Visa Blog

U visas will be renewed!

House passed the Adams bill to reauthorize Violence Against Women Act in a 222-205 vote.

Please note there were 22 Republicans who crossed party lines, and voted with Dems against this anti-immigrant version of VAWA.

Vote tally here: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2012/roll258.xml

“Please don’t eliminate VAWA protections for immigrant women. Oppose H.R. 4970.”

call Speaker John Boehner (R- OH-8): DC phone: 202-225-6205

As the Speaker John Boehner has the power to influence Rep. Smith, the Chair of the Judiciary to defeat this bill or remove the offending provisions. If you’re able to make a call please let me know with a quick email. Please forward on to others who you think would be interested in making the call.

202.507.7656

Approval by USCIS for spouse of military personnel

Today we received approval for the wife of a US citizen military personnel. In this case we obtained a grant of Parole in Place which granted a visa to the wife inside the US. She had entered the US as a child without a visa. By the grant of Parole in Place she was able to obtain Adjustment of Status within the US.

Proposed Rule Change Will Unify Families Subject to 3 and 10 Year Bars

Dramatic change in the works!
For Immediate Release

Proposed Rule Change Will Unify Families Subject to 3 and 10 Year Bars

January 6, 2012

Washington D.C. - Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a proposal to streamline the application process for the spouses and children of U.S. citizens currently eligible for legal permanent resident status, minimizing the amount of time that applicants would have to be separated from their families. Under current procedures, thousands of persons who qualify for legal status must leave the U.S. to obtain their permanent resident status, but as soon as they leave, they are immediately barred from re-entering for 3 or 10 years if they have been unlawfully present in the U.S. for more than 180 days. Many are eligible for a family unity waiver, but under current rules (not law), the waiver can only be applied for from overseas. Because that process can often take many months and even years, it is believed that many otherwise eligible applicants do not apply for legal permanent resident status, remaining unauthorized in the U.S. rather than risk lengthy separation from their families.

Published in the Federal Register today, the proposal—or, at this point, a “notice of intent to issue a rule”— recognizes this Catch-22 by revising the procedures for determining the family unity waivers for spouses and children of U.S. citizens. However, the rule change will not cover spouses and children of legal permanent residents. Under this “in-country processing” proposal, which must still go through the formal rule-making process, spouses and children of U.S. citizens who apply for legal permanent residence and need a family unity waiver to re-enter the U.S. will be allowed to apply for the waiver without first leaving. This process does not alter or revise eligibility standards and only affects persons whose sole need for a waiver is based on having been in the U.S. without authorization.

This “in-country processing” proposal would permit USCIS to grant a provisional waiver, eliminating the often prolonged wait that many applicants currently face when they seek a waiver outside the U.S. Although applicants would still be required to depart from the U.S. before receiving final approval on their application, pre-processing of the family unity waiver will encourage applicants to come forward and create a faster and safer means for processing applications.

The emphasis on safety is particularly important, given the large number of applications processed in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, a city that has been wracked with violence in recent years. Numerous cases of violence against persons waiting for their waivers have been reported, increasing the urgency of implementing the new rule quickly. For other applicants, the streamlined process will minimize the time away from family members, reducing the possibility of economic and other hardships caused by long separations.

Our current immigration laws are riddled with inconsistent and conflicting provisions which have the absurd result of discouraging legal immigration. Some of the most notorious are the bars to returning to the U.S. after a period of unlawful presence, even if a person has a legitimate relationship to a U.S. citizen. Today's announcement does not eliminate the bars, but it recognizes that there is no practical reason for forcing the spouses and children of U.S. citizens to wait outside the country for months or even years while their application for a waiver is pending.

According to Benjamin Johnson, Executive Director of the American Immigration Council, “By proposing new rules for processing waiver applications for spouses and children of U.S. citizens, USCIS has shown a commitment to addressing one of the most notorious implementation problems in our current immigration system. Improving this system, within the framework of the law, is the legitimate role of any administration. We commend USCIS for embarking on this rule change and its other attempts to bring efficiencies and fairness to the immigration system.”
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For more information contact Wendy Sefsaf at wsefsaf@immcouncil.org or 202-507-7524.

X-Mas and Happy New Year

As this year comes to an end I wish all the best to our friends and supporters. We will celebrate the end of this year to begin the struggle for immigration reform anew this coming year.

FAQ; Having trouble getting U visa certifications?

