U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) announced that he will introduce a measure in the House of Representatives that will encourage the U.S. Government to expand the Visa Waiver Program, an effort that he expects to help boost tourism in Queens.
The resolution calls on the government to expand the waiver program to include at least three new countries: Brazil, Chile and Argentina. Rojas said the U.S. economy gets about twice as many tourism dollars from South America compared to the United Kingdom, so making it easier for more travelers from more countries to come to America would mean more money for the economy.
The Visa Waiver Program allows visitors from 36 participating countries to travel to the U.S. for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. Countries included in the program were the largest source of inbound travel in 2010, representing 65 percent of all tourists to the U.S.
Adjustment of status was approved for the wife of a US citizen and former Marine. The couple married 14 months ago after dating for 9 months. She is originally from Brazil, and he was born in the United States. He fought in Afghanistan, and he currently is attending school with the goal of getting his Bachelor’s degree in psychology.
She originally entered the United States on a student visa, but she overstayed her authorized time in the U.S. The couple approached me in late 2009 because they were considering marriage, but they were not sure about the immigration process. After explaining to them how the process worked, they were comfortable with proceeding, and they decided to get married. After they married, it took them a little while to gather all the necessary documents and save the money to pay the processing fees, but we filed the paperwork and evidence with USCIS in late 2010. We just received the approval after attending the interview in Santa Ana.
The adjustment of status process is the final step for aliens living in the United States and seeking to obtain a green card and permanent residency. After the I-130 visa petition is filed and approved, the adjustment applicant can file the I-485 with US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). USCIS will interview the applicant and the US citizen spouse to be certain that the marriage is valid and entered into in good faith. We generally provide substantial evidence to prove that the marriage is bona fide.
The couple was very happy with the outcome, and they look forward to leaving together and maybe starting a family in Newport Beach. If you are considering the adjustment of status process, contact The Nunez Firm to schedule a free consultation. Managing attorney Jay Nunez will personally meet with you during a confidential consultation and help you better understand the options available to you.
Tags: adjustment of status, brazil, green card, I-130, I-485, immigration lawyer, interview, Irvine, Jay Nunez, Marriage Based Green Card, marriage to US citizen, marriage-based immigration, Newport Beach, Orange County, Santa Ana, The Nunez Firm, USCIS, visa petition student visa
Maria-Helena Knoller pleaded guilty to arranging more than 40 fake marriages between Americans and Brazilians in order to evade US immigration laws.
She faces up to 10 years in prison, and she will be sentenced in July of this year.
Knoller charged immigrants $8,000 to plan the wedding, adjust immigration status to lawful permanent resident, and help them trick immigration officers during interviews designed to investigate marriage fraud.
If you have entered into a valid and good faith marriage and are interested in adjusting your status to lawful permanent resident, contact The Nunez Firm to schedule a free and confidential consultation. Managing attorney Jay Nunez will personally meet with you to discuss your case and the options available to you. We are located in Irvine, California in Orange County.
I just returned from an adjustment interview at the USCIS office in Santa Ana, California, where the USCIS officer approved the adjustment of status application for my Aliso Viejo client and her son. She is originally from Brazil, and she married her US citizen husband in January 2010. We filed for the adjustment of status one month later. The couple dated for one year before marrying. Both of them had been previously married; therefore, we provided proof of divorce along with evidence of the good faith marriage. The US citizen husband also petitioned for his stepson, who is only 5 years old.
The USCIS officer asked them a few questions about how they met and when they decided to get married. He commented on the fact that they married shortly after the husband’s divorce was final, but ultimately determined he was confident that the marriage was entered into in good faith and was not fraudulent.
This has been a great month for the couple. Two weeks ago, they gave birth to their first child together – a beautiful baby girl. Now, the whole family is certain to remain together in the United States. I am very happy for them and wish them all the best.
If you are married to a US citizen and are considering the adjustment of status process, contact The Nunez Firm to schedule a free and confidential consultation. Managing attorney Jay Nunez has helped countless couples stay together in the United States on a permanent basis.
An Irvine client just found out today that the United States Consulate in Brazil approved a fiance visa for his future wife. The couple has been dating for over two years. They met while he was working in Brazil in 2006. They began dating, and she visited him in Orange County, California in 2007. In 2008, he began the fiance visa process by filing an I-129F along with the necessary evidence and documents. After the I-129F was approved by US Citizenship and Immigration Services, the file was transferred to the consulate in Brazil for a state department interview with the Brazilian fiance. He just informed me today of the great news that his fiance was approved for the K-1 visa, and she will be coming to the Orange County soon.
