Immigration Law Attorney

Immigration status can have life-changing impacts on non U.S. citizens. Immigration law determines anyone who is not a U.S. citizen their rights, duties, and obligations. Attorneys at Li Law Group have successfully represented many clients with their no-immigration visas, green cards, naturalization process, and cancellation of removal proceedings. With personal experience, legal training, and a keen understanding of the U.S. immigration system, Attorney Li helps our clients understand their options in choosing what is the best for your employees, spouse, and family members. 

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 Immigrant Visa – Green Card

 

There are several types of immigrant visa. If succeed, they all lead to lawful permanent residency, or commonly known as Green Card. The origin story about why lawful permanent residence card is called Green Card started in 1940. At that time, the Alien Registration Act required all immigrants over 14 years old to be registered so that the U.S. government knew who had immigrated to this country. The initial registration was done at the local post office. Once the registrations were processed, a distinct pale green card would be mailed to the applicant. Since then, the lawful permanent resident card started being known as Green Card. The most recent version of Green Card features holographic image, embedded digital data, finger print, and picture.

 

Different Categories of Green Card

1. Family Based Green Card

2. Employment Based Green Card

3. Diversity Green Card

4. Special Green Card for Iraqi and Afghan who worked for the U.S. Government

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Family Based Green Card

 

Family based green card includes 6 groups of applications: (1) spouse of a U.S. Citizen, (2) fiancé of a U.S. Citizen who lives in the U.S. (3) intercountry adoption of orphan children by U.S. citizens, (4) parent of a U.S. citizen who is at least 21  years old, (5) children of a U.S. citizen, (6) certain immediate family members of a lawful permanent residents.

As an immediate family of a U.S. citizen or a U.S. lawful permanent resident, you can process the green card application inside and outside the U.S. However, it is faster to process if you are already in the U.S.

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Employment Based Green Card

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Employment based green card includes (1) extraordinary ability individuals who have received international or national acclamations EB1 (2) professionals with advance degree and exception abilities EB2, (3) certain skilled workers and professionals EB3 (4) foreign investors also known as EB-5 investors, (5) and certain special immigrants including broadcasters, ministers, employees of U.S. government, and others.

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Many athletes, entertainment professionals, models, musicians, scientists file for EB1 Green Card. It generally requires the applicant demonstrate that (1) she has received national or international acclaims, (2) she is seeking to enter the U.S. to continue her work, and (3) her work will benefit the U.S.

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Many academic professionals and working professionals file for EB2 Green Card. EB2 generally requires a labor certificate and a job offer in the U.S. unless the applicant can qualify for the national interest waiver. It requires the applicants to demonstrate (1) they are members of the professions holding advanced degrees or their equivalent or who because of their exceptional ability in the sciences, arts, or business, (2) they will substantially benefit prospectively the national economy, cultural or educational interests, or welfare of the United States, and  (3) their services in the sciences, arts, professions, or business are sought by an employer in the United States.

 

Diversity Visa

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Diversity visa is also known as the green card lottery. Each fiscal year, there will be 5,000 diversity visa applicants drawn from all the applications around the world. Eligible applicants must meet 2 strict requirements. First, the applicant must be born in an eligible country. Secondly, the applicant must have at least a high school education, or at least 2 years of working experience. For 2019, countries from the list below are not eligible for diversity visa because more than 50,000 natives of these countries immigrated to the U.S. in the past 5 years.

• Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom, and its dependent territories, and Vietnam.

• Note, persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan are eligible.

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