IMMIGRATION LAW

In 1986, Congress revised the rules for immigration through marriages because of the problems with fraudulent marriages. This rule places a two-year “conditional status” on those who marry a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. However, this status only applies to individuals whose marriages were created less than two years prior to his/her grant of permanent […]

Preference Categories The relative you wish to immigrate must obtain an immigrant visa number that is based on the preference category in which they fall. People who want to become immigrants are classified into categories based on a preference system. The immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, which includes parents, spouses and unmarried children under the […]

EB-5 Immigrant Investors I. OVERVIEW Congress created the employment-based fifth preference (EB-5) immigrant visa category in 1990 for immigrants seeking to enter to engage in a commercial enterprise that will benefit the U.S. economy and create at least 10 full-time jobs. The basic amount required to invest is $1 million, although that amount may be […]

Office of the Chief Immigration Judge (OCIJ) The Office of the Chief Immigration Judge (OCIJ) provides overall program direction, articulates policies and procedures, and establishes priorities for more than 200 Immigration Judges located in 54 Immigration Courts throughout the Nation. The Chief Immigration Judge carries out these responsibilities with the assistance and support of two […]

Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) of 1952 (Also known as the McCarran-Walter Act) restricted immigration into the U.S. and is codified under Title 8 of the United States Code. The Act governs primarily immigration and citizenship in the United States. Before the INA, a variety of statutes governed immigration […]

Labor certification (PERM) On March 28, 2005, the Department of Labor started the new labor certification system, PERM, which will streamline the labor certification process and make it faster. Most people apply for a green card through labor certification process if currently employed. The two main categories for employment based immigration that require labor certification […]