Answer; suggestions on how to obtain the certifying signature; the most elusive and the most precious;

Getting the U visa certification is definitely the most difficult part of the U visa application process, and with more applications being submitted each year, our office has had its fair share of interesting certification experiences obtaining certification from police officers, judges, and district attorneys and other parties. For example, we had one client who wanted to apply for a U visa after he had suffered a minor assault by a former paramour. In a surprise to the entire staff, he walked into our office a mere three days after his initial consultation carrying a signed certification form. In another instance, we had (read: still have) a client who was physically and emotionally abused for many years and ultimately was the victim of attempted murder by her husband who died at the crime scene. She suffered a permanent debilitating injury as a result of the attack, but due to a fluke in the police department’s own certification regulations, they denied our client the signature. The police say that since she ‘cannot be helpful in any future investigation,’ she does not qualify for the U visa. For around 8 months now, we have been desperately attempting to acquire it for this client, but to no avail. Other times, we send requests to individuals 3 or 4 times, make follow-up phone calls, speak with their superiors, yet never heard a word from them.
Yes, we know what you’re thinking. “WHAT?” The thought process of individual certifiers when choosing to sign or not sign the form is a mystery. However, we have found a few helpful strategies through our struggles that we will share with you. First, we always always always try to send a thank-you card to the individual who certified a case. We tell the police officer, judge, or district attorney how much we and our client appreciate the opportunity they have given the victim. We tell them ’God bless you.’ We let them know their review and signature has been truly appreciated by our client and our office. Second, we maintain records of the certifying police officers, judges, and district attorneys. If a client’s case went to court, we send it directly to one person in the DA’s office, every time. It’s not perfect, but now we have a better idea of who understands the certification form and is willing to take the time to consider individual victim’s cases. Third, we keep our requests simple. If we are requesting certification from a judge or police officer, we show them exactly where they signed the police or court document. We always include the handy “U Visa Quick Reference Guide for Law Enforcement” [which can be found beginning on page 12 of the online document – link at bottom of post] that explains in 2 pages the basic idea of the U visa and the role the certification plays in the process. We do not show them superfluous documents that take extra time to read. We have found this to be very effective, since a certifying official only needs 5 minutes to review a short packet and fill out the form. Finally, if we mail a request for certification to an individual, we always include a stamped and addressed return envelope, making the certification process as simple as possible for the certifier.

Yes, we know what you’re thinking. “WHAT?” The thought process of individual certifiers when choosing to sign or not sign the form is a mystery. However, we have found a few helpful strategies through our struggles that we will share with you. First, we always always always try to send a thank-you card to the individual who certified a case. We tell that policeman, judge, or district attorney how much we and our client appreciate the opportunity he or she has given the victim. We tell them ’God bless you.’ We let them know they did the right thing by attaching their signature to a three page document they will never see or hear about again. Second, we maintain records of the police officers, judges, and district attorneys who do care about immigrant victims and who are willing to certify. If a client’s case went to court, we send it directly to one person in the DA’s office, every time. It’s not perfect, but now we have a better idea of who in our city understands the certification form and is willing to take the time to consider individual victim’s cases. Third, we keep our requests simple. If we are requesting certification from a judge or police officer, we show them exactly where they signed the police or court document. We always include the handy “U Visa Quick Reference Guide for Law Enforcement” [which can be found beginning on page 12 of the online document – link at bottom of post] that explains in 2 pages the basic idea of the U visa and the role the certification plays in the process. We do not show them superfluous documents that take extra time to read. We have found this to be very effective, since a certifying official only needs 5 minutes to review a short packet and fill out the form. Finally, if we mail a request for certification to an individual, we always include a stamped and addressed return envelope, making the certification process as simple as possible for the certifier.

Emily Hogan
Special Case Manager

http://iwp.legalmomentum.org/reference/additional-materials/immigration/u-visa/tools/police-prosecutors

live by the sword die by the sword

The author of the Arizona law which inspired hatred against immigrants was voted out of office yesterday. After causing economic suicide in Arizona the voters threw him out office. His political wanabe followers will think twice now;

State Sen. Russell Pearce, the controversial architect of Arizona's immigration law, was voted out of office on Tuesday evening in a special recall election. He was defeated by Jerry Lewis, a fellow Republican who does not support the immigration crackdown and has vowed to reject gifts from special interest groups and work to ban gifts for legislators.

Lewis won with roughly 54 percent of the vote, state officials announced on Tuesday evening.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/08/russell-pearce-recall-election-jerry-lewis_n_1083129.html

FAQ: ¿Si estoy peticionando una visa U, puedo incluir en la petición un beneficiario que vive afuera de los Estado Unidos?

