We help our clients achieve their goals. Often speed and creativity are the key components of a case. Other times it is knowing the quirkiness of a particular INS or Department of Labor office. Sometimes it is pure perseverance. Whatever it is that makes a particular case succeed, we will find the solution and do our best to make it happen. Here, we have provided examples of some of our cases.

High Tech
A large banking and financial software developer called with an SOS. They had to bring in a project manager from the London office immediately. They simply couldn’t wait the three months required at this time to process an H-1B visa.

We obtained a special business visitor visa that allowed the manager to go to work immediately. And, while he was on the job, we processed applications to convert this to an H-1B visa, so he could work in this country for up to three years. The emergency project remained on tract with no work stoppage.

Science
A prominent university researcher working in the U.S. with an H-1B visa wanted to become a permanent resident. Unfortunately, his employer had a non-sponsorship policy and couldn’t support an outstanding researcher petition.

We carefully reviewed and documented his credentials including publications, presentations at scientific conferences and awards. And we helped him obtain recommendations from experts attesting to the importance of his contributions.

With this evidence, we submitted a petition requesting classification as an alien of extraordinary ability. This category requires applicants to show they are one of the few who have reached the top in their field. The INS agreed with our assessment. Our client is now a permanent resident continuing his important research in the U.S.

Manufacturing
A New Jersey manufacturer and designer of optical scanning systems recruited several foreign graduate students with advanced degrees in electrical engineering. Initially, we helped convert their student visas to H-1B.

Not long afterward, the company asked us to help get green cards. At this time, labor certification, the first step in the process, took 18 months or more. We suggested “reduction in recruitment,” an alternative that would cut the time by at least 12 months. We filed these applications using the company’s previous classified advertising to meet Department of Labor requirements.

This alternative more than cut the time in half and, because we used previous ads, saved the expense of additional advertising.

Engineering
A Nuclear Engineer working on improving the safety of storage systems for nuclear waste was running out of time on his H-1B visa. At the time, H-1Bs were limited to 6 years in all circumstances, unlike current law, where they can sometimes be extended beyond the limit. There was not enough time to do a regular labor certification due to backlogs and the unavailability of visas. So, instead of the traditional route, we prepared an immigrant visa petition for him in the EB-2 category and requested a National Interest Waiver of the labor certification on his behalf.

To obtain approval of the National Interest Waiver, we assisted the engineer and his employer in obtaining letters of recommendation as to the engineer’s credentials and evidence of the nuclear waste storage situation in the United States. With this evidence we successfully demonstrated that his work was in the national interest and the INS approved his visa petition. He is now a permanent resident of the United States.

Management
The Vice President of European Operations for a US based software development firm was headquartered in London. When his duties expanded to include operations in the US and a project to integrate the European and American divisions of the company, he was spending increasingly large amounts of time in the US. Due to the frequency and nature of his visits, the Visa Waiver Program and B-1 visa were no longer appropriate.

We utilized the INS Premium Processing Program to obtain an L-1A visa approval for the manager in a matter of days. He will now be able to freely travel and work between his London and US offices. He is also eligible to apply for permanent residence in the EB-1 category should he decide to do so.

Architecture
A professor of architecture teaching at a US university pursuant to a J-1 visa wanted to become a permanent resident of the US. He was still working on his Ph.D. and did not have an employer that was willing to sponsor him. He was quite accomplished in his field, having published several books and curated several architectural exhibits in the US and abroad. With these accomplishments, we suggested an EB-1 Petition as an alien of Extraordinary Ability.

We assisted him in gathering evidence of his accomplishments as well as in drafting and editing letters of recommendation from his mentors and colleagues in the field. We organized and indexed the evidence for presentation to the INS. The petition was approved and the architect was able to submit his application for adjustment of status. He and his family will soon be permanent residents.

Medical
A foreign pathologist had recently finished his residency in the US while on a J-1 visa He was subject to the two-year home residency requirement and so was required to return home, or obtain a waiver of the requirement. There was not enough time to obtain the waiver prior to the expiration of his J visa, so we prepared and obtained approval of an O-1 Petition based upon a job offer he had received from a teaching hospital. O-1 visas are the only visas available to J-visa holders who have not yet obtained a waiver of the two-year home residence requirement. We presented to the INS that he was extraordinary in his teaching ability, based upon his work in Egypt and assistance to the chair of the pathology department where he completed his residency in the US. He was then able to commence employment pursuant to the O-1 visa, while he pursued a waiver of the home residence requirement and eventually permanent residence in the United States.