Immigration Law for ParalegalsFOURTH EDITION

by MARIA ISABEL CASABLANCA, ESQ.GLORIA ROA BODIN, ESQ.

Carolina Academic PressDurham, North Carolina

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Copyright © 2015Maria I. Casablanca and Gloria Roa Bodin

All Rights Reserved

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Casablanca, Maria Isabel, author.Immigration law for paralegals / Maria Isabel Casablanca and Gloria Roa Bodin. -- Fourth Edition.pages cm

Includes bibliographical references.ISBN 978-1-61163-514-0 (alk. paper)1. Emigration and immigration law--United States . 2. Visas--United States--Forms. 3. Foreign workers--United States. 4. Legal assistants--United States--Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Bodin, Gloria Roa, author. II.Title.

KF4819.85.C375 2015342.07308'2--dc23

2015016368

Carolina Academic Press700 Kent St.

Durham, NC 27701Telephone (919) 489-7486Fax (919) 493-5668www.cap-press.com

Printed in the United States of America

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This book is dedicated to my mother, Berta Muller de Casablanca,

who always wanted me to be a writer, and to the memory of my father,

Carlos Roberto Casablanca, who taught me to respect and be generous with those less fortunate.

This book is also dedicated to my siblings, Marta Casablanca and Jose Casablanca,

whose faith in me has never wavered, and to my son Mauricio Lopez-Aldazabal, my inspiration.

Maria I. Casablanca, Esq.

This book is dedicated to my father, Clement Roa,

and mother, Josefina Roa Morales, who as immigrants

nurtured my ambition to achieve the American Dream.

I am grateful to my husband, Eric A. Bodin,

for his love, support and encouragement.

Gloria Roa Bodin, Esq.

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Contents

AUTHORS’ ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xi

INTRODUCTION 1

CHAPTER 1 · MEETING WITH THE CLIENT 3

I. Interview Techniques 3

II. Interviewing Tips 3

III. Procedure for Opening a File 4

IV. Procedure for the Tickler System 4

Appendix 5

CHAPTER 2 · VISITORS FOR BUSINESS (B- 1 VISA) AND PLEASURE (B- 2 VISA) 19

I. Introduction 19

II. General Requirements 19

A. List of Permissible Activities for B- 1 Visa — Visitors for Business 19

B. List of Permissible Activities for B- 2 Visa — Visitors for Pleasure 20

C. The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) 20

III. Conditions of Admission 21

A. Consular Process for B- 1/B- 2 Visas 21

B. Extensions for B- 1/B-2 Visas 22

Appendix 22

CHAPTER 3 · TEMPORARY VISAS FOR WORKING 37

I. Introduction 37

II. The H Visa — Temporary Worker 37

A. The H- 1B Visa — Specialty Occupation 37

B. The H- 2A Visa — Agricultural Worker 38

C. The H- 2B Visa — Unskilled Foreign Worker 39

D. The H- 3 Visa — Trainee 39

E. The TN Status 40

III. The E Visa 41

A. The E- 1 Visa — Treaty Trader 42

B. The E- 2 Visa — Investor 42

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C. The E- 3 Visa — Specialty Occupation — Australian Aliens 43

IV. The L Visa 44

A. The L- 1A Visa — Intracompany Transferee 44

B. The L- 1B Visa — Specialized Knowledge Employee 45

Appendix 47

CHAPTER 4 · TEMPORARY VISAS FOR STUDYING 115

I. Introduction 115

II. The F- 1 Visa 115

III. The J Visa 117

IV. The M Visa 117

Appendix 118

CHAPTER 5 · TEMPORARY VISAS FOR PARTICULAR OCCUPATIONS—O, P, Q AND R VISAS 133

I. Introduction 133

II. The O Visas — Extraordinary Ability Artists/Entertainers, Business People, Scientists, Educators and Athletes 133

A. The O- 1 Visa — Science, Education, Business and Athletics 133

B. Artists 133

C. Star in Motion Pictures and Television 133

D. The O- 2 Visa — Support Staff of Artists and Athletes 134

E. Peer Group Consultation 135

F. Self- Employment 135

III. The P Visas 135

A. The P- 1 Visa — Athletes, Athletic Teams and Entertainment Groups 135

B. The P- 2 Visa — Artists and Entertainer Reciprocal Exchange 135

C. The P- 3 Visa — Artists and Entertainers Integral to Performance 136

D. Peer Group Consultation 137

IV. The Q- 1 Visa 137

V. The R- 1 Visa 138

Appendix 139

CHAPTER 6 · TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT VISAS FOR VICTIMS—T AND U VISAS 183

I. Introduction 183

II. T Visa 183

A. Nonimmigrant Eligibility 183

B. Immigrant Visa (Permanent Residency) 184

III. U Visa 185

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A. Nonimmigrant Eligibility 185