Si, se puede. Las mismas conexiones familiares son válidas para beneficiarios afuera de los Estados Unidos como los beneficiarios en el país. Si la víctima de un crimen calificado tiene menos de 21 años, puede peticionar visas U para sus padres, su esposo(a), sus hijos y sus hermanos con menos de 18 años. Si la víctima tiene más de 21 años, puede peticionar visas U para su esposo(a) e hijos. Por ejemplo, una de nuestros clientes, la víctima de robo de mano armada, está peticionando visa U para sí misma, su esposo y su hijastro que vive con sus abuelos en México. Él puede entrar legalmente a los Estado Unidos cuando reciba la visa U. Sin embargo, aunque familiares calificados pueden solicitar para visas U desde sus países de origen, hay unas diferencias en las aplicaciones. Primero, un beneficiario afuera de los Estados Unidos no puede peticionar permiso de trabajar con la aplicación de visa U; necesita recibir la visa U y llegar a los Estados Unidos antes de peticionarlo. De hecho, el hijastro de nuestro cliente que vive en México vendrá a los Estado Unidos después de la aprobación de la visa U y solicitará permiso de trabajar cuando llegue. En continuación, el beneficiario afuera del país necesita una cita para tomar huellas en un consulado estadounidense en el país de origen. En el caso de nuestro cliente, su hijastro de México debe viajar a México, D.F. para obtener esta cita. A fin de cuentas, peticionando visa U para un beneficiario afuera del país es una manera buena para ayudar a los familiares a entrar a los Estado Unidos y permite legalmente la reunificación de las familias.
Emily Hogan
Special Case Manager
Mario Ramos PLLC

FAQ: If I am applying for a U visa, can I include a beneficiary who is currently out of the country?

Yes, you can. The same family connections apply for beneficiaries who are outside the country as those inside the country. If the victim of a qualifying crime is under the age of 21, they may petition for their unmarried siblings under the age of 18, parents, children, and spouses. If the victim is over the age of 21, they may petition their children and spouses. For example, one of our clients, the victim of armed robbery, is applying for U visa status for herself, her husband, and her step-child who lives with his grandparents in Mexico. He will be able to legally enter the United States upon approval of his U visa. However, though qualifying family members may apply from their home countries, there still are some differences in their applications. First, a beneficiary outside of the United States may not apply for work authorization with the U visa application; he or she must wait until the visa is approved and he or she is living in the United States. For instance, our client’s stepson living in Mexico will come live in the United States upon approval of his visa and will apply for work authorization when he arrives. In continuation, the out-of-country beneficiary must have his or her fingerprints taken at a designated U.S. consulate within the home country. In our client’s case, her stepson from Mexico will have to travel from his hometown to Mexico City for this appointment. All things considered, applying for U visa status for a beneficiary out of the country is a great way to help that person come to the United States and allows for the family of victims to reunite with the petitioner legally.
Emily Hogan
Special Case Manager
Mario Ramos PLLC

FAQ: ¿Si soy una víctima de violencia doméstica, debo aplicar para un caso VAWA o una visa U?

El Violence Against Women Act de 2000 creó ambas visas no-inmigrantes, pero la visa U y el caso VAWA existen para víctimas en circunstancias diferentes. Para empezar, si una persona es la víctima de abuso doméstico de un(a) hijo(a), esposo(a) o padre quien es ciudadano de los Estados Unidos, la persona está elegible para peticionar un caso VAWA. Aunque esta visa solo cubre una demográfica específica, tiene unas ventajas sobre la visa U. Primero, un solicitante de VAWA no necesita obtener la forma de certificación I-918 Supplement B firmada por un oficial de la policía o de la corte como un solicitante de visa U. La certificación es la parte más difícil en peticionar una visa U; por esta razón, la aplicación para un caso VAWA es más simple y fácil. Segundo, alguien con visa U tendrá que estar presente en los Estados Unidos continuamente por 3 años antes de peticionar residencia permanente, pero alguien con caso VAWA puede aplicar para residencia permanente inmediatamente. Por ejemplo, uno de nuestros clientes fue abusado por su esposa estadounidense, pero nunca lo reportó a la policía por miedo a ser deportado. Finalmente, su esposa dejó a nuestro cliente y a sus dos hijos. Él calificaba para un caso VAWA, y ahora tiene permiso de trabajo y residencia permanente para apoyar a sus hijos y vivir sin miedo de deportación. Sin embargo, la mayoría de nuestros clientes no califica para un caso de VAWA sino para un caso de visa U. La visa U es ventajosa porque incluye la violencia doméstica y más tipos de crímenes, y no hay una regulación sobre el estatus legal del perpetrador. Si la víctima tiene un reporte de una oficial de la policia o la corte, puede peticionar a visa U. De ese modo, más clientes nuestros peticionan por medio de la visa U porque las regulaciones de crimen y de estatus legal son menos restrictivas de los casos VAWA. En adición, una ventaja de la visa U es que la victima puede peticionar para más familiares de los solicitantes de VAWA. En total, las dos peticiones tienen ventajas, pero la decisión entre las dos depende en la relación del perpetrador a la víctima y el estatus legal del perpetrador.
Emily Hogan
Special Case Manager
Mario Ramos PLLC

FAQ: If I am the victim of domestic violence, do I apply for a VAWA case or a U visa?

