- IMMIGRATION LAW
- FAMILY LAW
- REAL ESTATE
- BUSINESS LAW
- INTERNATIONAL LAW
- EMPLOYMENT LAW
- PERSONAL INJURY
- GENERAL PRACTICE
- BANKRUPTCY
- Immediate Relatives Immigrant Visa
- Special Immigrants
- Family-sponsored Immigrant Visa
- Employer-sponsored Immigrant Visa
- Marriage to a Foreign National
- Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, commonly know as the Green Card Lottery
- B-1 Temporary visitor for Business
- B-2 Temporary visitor for Pleasure (tourist visa)
- E-1 Treaty Trader, spouse and children
- E-2 Treaty Investory, spouse and children
- E-3 Australian Specialty Worker
- F-1 Student Visa
- F-2 Family Members of F-1 Visa Holders
- H-1B Work Visa forr Specialty Occupations (including fashion models)
- H-1C Nurse going to work up to three years in a health professional shortage area
- H-2A Temporary Agricultural Worker
- H-2B Temporary/Seasonal Worker (Skilled and Unskilled
- H-3 Visas for Company Trainee
- H-4 Family Members of H-1, H-2, and H-3 Visa Holders
- I Visas for Foreign Media Representatives
- J-1 Visas for exchange visitors/participants
- J-2 Family Members of J-1 Visa Holders
- K-1 Fiancee/Finace of U.S. Citizen
- K-2 Child of K-1 Visa Holder
- K-3 Visas for Spouse of U.S. Citizen
- K-4 Child of K-3 Visa Holder
- L-1 Intra-company Transferee
- L-2 Family Members of L-1 Visa Holders
- O-1 Extraordinary ability in Sciences, Arts, Education, Business, or Athletics
- O-2 Essential Support Personnel of O-1 Visa Holders
- O-3 Family Members of O Visa Holders
- P-1 Artist/Athlete Entertainment Group
- P-2 Artist/Athlete in an Exchange Program
- P-3 Artist/Athlete in a Culturally Unique Program
- P-4 Family Members of P Visa Holders
- R-1 Religious Workers Visas
- R-2 Family Members of R-1 Visa Holders
- TN Visas for Citizens of Canada and Mexico
- TD Family Members of TN Visa Holders
- A-1 Ambassador, public minister, career diplomatic or consular officer and members of immediate family.
- A-2 Other foreign government offical or employee and members of immediate family.
- A-3 Attendant, servant, or personal employee of A-1 and A-2, and members of immediate family.
- C-1 Alien in Transit directly through the U.S.
- C-1D Combined Transit and Crewman Visa
- C-2 Alien in Transit to UB Heaquarters District under the Headquarters Agreement
- C-3 Foreign Government Official, Members of Immediate Family, Attendant, Servant, or
- C-4 Transit without Visa
- D-1 Crewmember Departing on same Vessel of Arrival
- D-2 Crewmember Departing by means other than Vessel of Arrival
- G-1 Principal Resident Representative of Recognized Foreign Member Government to International Organization, and Members of Immediate Family
- G-2 Other Representative of Recognized Foreign Member Government to International Organization, and Members of Immediate Family
- G-3 Representative of Non-recognized or Non-member Government to International Organization, and Members of Immediate Family
- G-4 International Organization Officer of Employee, and Members of Immediate Family
- G-5 Attendant, Servant, or Personal Employee of G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4 or Members of Immediate Family
Immigration Law
At EBERE N. EKECHUKWU & ASSOCIATES, P.C., we know that the immigration and visa process can be complex and confusing. Since 1998, we have successfully represented individiuals, businesses and professionals in all types of immigration matters. We provide expert legal services to individuals, families, employers, professionals, physicians and students seeking immigration benefits.
We will assist you in obtaining a green card in any of the categories listed below:
Green Card through Relatives (Family Immigration)
Obtaining a Green Card through Relatives is one possible option for individuals who have close relatives or family members in the United States. Family members may be eligible to apply for permanent residence (Green Card) if the sponsoring relative is a United States citizen by birth or through naturalization.
The family member who will sponsor you for a Green Card can be your:- Husband or wife
- Widow or widower of a U.S. citizen
- Brother or sister (including half-brothers and half-sisters)
- Son or daughter(including illegitmate children)
- Stepson or stepdaugter
- Stepparent of a U.S. citizen child
- Adopted son or daughter
- Adopted parent
- Father or mother
- Battered or abused spouse or child
Employment Based Visas
- E-3 Visas for Citizens of Australia
- H-1B Visas for Professional Workers
- H-1B1 Visas for Citizens of Chile or Singapore
- H-1C Visas for Nurses
- J Visas/J Visa Waivers
- L-1 Visas for Transfers of Managers/Executives and Specialized Workers
- O Visas for Aliens of Extraordinary Ability
- TN Visas for Citizens of Canada and Mexico
- R-1 Visas for Religious Workers
- Labor Certification/PERM (To obtain your green card through employment, you are required to go through Program Review Electronic Management (PERM). This is a process by which the U.S. Department of Labor certifies that there is a lack of qualified U.S. workers in your job category. Once it is certified, you will apply for your immigrant visa/green card with USCIS.
