LEAVY, FRANK & DELANEY, LLC3 Bethesda Metro Center, Suite 505

Bethesda, Maryland 20814(P) 301.656.2102(F) 301.656.4728

leavyfrank@leavyfrank.comwww.leavyfrank.com

Immigration workshop for international postdocs and researchers

What we will cover

• Types of Visas• J-1s and 212(e)Waivers• Other Temporary Options

• Thinking about Permanent Residence• Self-Sponsored Green Cards

• The Evidence and Documents Required• Visa Numbers and Retrogression

Image courtesy of xedos4 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Non-Immigrant Visas

• Each visa has its own requirements, timelines availability• Your I-94 indicates how long you can stay in the US

• What’s D/S?• Status can be changed and/or extended by USCIS (or possibly not…)

• Visa stamp is for initial or re-entry to the US after travel • Visa stamp is not determinative of status

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A path well travelled

• OPT 12 months (17 month STEM Extension)

• J-1 Research Scholar 5 years

• H-1B 6 years

Conservatively an individual can utilize up to 12 years of

temporary visa status

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J-1s

• Don’t have to deal with USCIS

• Easy to Administer & Transferable

• J-2 Employment

• Tax treatiesI

mage courtesy of tungphoto/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

• 212(E)

Image courtesy of watcharakun/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

• 212(e)

Section 212(e)

• What is it?

• Am I subject?

• How & why am I subject?

• What can I do?

• Appearances can be deceiving…

I

mage courtesy of Stuart Miles/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Why me?

• Skills List

• Government Financing

• Graduate Medical Education

Skills Image courtesy of Stuart Miles/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net Currency Image courtesy of jscreationzs/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net Dog Image courtesy of grant cochrane/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

But are you?

• BUT: Is the Consulate always right?• Incorrect annotation on DS-2019

• Incorrect information on the visa stamp

Can Request an advisory opinionI

buttons mage courtesy of Stuart Miles/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net Visa Image courtesy of foto76/

FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Waivers:

• No-Objection Waiver

• Interested Government Agency/State health Waiver

• Exceptional Hardship

• Persecution

IImage courtesy of master isolated images/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net Learn Image courtesy of Stuart Miles/

FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Alternatives

• Not all alternatives are created equal

• If 212(e) exists: NO Change of Status; or, H-1B; L-1 visa

• But:

• You can obtain an O-1; TN; E-3; or, B-1/B-2

• If no 212(e) is not an issue, then all options are on the table

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

H-1B Visas

• Specialty Occupation

• Cap Exempt v Cap Subject

• H-1b at Cap exempt & concurrent PT H-1B at Cap Subject

• H-1b is dual intent and can be maintained up until the day you

get GC

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O-1 Visa

• Sciences/Business: O-1A – Sustained acclaim. Top of the field.

No kazarian…

• A Waiver is not required to obtain O-Visa status if the applicant

has an outstanding 212(e) requirement

Images courtesy of Stuart Miles/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

TN Visa

• available to Canadian and Mexican citizens for certain professional positions

• Initial TN can be requested for 3 years• Not Dual intent

• No Waiver required to obtain a TN-Visa Stamp

Canada Image courtesy of mapichai/ FreeDigitalPhotos.netMexico Image courtesy of Salvatore vuono/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

E-3 Visa

• National of Australia

• Specialty Occupation

• Paid at the (higher of) the actual or prevailing wage

Image courtesy of Ohmega1982/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

B-1 Visa

• Utilize the B-1 for a short term period

• Restrictions: Usually paid from home country

• Honorarium and incidental expenses for ‘usual academic

activity’ – not more than 9 days; no more than 5 in a 6 month

period I

Image courtesy of Surachai/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

IMMIGRANT VISAS

EMPLOYER sponsored Versus

SELF SPONSOREDEmployer: Traditional method and (somewhat) easily navigable

Self: Gives you additional options; can open doors; but, restrictive.

Be prepared and understand

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net Image courtesy of renjith krishnan/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

BE PREPARED

Circumstances can change

your career and your (self-sponsored) visa have a certain degree of

cross over

Images courtesy of Stuart Miles/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Employer Sponsored

PERM

Employer advertises the position to see if any qualified US Citizen or PR apply

File with DOL. Upon certification, then file with USCIS

PERM Special Handling

Special Process for Universities designed to recruit the MOST QUALIFIED Applicant

Outstanding Researcher (EB-1):No Advertising

6 criteria, show you meet 2: Plus a minimum of 3 years experience

Employer must show at least 3 full time employees and Position is “Permanent” (includes

tenure, tenure track, at-will, etc.)

Extraordinary Ability

Evidence that the alien has sustained national or international acclaim and that his or her achievements have been

recognized in the field of expertise. One-time achievement (that is, a major, international recognized award)

OR

Meet a minimum of three out of ten listed criteria

Part Two of the TestThe Kazarian Memo

Recognized as one of the few at the top of your field. Sustained national or international acclaim

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National Interest Waiver

NIW Standards:

Advanced Degree

Substantial Intrinsic Merit

National in Scope

Serve the National Interest to a substantially greater degree than a U.S. Citizen with minimum qualifications

Evidence

Image courtesy of Stuart Milesi/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

FINALIZING YOUR GREEN

CARD

Where Can you file?

In the United States: File I-485, Adjustment of Status

Overseas: Sent to NVC, then US Consulate in your Home Country

What Does Retrogression

Mean?

Date must be current at time of filing AND at time of approval

India or China you CANNOT file an I-485 based upon your EB2.This does not apply individuals from other countries

file an I-485 based upon the EB-1 and the EB-1 is denied, the I-485 will be denied even if the EB-2 is still pending.

Retrogression-Backlogs

May 2014 Visa Bulletin

EB-1 (Extraordinary Ability, Outstanding Professor or Researcher): Visa numbers are current for everyone and are expected to

remain so for both countries.

EB-2 (National Interest Waiver, PERM): China April 15, 2009

India November 15, 2004

All other countries current

Congressional Bills

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