Both of these nonimmigrant statuses were created in the 2000 Violence Against Women Act, but they exist for victims in different circumstances. To begin, if you are the victim of domestic abuse by a U.S. citizen spouse, parent, or child, you are eligible to apply for a VAWA case. Although this type of case only covers a narrow demographic, it also has a few advantages over a U visa. First, a VAWA applicant need not obtain an I-918 Supplement B Certification Form from a law enforcement official like a U visa applicant must. This is usually the hardest part of the U visa application, so a VAWA case is much simpler and easier for this reason. Second, a U visa applicant must be continuously present in the United States for a 3 year period until they are eligible to apply for lawful permanent residency, while a VAWA applicant can apply immediately once a visa become available. For example, one of our clients who received a VAWA approval had been abused by his U.S. citizen wife, but never reported the abuse in fear that the police would uncover his status and deport him. Finally, his wife left him, and he was forced to raise his 2 children alone. Since applying for a VAWA case, he has received permission to work in the U.S. and will become a legal permanent residency, so now he can support his two children without fear of deportation. Nevertheless, most of our clients do not qualify for a VAWA case and instead apply for a U visa. The U visa is advantageous because it applies to a wider variety of crimes, including domestic violence, and there is no regulation on the legal status of the perpetrator. If the victim of domestic violence (or another crime) has a police report or court records, he or she may apply for a U visa. Thus, more of our clients apply for U visas since the regulations on qualifying crimes and legal status are less restrictive than VAWA cases. Additionally, an advantage of the U visa is that it allows a victim to petition for a wider variety of family members, whereas in a VAWA case, the victim may only petition their children under 21. All in all, each of these applications has advantages, but deciding between the two depends on the victim’s relationship to and the legal status of the perpetrator.
Emily Hogan
Special Case Manager
Mario Ramos PLLC

7th Annual Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration/Business Awards - October 13

NAHCC Kicks-Off Hispanic Heritage Month with Partnerships, Special Programs, Call For Nominations

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - September 15, 2011 -- The Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will mark the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month this year with special announcements of new partnerships, programs, panels, networking events and a Hispanic visual art exhibit in partnership with Metro Nashville Arts Commission.

To close the month long festivities the NAHCC plans to host its 7thAnnual Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration and Business Awards on Thursday, October 13, 2011, at the Nashville City Club. The event will include, a reception with special guest speakers, live music, food and business and community awards. The event is open to NAHCC members and guests.

"Tennessee's future economic and cultural strength will also be shaped by our emergent Hispanic community. New 2010 U.S Census data shows a steady population growth; and the more we grow as a business community, as individuals and residents of Nashville, the more we will be able to give back. It is a continuing trend, and now Hispanics represent more than 50.5 million in the nation and 10% of Nashville's population. During Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrate and recognize the importance and influence of Hispanics in our communities. Having a wide variety of business and community partners participating this year will help us raise the awareness and significance. With every person, we build one more bridge for the common good", said Yuri Cunza, President of the Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

During Hispanic Heritage Month the NAHCC recognizes the professional, civic and business contributions of members & non-members in our community. To nominate someone who has demonstrated commitment and leadership to the advancement of our organization, Hispanic community and city, please contact: Loraine Segovia-Paz at: nominations@nashvillehispanicchamber.com

Following Mayor Karl Dean Hispanic Heritage Month Proclamation, The Afro-Hispanic Review a Vanderbilt University academic journal that will present its newest issue featuring "Nueva Vida, Nuevo Trabajo" (New Life New Work) a collective art exhibit of 19 local Hispanic artists currently on display at the Metro Nashville Arts Commission. A reception honoring the event will follow. The media is invited to attend this event at the Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center - Vanderbilt University 2301 Vanderbilt Pl. Nashville, TN 37235.

For more Hispanic Heritage Month events and program visit www.nashvillehispanicchamber.com

FAQ: ¿Si soy la víctima de un crimen, puedo aplicar para visa U para mi familia también?

