband in 2017 when he was being sponsored for the green card by his ex-employer. I was able to join his case and we both get green cards in 2018. Four months after the green card, we started divorce proceedings because we could not get along together and just finalized the divorce last month. Am I in danger of having my green card revoked?

Dear reader,
Your case is not based upon a marriage petition, and so you would likely have no problems in retaining the green card. You would probably only have difficulties if it was proven that your marriage was a sham just in order to have you obtain a green card. That would probably start to become a possibility only if someone was to make a complaint with ICE.

1. Are There Continuous Residence Requirements For a Lawful Permanent Resident Who Is Under 18?

I am a single mum to a now 17 year old daughter. I immigrated to the U.S with my daughter in 2008 on a diversity immigrant visa i.e green card lottery, which means that once I became a lawful permanent resident in the U.S, my daughter also automatically became a Lawful permanent resident and was issued her own green card and SSN. Her green card is still very much valid but is due to expire in 2019. However, she had to leave the US sometime in late 2014,because she went to start high school in my country of origin, but now I want to bring her back this year for a short visit ,and also so that I can apply for a U.S passport for her.(Sorry I forgot to mention that I got naturalized last year 2016,so she can be able to obtain citizenship through me before she turns 18). I cannot seem to find any current information on whether there are any laws that can hinder her from re-entering back to the US?

Mr. Lee Answers:
One of the difficulties is that everything must be done by the time that your daughter reaches the age of 18. Other than that, she can either try to give up the green card and obtain a visiting visa or attempt to enter as a permanent resident explaining her entire situation to Customs and Border Protection at the port of entry and why she should be so admitted. Once in the U. S., she would have to show that she is in your physical custody (residing with you) before making a citizenship application. Good luck!

2. What to do When a Principal Died Before Interview Date Scheduled?

I am a US Citizen and the petitioner for my Mom. She passed away this last Sunday before her interview date at the US embassy. I was expecting she comes to the US, gets her green card so that she can petition for my siblings. What can I do? Do I need to inform the embassy? What are the options left for my siblings especially for the one under 21 and the one who just turn 21.

Mr. Lee Answers:
It would be courteous to inform the embassy of your mother’s death so that her case can be closed out. Insofar as your siblings are concerned, you can sponsor them under the F-4 category for siblings of U. S. citizens, and the time for final processing would be approximately 12 years. Otherwise if they have education and/or skills which are required in the U. S., they may be able to eventually obtain nonimmigrant or immigrant visas. Also if they form an attachment with a U. S. citizen or LPR, they may be able to immigrate faster under the family based case.

3. My Father Said His Going to Take Me Back to Africa. But I Am 19 Years Old and a U.S. Citizen.  Can He Do That?

Mr. Lee Answers:
As you are over the age of 18 and a U. S. citizen, your father cannot legally force you to go back with him to Africa.

1. Should I Fill Out An I-134 Form for Partially Supporting My Girl Friend Trying to Extend a B-2 Visa?

My Thai girl friend is here on a B-2 visa. I am a graduate student who works seasonally in Alaska, and I wish for her to come with me for a few months to Alaska this summer. We are seeking a 4 month extension of her B-2 visa. Which forms besides an I-539 do we need to fill out? Should I submit a I-134 form to claim she has financial support while visiting me? 

Mr. Lee Answers:
Besides the I-539 form, she should have proof of onward transportation back to her home country on or before the stated date of departure, an itinerary of what she proposes to do in the 4 months, and proof of adequate support which could include your I-134 affidavit of support with job letter, bank letter, and last year’s tax return.

 2. USCIS Sent My Green Card to The Wrong Address. Now I Don’t Want to Pay Fee for the Replacement. It Was Not Delivered Back But It’s Their Fault.

USCIS denied my I 90 application with the reason (I never received it) because they didn’t get the card back. Now they ask either to reapply with the reason lost and pay fee or appeal/motion which also have a fee of $675 which is non refundable. Its their fault they sent it on the wrong address what should I do now. They actually sent it on my petitioner’s address other than the mailing address I provided in DS-260 form. That place was sold years ago and the people over there didn’t mail it back.

Mr. Lee Answers:
In looking over the I-90 form, there is no category to check off for a person to complain that U.S.C.I.S. made an error in mailing the card to the wrong address. The difficulty is that an application like yours could be automatically rejected by the cashier as not having the required fee. That being said, you could try to check off Part 2, Section A, 2.b that “My previous card was issued but never received”, and attach a letter of explanation with proof if you have not already done so. The other option of course is to pay the filing fee.

3. Marrying an American Without Seeking U.S. Citizenship

I am a U.S. citizen. My boyfriend is currently a Saudi F-1 visa holder going to school here. We want to get married after he graduates, but we do not intend to stay here for more than 6 months to a year, so he does not want to apply for American citizenship. Is there a way for him to change status or marry me without losing his citizenship?

Mr. Lee Answers:
Your boyfriend after marriage can seek permanent residence but not U. S. citizenship. If his idea is that he does not wish to remain in the U. S. for 6 months or more during the next few years, he could likely take out reentry permits. However, if his idea is that he does not wish to stay in the U. S. 6 months or more at anytime in the future, then he may wish to explain his situation to the American consulate or embassy in his home country in order to obtain a visiting visa for when he needs to come to the U. S.

1. Can I Enter on F-1 Visa While H-1 Application is Pending?

I am on F-1 visa (valid till May 2021) working on OPT EAD which is valid till January 2020. I am applying for H1 this year. If my H1 application is picked up in lottery, then can I travel outside the USA and come back on F1 visa while my H1 application is pending? If yes, then in the case that my H1 is approved, do I have to get my visa stamped to even start working on H1? or I can get it stamped the next time i leave the USA?

Mr. Lee answers:
The difficulty is that any travel outside the United States during the time that an H-1B petition is pending is considered an abandonment of the change of status portion of the petition. With your OPT EAD valid until January 2020, you can travel with the above restriction. You might be better off waiting until the H-1B petition is approved before traveling under your OPT EAD before October. Then it might be considered that you did not travel during the time that the H-1B petition was pending. If the change of status portion of your H-1B is not considered abandoned and you did request the change of status, you would not be required to have an H1B visa in your passport in order for you to begin work in October. Please note that I along with most of the lawyers discourage applicants even with EAD’s to travel at any time before an H-1B becomes effective in October or thereafter.

2. Pros and Cons of Applying for K-3 Visa After Submitting an I-130

I’m Venezuelan living in Panama, Married to my long time boyfriend since 01/07/2017, we got married in Fort Lauderdale and then I came back to Panama, he is a US. Citizen lives in FL, now we have to start our Petition for relative and we are uncertain what to do, we know we should start with a I-130 application, then wait for I-797 and Consular Processing. Is it a Good Idea to apply also for K-3 so I don’t have to wait separated from him? 

Mr. Lee answers:
The pros and cons of filing a K-3 visa petition after submitting an I-130 would seem to be the following:

Pro – generally speaking, you would get the person here faster (approximately 3 months sooner under current processing times).

Con – you would have to pay another filing fee, fill out another petition, most likely face an adjustment of status process once the person comes in with the K-3 visa, and if the I-130 petition is approved and at the National Visa Center while the K-3 petition is still pending or also at the National Visa Center, the K-3 would be discontinued.

3. I’m a US Citizen. Can My Mother Stay Over 180 Days If I Applied for Her Green Card And It’s Still In-process?

Mr. Lee answers:
If you have already filed an I-130 petition and she has filed for an I-485 adjustment of status, she is allowed to remain in the U. S. while the application is being adjudicated. She is in a quasi legal state in which the illegal presence bar does not apply.