National Interest Waiver

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National Interest Waiver (December 18, 2017)

Employment-based visas that lead to permanent residence in the U.S., or a green card, have several different preference groups with different eligibility requirements. Most of these preference groups require a foreign national to have a full-time job offer in the United States and the filing of a labor certification application with the Department of Labor to obtain an official certification from the government agency that there is a shortage in the U.S. workforce before being able to proceed with the green card process. A foreign national generally cannot sponsor themselves.  Employers may often be hesitant to sponsor a foreign national because the process can be expensive and time-consuming.

Fortunately, there are a few exceptions.  Under the second employment-based preference category, EB-2, a foreign national would not need a specific job offer or labor certification if he or she were eligible for a National Interest Waiver (NIW). To be eligible, a foreign national must demonstrate they are (1) a member of a profession holding an advanced degree (doctorate, masters, or bachelor’s degree with five years of progressive work experience); or (2) a foreign national of “exceptional ability” whose employment will be of the “national interest.”

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Diversity Visa Lottery

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Diversity Visa Lottery (November 1, 2017)

The Department of State distributes 50,000 visas through a lottery system to foreign nationals from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. The Diversity Visa (DV) is meant to promote a diverse immigrant population and is not available to foreign nationals from “high admission” countries. A country is considered “high admission” if 50,000 or more people born in that country have immigrated to the United States under family or employment-based visa categories in the past five years.

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Applying for a Fee Waiver

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Applying for a Fee Waiver (September 19, 2017)

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) receives a substantial portion of its funding through application fees but these fees can be a substantial barrier to certain foreign nationals and permanent residents, or green card holders. The USCIS recognizes the potential hardship and offers a fee waiver for certain application fees if an individual is able to demonstrate that he or she is unable to pay the filing fee.

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MAVNI Program – Citizenship Through the Military

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MAVNI Program – Citizenship Through the Military (August 18, 2017)

The Military Accessions Vital to National Interest (MAVNI) is a small, exclusive program that allows foreign nationals to gain expedited citizenship in exchange for military service. Typically, all of the United States military branches require enlistees to be permanent residents of the United States, green card holders, but the MAVNI program allows certain non-immigrants with special health care and language skills to join the military and be eligible for U.S. citizenship without first obtaining a green card.

The program began as a pilot in 2009 and was amended in September of 2016 with additional security reviews and screenings. The additional security measures have effectively placed the MAVNI program on hold and have created uncertainty among future and current MAVNI enlistees about the program’s future.

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Freedom of Information Act Request

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Freedom of Information Act Request (July 11, 2017)

A foreign national applying for a visa, a green card, or other immigration services may encounter delays or be denied if the U.S. immigration services rely on background information that the foreign national did not know existed. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) allows individuals to request information from federal agencies that may be critical to obtaining entrance into the United States. The U.S. government maintains all background information in an “A file,” which can usually be obtained in part or in its entirety with a FOIA request.

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International Entrepreneur Rule

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International Entrepreneur Rule (May 19, 2017)

On July 17, 2017, the international entrepreneur rule will take effect, which permits the Secretary of Homeland Security to grant parole admission on a case-by-case basis to immigrant entrepreneurs who will increase job growth and provide a significant public benefit to the United States. The goal of the international entrepreneur rule is to allow The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to improve start-up success by increasing and enhancing entrepreneurship, innovation, and job creation.

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Financial Sponsorship Requirements in Family Based Immigration

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Financial Sponsorship Requirements in Family Based Immigration (April 10, 2017)

Family sponsorship is one of the most common ways a foreign national can become a permanent resident, or receive a Green Card.  The United States allows U.S. citizens or permanent residents to sponsor family members that include children, parents, spouses and siblings – and bring them into the country.

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Path to U.S. Citizenship

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Path to U.S. Citizenship (March 27, 2017)

For foreign national who wishes to gain legal status and eventually citizenship in the United States, this may be achieved in a number of ways. Among the most common methods for a foreign national to achieve citizenship are either through employment or through family, including by marriage. Depending on the foreign national’s circumstances, other methods are also available.

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H-1B for Nurses

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H-1B for Nurses (October 31, 2016)

Contrary to what one may believe, most Registered Nurses (RN) or Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) are not regarded by the government as a profession that is qualified for an H-1B visa. The primary reason lies in the educational requirement for a normal RN or LPN position – typically only two years, which fall short of the four-year college degree requirement for H-1B purposes. To be considered for an H-1B visa, one requirement is that the petitioner, or the employer, must demonstrate that the position is a “specialty occupation.” (see “Basic Overview of the H-1B Visa Qualifications and Procedures”). Generally, a “specialty occupation” can be proved by requiring at least a bachelor degree in a specific field or that the industry standard requires a specific bachelor degree. Usually, nurse manager or an advanced practice positions may qualify for H-1B visas since most of these positions require a Bachelor of Sciences (B.S.) in nursing or a Master of Science (M.S.) degree. However, it may be difficult for RNs or LPNs to be considered for H-1B visas since these positions generally do not require a bachelor’s or higher degree.

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Asylum Seekers

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Asylum Seekers (June 8, 2016)

U.S. asylum law is made up of several different legal authorities, including U.S. immigration statutes and regulations, federal case law and international treaties and conventions.  People who are outside of the United States may apply for refugee protection under the United Nations Protocol, to which U.S. is a signatory.  People who have arrived in the U.S. or are physically inside the country may apply for asylum protection.

In order to qualify for asylum protection, an individual must meet the basic definition of a refugee: [A]ny person who is outside any country of such person’s nationality or, in the case of a person having no nationality, is outside any country in which such person last habitually resided, and who is unable or unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of that country because of persecution or wellfounded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in particular social group, or political opinion.

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