Dependiendo de la edad de la víctima al momento de aplicar para la visa U, miembros específicos de la familia pueden aplicar para la visa U con su familiar. Una víctima que tiene menos de 21 años de edad puede peticionar a sus padres, su esposo, sus hijos y sus hermanos solteros que tienen menos de 18 años de edad. Por ejemplo, uno de nuestros clientes de la visa U fue acusado de un crimen de odio en su escuela secundaria. Sin investigación, la escuela le expulsó y la policía le detuvo. No obstante, las autoridades descubrieron que el niño fue inocente y otros estudiantes fueron responsables para el crimen, y el niño podría aplicar para la visa U por ser víctima de falso arresto y falsa acusación de un crimen de odio. Él podría incluir en su aplicación su madre, su padre y sus dos hermanos menores, permitiendo toda su familia obtener estatus legal. Sin embargo, si la víctima tiene más de 21 años de edad, el número de dependientes en su caso disminuye. Una víctima con más de 21 años puede peticionar su esposo y sus hijos menores de 21. Un ejemplo es un cliente nuestro que fue víctima de robo a mano armada en un restaurante. Ella aplicó para una visa U para ella misma, pero también aplicó para su esposo y sus dos hijos en colegio. En total, el proceso de aplicar para dependientes en un caso de visa U es muy beneficial para familias porque pueden quedarse juntos en los Estados Unidos sin miedo de deportación ni la policía.
Emily Hogan
Special Case Manager
Mario Ramos PLLC

FAQ: If I am the victim of a qualifying crime, can my family members apply for U visas with me?

Depending on the victim’s age at the time of filing the U visa application, certain members of the victim’s family are allowed to apply for a U visa along with their qualifying family member. A victim who is under the age of 21 is allowed to petition his or her parents, spouse, children, and unmarried siblings under the age of 18. For example, one of our U visa clients was accused of a hate crime at his middle school. Without investigation, he was expelled from school and detained by the police. Nevertheless, the authorities finally discovered the real criminals and our client was proven innocent. This middle schooler was able to apply for a U visa based on being the victim of a false arrest and false accusation of a hate crime. He was able to include in his application U visa requests for his mother, father, and two younger siblings, allowing his entire family to gain legal status. However, if the victim is over the age of 21, the number of dependents allowed to apply decreases. A victim over 21 can apply for his or her spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21. One example of this is a client of ours who was the victim of armed robbery at a restaurant. She applied for a U visa not only for herself, but also for her husband and two children in high school. In sum, the process of applying for dependents in U visa cases is incredibly beneficial for families because it allows them to remain together in the United States without fear of reporting crimes to the police.
Emily Hogan
Special Case Manager
Mario Ramos PLLC

FAQ: ¿Quién puede certificar la visa U para un víctima de violencia doméstica?

Muchos de nuestros clientes potenciales no saben que pueden aplicar para la visa U por ser una víctima de violencia doméstica. Sin embargo, la mayoría de nuestros casos de visa U es mujeres (y hombres) que han sido víctimas de abuso por su pareja. El primer paso para aplicar para una visa U es obtener la “I-918 Supplement B” forma de certificación firmada por un oficial del departamento de policía o un oficial de ley. Obviamente, nuestra primera pregunta a una víctima es: “¿Reportó el crimen a la policía”? Si la respuesta es “si”, la victima puede peticionar una visa U.
El primer paso que hacemos nosotros es pedir al oficial de la policía que completó el reporte de la policía que firma la certificación. Para muchos de nuestros clientes, los oficiales de la policía quieren ayudarlos con la aplicación para la visa U. Uno de nuestros clientes recientes, un hombre que sostuvo arañazos y golpes de su novia, reportó el crimen a la policía local y el oficial firmó la certificación con gusto.
No obstante, unas veces los oficiales de la policía niegan a firmar la certificación para víctimas de violencia doméstica o no había ningún reporte de la policía en el caso de la víctima. En este caso, si la victima fue a corte, podíamos pedir certificación del juez o del abogado fiscal. Esto fue el caso para otro cliente, la víctima de violencia doméstica con órdenes de protección contra su esposo, quien recibió certificación del abogado fiscal cuando su esposo quebrantó estas órdenes. Aunque la policía no estaba involucrada en su caso específicamente, ella tuvo derecho a la visa U por el crimen.
En total, las víctimas de violencia doméstica tienen muchas oportunidades a obtener certificación para la visa U, si se reportó el crimen. No tiene nada de malo en aplicar para una visa U; si una víctima califica bajo estas regulaciones para víctimas de abuso doméstico, ¡debe llamarnos hoy para que podamos ayudarle en la aplicación para la visa U!

Emily Hogan, Special Case Manager