Once she arrives in the United States, the couple must marry within 90 days. After the marriage, we will file the adjustment of status application so that she can receive her green card and lawful permanent resident status. If everything goes well, she will receive her green card after an interview with a USCIS officer.
In many situations, the fiance visa process is the best way for a US Citizen to help his/her future spouse immigrate to the United States as quickly as possible. In some instances, there are other options that might result in quicker processing. In order to be eligible for a fiance visa, the couple must show that there is a bona fide intent to marry within 90 days of the fiance’s arrival in the United States. The couple must show that there are no legal impediments to marriage (all other marriages have been terminated). The couple must show that the couple has met each other within the past two years as well. Some petitioners may not be eligible to file a fiance visa petition due to criminal history or previous petitions for other fiances.
Once the fiance visa petition is approved by the appropriate USCIS office in the United States, the file is transferred to the consulate. The consulate will determine whether the fiance is eligible to receive an immigrant visa. If the consular officer finds that the foreign fiance is eligible, the K-1 visa will be approved, and the fiance may immigrate to the United States for the sole purpose of marrying the United States Citizen.
If you are interested in having your foreign fiance immigrate to the United States in order to marry, contact The Nunez Firm to discuss your case during a free and confidential consultation. Although the K-1 Fiance Visa might be the best option available to you, there might be other options that are more appropriate for your situation. Managing Attorney Jay Nunez will discuss your case with you and help you determine which strategy is best for you.
A client from Huntington Beach was granted lawful permanent resident status today in Orange County. He should receive his green card within the next month or so. He is originally from Brazil, and he came to the United States as an F-1 student visa holder. After he graduated, he obtained an H-1b visa and worked in Orange County for several years.
He started dating his wife, who is a US citizen in 2007, and they got married in 2008. After the marriage, his wife petitioned for him to adjust his status to lawful permanent resident without leaving the United States. The couple was interviewed by USCIS, and we just received the approval today.
If you are considering adjusting your status to lawful permanent resident, contact the Nunez Firm to discuss your case. Managing attorney Jay Nunez has helped countless clients adjust status and obtain their green cards.
My client just found out that his K-1 Fiance Visa Petition that we filed was approved by US Citizenship and Immigration Services. The California Service Center issued an approval notice for the K-1 Fiance Visa Petition that we filed seven months ago. My client lives in Irvine, and his fiance lives in Brazil.
The next step is to prepare the necessary forms (including the I-134 Form) and have the interview at the consulate in Brazil. The Brazilian fiance will attend the interview by herself. If the visa is approved by the consulate, she will be permitted to travel to the United States in order to marry my client. The couple will have 90 days to marry each other in the United States. Then, we will file the I-485 and other documents in order to adjust her status and obtain her conditional permanent resident card.
My client is very excited that his case is moving forward, and hopefully his future bride will be in the United States before the end of the year.
If you and your fiance(e) are planning to marry and wish to pursue the K-1 visa process, contact The Nunez Firm to schedule a free and confidential consultation. Managing Attorney Jay Nunez has helped many couples live together in the United States through the K-1 visa process.
Senator Kerry wrote to Attorney General Eric Holder urging him to allow Genesio Oliveira to return to the United States to reunite with his spouse, Tim Coco. Mr. Oliveira and Mr. Coco were legally married in Massachusetts in 2005. Mr. Oliveira applied for asylum in the United States, but was denied.
The U.S. immigration laws allow spouses of U.S. citizens to receive green cards; however, federal law does not recognize gay marriage, and does not allow U.S. citizens to petition for their same-sex spouse’s green cards.
The immigration court reviewing Mr. Oliveira’s asylum claim believed he was attacked and raped, but stated that Mr. Oliveira was “never physically harmed” by the rape. His asylum claim was denied, and
Mr. Oliveira left the United States in 2007. Since that time, Mr. Oliveira and Mr. Coco have been separated. When Mr. Coco’s mother died, Mr. Oliveira was denied a visitor’s visa and not allowed to attend his mother-in-law’s funeral or support his husband as he grieved.
If you fear returning to your home country because you believe you will be harmed, you might be eligible to receive asylum. Call The Nunez Firm today to schedule a free and confidential consultation.