B. Immigrant Visa (Permanent Residency) 186

Appendix 187

CHAPTER 7 · FAMILY- BASED RESIDENCY AND VISAS 257

I. Introduction 257

II. The Quota System for Residency 257

III. Categories of Family- Based Residency 257

A. Immediate Relative — Spouse, Children and Parents of U.S. Citizens 257

B. First Preference — Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens 258

C. Second Preference — Family of Lawful Permanent Residents — F-2A and F- 2B 258

D. Third Preference — Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens 258

E. Fourth Preference — Brothers and Sisters of U.S. Citizens 258

IV. Processing Residency 258

A. The Petition Process 258

B. Adjustment of Status 259

C. Consular Processing 260

D. Preparing Forms I- 864 and I- 864(a) — Affidavit of Support 260

V. Conditional Residence 261

VI. The K- 1 Visa 261

A. Evidence Required 261

B. Application for Residency 262

VII. The K- 3 Visa 262

A. Evidence Required 262

B. Application for Residency 262

VIII. Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver 262

A. Qualifications 263

B. Ineligibility 263

C. Extreme Hardship 263

D. Evidence Required 264

Appendix 264

CHAPTER 8 · EMPLOYMENT- BASED AND INVESTOR IMMIGRANT PREFERENCES 311

I. Introduction 311

II. First Preference — EB- 1 — Priority Workers 311

A. Extraordinary Ability in the Sciences, Arts, Education, Business or Athletics 311

B. Outstanding Professors and Researchers 312

C. International Executives and Managers 312

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III. Second Preference — EB- 2 — Professionals with Advanced Degrees or Exceptional Ability 313

IV. Third Preference — EB- 3 — Labor Certification — PERM- Skilled Workers, Professionals and Other Workers; Schedule A; Visa Retrogression 314

A. Labor Certification — PERM- Skilled Workers, Professionals and Other Workers 314

B. Schedule A 319

C. Visa Retrogression 319

V. Evidence Required for Categories EB- 1, - 2 and - 3 320

VI. Fourth Preference — Special Immigrants — Religious Worker 321

VII. Fifth Preference — EB- 5 — Investors 322

A. Employment Creation Visa 322

B. Summary of Statutory Requirements 322

C. Regional Centers 323

D. Documents Required 323

Appendix 323

CHAPTER 9 · CLAIMING ASYLUM OR PROTECTION IN THE UNITED STATES 357

I. Legal Standard for Asylum/Refugee Protection 357

A. International Definition of Refugee 357

B. Definition of Persecution 357

C. Well- Founded Fear Test 357

II. Other Relief 358

A. Withholding Standard 358

B. Convention against Torture (CAT) 358

C. Bars to Eligibility for Asylum 358

D. Bar for Failure to File within One Year of Entry 359

III. Procedure for Filing Asylum Application 360

“Affirmative” Asylum Application Filed with USCIS 360

“Defensive” Asylum Process 360

IV. Required Documents 360

V. Filing Documents with Government Agencies 361

VI. Status of Family Members, Adjustment of Status, Work Authorization and Travel Permit 362

A. Derivative Status 362

B. Aged Out or Reaching 21 Years of Age after Filing Application 363

C. Obtaining Work Authorization 363

D. Permission to Travel 363

E. Unlawful Presence 363

F. Adjustment of Status to Permanent Residency 363

Appendix 364

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CHAPTER 10 · SEEKING RELIEF BEFORE THE COURTS (IJ, BIA AND FEDERAL COURTS) 383

I. Introduction 383

II. The Immigration Court 383

A. The Charging Document 383

B. Master Calendar 383

C. Individual Hearing 384

III. The Board of Immigration Appeals 384

IV. Federal Court Relief 384

A. Writ of Mandamus 384

B. Writ of Habeas Corpus 384

C. Petition for Certiorari 385

Appendix 385

CHAPTER 11 · CITIZENSHIP IN THE UNITED STATES 405

I. Introduction 405

A. Statutory Requirements 405

B. Bars to Naturalization 405

C. Exemptions to English or Government and History Requirement 406

D. Filing for Naturalization 406

Appendix 407

CHAPTER 12 · REPRESENTATION BEFORE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AGENCIES 435

I. Introduction 435

II. USCIS 435

A. Requests for Evidence 435

B. Motions to Reopen 436

C. Motions to Reconsider 436

D. H1B and L1A Audits 436

E. DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) 436

III. Appeals before the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) 437

IV. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 438

V. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 438

A. Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) 438

B. Homeland Security Investigations 438

Appendix 440

GLOSSARY AND ACRONYMS 475

KEYWORDS 481

Contents ix

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Authors’ Acknowledgments

This book would not have been possible without the assistance of certain exemplary individu-als. We would like to thank Maria Casablanca’s Staff (Lorena Nicieza, Maria Isabel Aleman,and Isabela Guzman) and Gloria Bodin’s Staff (Cyril Filipinas, Felipe Montoya, PaolaBruzual, Yi Song, Helen Roldan, Efrain Reyes, Abigail Maldonado, and Lorgie Osorio) fortheir top-notch technical processing.

Special thanks goes to Beth Hall, Tasha Clark, and the staff at Carolina Academic Press fortheir outstanding support and assistance.

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