Posts by hykellaw

If you are planning to file an Application for Naturalization soon, USCIS has some good news for you. You’ll save a lot of time obtaining vital documentation, namely your Social Security card. Updating or receiving a Social Security Number (SSN) and card will be much easier. USCIS is also making it easier for you to…

Do you wish to work in the United States for a limited period of time before returning to your home country? If so, the O-1 visa might be right for you. This visa is designed for individuals with “extraordinary” abilities in the sciences, arts, education, business, film, or athletics. STEM workers, in particular, are often…

If you dream of United States citizenship, it may shock you to realize that there are some risks to applying. It’s important to realize what you are doing when you attempt to adjust your status from “permanent residency” to “US Citizen.” This post is not to discourage you from attempting to become a citizen. It…

EB-4 visas are fourth-preference employment-based visas available to certain special classes of workers. You must have an employer to take advantage of this type of visa, but whether you petition for yourself or your employer petitions for you depends on what kind of subcategory of eligibility you fall into. The petitioner files Form I-360 to…

Suppose you are a non-citizen and were abused by a relative who is a US citizen or lawful permanent resident. In that case, you gain the right to self-petition for immigrant classification.  Under the VAWA visa program, you do not need the abuser to sponsor you, and you do not need their consent. The abuser…

Foreign exchange programs allow a certain number of pre-approved visitors to visit the United States, even as a visitor from the United States visits another participating country. Foreign exchange participants must seek a J-1 visa. A J-1 visa is the appropriate visa for an individual participating in a work or student exchange program. You must…

If you’re a victim of human trafficking or domestic abuse, you may be eligible for a U-visa. A U-visa is a nonimmigrant visa that allows victims to stay in the United States while they help law enforcement prosecute crimes. Here’s everything you need to know about this type of visa. Who is eligible for a…

Two weeks ago, USCIS announced that they were going to make an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas available for the fiscal year, for a total of 130,716. 20,000 visas will be allocated to workers from Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, and Honduras. 44,716 supplemental visas will be available to returning…

Before you can hire a foreign worker to fill a permanent position here in the United States, you must obtain a Permanent Labor Certification by undergoing the Program Electronic Review Management (PERM) process. Obtaining a PERM allows you to sponsor an employee for a green card. The PERM process helps employers show the following: They…