*You can also obtain a Green Card through:
Asylum
At the Law Office of EBERE N. EKECHUKWU & ASSOCIATES, P.C., we represent people seeking asylum in the United States. To be eligible for asylum, you have to show that you are unable to return to your coutnry of origin because of past persecution or a well-found fear of future persectuion because of your race, religion, national origin, membership in a particular social group or political opinion. This affirmative application requires that you file the application within one year from the date you arrive in the United States. We will help you prepare the application and file it in the United States Citizenship and Immigration Sevices (USCIS) office of the Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS). We will also attend the interview with you before the asylum officer.
Deportation/Removal Proceedings
We also represent people who filed their asylum application outside of the one year filing deadline and usually with the immigration court. If a person is facing deportation or removal, he or she may apply for defensive asylum protection before the court. There are two types of defensive protections you may obtain: "Withholding of Removal" or "Withholding Under the Convention Against Torture." This protection is mandatory if certain evidentiary requirements are met. If you are in deportation proceeding, contact us and see how we can assist you during this difficult period. You need a lawyer who will work for you and and aggressively pursue your defense. Contact us for a free initial consultation and we will guide you and prepare you for your hearing.
Battered Spouse or Child - VAWA (Violence Against Women Act)
Have you been battered (abused) by your U.S. citizen or permanent resident spouse or parent? Are you being held ransom because your U.S. spouse or parent petitioned for immigration benefits for you and now threatens you that they will report you to immigration to be deported? FEAR NOT. The Immigration Law has protection for you. You can self-petition in order to obtain your green card and remain in the U.S.
To be eligible to file a self-petition, you must qualify under one of the following categories:
Spouse: Battered spouse married to a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. Unmarried children under the age of 21, who have not filed their own self-petition, may be included on your petition as derivative beneficiaries.
Parent: Parent of a child who has been abused by your U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse. Your children (under 21 years of age and unmarried), including those who may not have been abused, may be included on your petition as derivative beneficiaries, if they have not filed their own self-petition.
Child: Battered child (under 21 years of age and unmarried) who has been abused by your U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident parent.
If you are going through this difficult time in your life and stay in the U.S., contact the experienced attorneys at EBERE N. EKECHUKWU & ASSOCIATES, P.C. so that we will explain the process to you and assist you in getting through this difficult time.
Immigration Through Diversity Visa Lottery
Each year, the Diversity Lottery Program makes 50,000 new immigrant visas available for individuals from underreprented nations. You or your spouse must be a native of a country that is eligible to participate in the Diversity Visa Lottery. You may also be eligible to apply if your parent was born in a country that is eligible to participate and you must have a high school diploma or its equivalent, or two years work experience within the last five years in a job which demands two years training. Contact us for more information.
Immigration Through Investment
Immigrant visas are available to qualified individuals, their spouse and unmarried children seeking permanent resident status on the basis of their engagement in a new commerical enterprise in the U.S. 10,000 visas are made available annually for this category. To be eligible, an alien must have invested -- or are actively in teh process of investing -- the required amount of capital into a new commercial enterprise that they have established. They must further demonstrate that this investment will benefit the United States economy and create the requisite number of full- time jobs for qualified persons within the United States. In general, "eligible individuals" include those:
1. Who establish a new commerical enterprise by:
- creating an original business
- purchasing an existing business and simultaneously or subsequently restructuring or reorganizing the business such that a new commerical enterprise results
- expanding an existing business by 140 percent of the pre-investment number of jobs or net worth, or retaining all existing jobs in a troubled business that has lost 20 percent of its net worth over the past 12 to 24 months
2. Who have invested -- or who are actively in the process of investing -- in a new commercial enterprise:
- at least $1,000,000 or
- at least $500,000 where the investment is being made in a "target employment area," which is an area that has experienced unemployment of at least 150 percent of the national average rate or a rural area as desginated by OMB
3. Whose engagement in a new commercial enterprise will benefit the United States economy and:
- create full-time employment for not fewer than 10 qualified individuals or
- maintain the number of existing employees at no less than the pre-investment level for a period of at least two years, where the capital investment is being made in a "troubled business," which is a business that has been in existence for at least two years and that has lost 20 percent of its net worth over the past 12 to 24 months.
If you are considering investing in the U.S., contact us so that we can explain the process fully to you and assist you in navigating the application and green card process.
Immigration Through Registry
If you have been present in the United States since January 1, 1972, you may be able to obtain lawful permanent residence even if you are illegally in the United States now, or if you initially entered the U.S. illegally.
Contact EBERE N. EKECHUKWU & ASSOCIATES, P.C. so that we can explain this process to you.
VISA WAIVER PROGRAM:
Citizens of certain countries do not need a visa at all to enter the U.S. This program is called Visa Waiver. It enables foreign nationals, mostly from developed countries, to visit the United States for up to 90 days visa-free.
We look forward to assisting you. Contact us for more information on eligibility requirements and benefits.
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