Got my LCA approved within a few months thanks to the untiring efforts of Mr. Vijay Durgam, my case manager and Mr. Rajiv Khanna. Thank you.
My husband and I got our green card approved this month. It was a long and tedious journey but I always felt confident about having Rajiv Khanna on my side. They are a very professional and efficient Law Firm. I always got replies to my million concerns. The paper work was filed perfectly and we never got any RFE'S. I have used Rajiv and his team for all my immigration work (H1B) and there is nothing but praise for them.
I would like to thank Mathew, Bharathi, Heather, Shubha, & Kumuda for all the help. I will always recommend them to anyone in the immigration process.
Best wishes for continued success.
Hi Rajeev, Vijay, Aruna , Prerna, Bharathi ,
Got Green Card last week(08/200. Although it was a long journey , all of you have made it a pleasant one. I always got a good support , help and information from you .It was flawless service. I highly recommend your services to all.
My wife and I recently got our citizenship case approved. Our case was a fairly complicated case because we were out of the country for 2 years after getting our GC and had returned since then. While every other lawyer we enquired they asked us to wait for 5 years since our return, immigration.com was able to sort our case and file for it much earlier using the 4yr - 1 day rule. I was amazed at the responsiveness from the team at immigration.com. Every time I had a question, they would respond within 24 hours or less and definitely understood the laws surrounding citizenship approval. My special thanks to Mr. Chacko and Mr. Art Shifflett who handled our cases.
You all are the best. I got my GC approved in 08/2008. I would like to thank everyone at your firm for all the help and support in this long journey. One thing that stands out compared other firms is your customer service. The staff at your firm are epitome of customer service. You guys rock. Keep up the good work.
I had applied for an L1-A for start-up in 2007 August. Rajiv and his staff put all their efforts to make sure that the petition was correct and all the required supportive documentation was there. L1-A was approved in a span of 4 days from application and I got it for a period of one year, which is the normal case, that the Law Office had notified well in advance. Though the responsibilities of Rajiv was over with that application, he put extra efforts in detailing out the steps required in the coming year before going for the renewal so that I will be able to get it renewed.
He told me that getting the first L1-A is relatively easier compared to the renewal where in they thoroughly scrutinize the documents. He also detailed each activities I should fulfill based on my application for going for the renewal in 2008. However, I had to wait for 3 months in Chennai to get the appointment for Visa stamping. So all I had was 9 months of working time to fulfill these steps.
I came to U.S in November 2007 and contacted Rajiv. He gave me an abridged list of key things to be done in 9 months for the renewal. I worked according to the plan and we started the L1-A renewal process in July 2008 end. Vikas from the L1 department was meticulous in preparing this application. He gave me a list of documents required and he put lot of time to go through each one of these documents, provide suggestions to make it better etc. Over a period of 4 weeks work, we had a comprehensive petition in place.
The Law Offices of Rajiv send the petition on 21st August. It reached the USCIS on August 22nd 2008. They started processing on 25th August since 23&24 was Sat & Sunday. My renewal was approved on 25th August itself and the approval notice was sent on the very same day. Notice of Action (I-797) and (I-94) reached the Law Office on the next day, August 26th itself. It was unbelievably fast because the petition application was done perfectly.
What more do you want from an immigration attorney; he delivers what he says plus he takes the right steps to guide you to the next step. And can you believe, he is already advising me on the next steps to be taken in business path. I vouch for Rajivji and his staff and I recommend them for anybody who want to go to the best attorney in Immigration. Thanks once again Rajivji, Anna & Vikas for making this possible.
We are delighted to share that my wife and me both got the green card in the mail.
Once again thanks a zillion times from bottom of our hearts for Rajiv and his teams support and help during this long and painful process.Initially our case was handled by various other team members but lately our case was assigned to Mathew and Rita.I would like to sincerely thank Mathew,Rita and Pramita (our earlier case manager) for their support and help.All the team members were professional, courteous,prompt,patiently answered all our questions and helpful which makes ton of a difference.We didn't get an even single RFE.
May god bless you all for doing such an excellent job.Keep up the good work.
Our case was filed in August 2004 in EB2 category.Later it was transferred to Dallas BackLog Center.After 3 years in 2007 our first stage(Labor) was approved and just in time for July'07 fiasco filing.Rajiv asked us to be prepare with all the documentation for 140&485 concurrent filing during turmoil period.There was lot of uncertainty, chaos due to July/August 2007 Visa Bulletin.During that crisis time Rajiv and his team not only guided us very well but also came up with an innovative idea of opening up a new web site exclusively for their customers to share the information and to answers all our concerns. Rajiv and his team is very particular and prompt in answering all the questions via above mentioned web site.It provided lot of update and information about how the team was handling such crisis situations and also helped us better understanding the BIG picture.
Based on our personal experience for the past 4 years+ I would highly recommend Rajiv and his team for any immigration needs.
I had accepted an offer of employment from a well established Indian Consultancy company last year in the month of June 2007. I was given the pre approved labor and they filed I 140 and 485, EAD, AP during that Visa bulletin fiasco last year. I got EAD and AP for both me and for my wife. My I 140 approved from TSC last month. Now I have a better opportunity.
My employer is threatening to withdraw GC files processing unless I work with them till I get my GC.
Qo1. Is that possible for them to withdraw like that?
Qo2. Does that affect my GC process in negative way?
Qo3. What I have to do in case they withdraw?
Qo4. Is it possible to re-start the whole GC process again in case?
Qo5. By the time I file AC 21, if the present employer withdraws the GC files, what happens to my case?
Qo6. How do we know whether they have withdrawn GC process or not?
Ans1. They can withdraw the 140. That is their petition, but they cannot withdraw the I-485. That is your petition. If they withdraw the I-140 you can still take recourse to AC21 and not suffer any negative consequences.
Ans2. If you are covered by AC21, you should be fine.
Ans3. File AC21 letter as soon as possible.
Ans4. Sure .
Ans5. See this link: http://www.immigrationportal.com/blog.php?b=25
Q1. How soon can I leave my petitioning employer once I get my green card approval?
Q2. I did not willingly left the GC sponsor employer but actually after three months I got my GC, i got laid off from the project and due to the bad economy , my employer was not able to get me other project so he gave me letter saying that he wont be able to pay me salary since he doesnt have any project for me.And, after getting that letter I resigned from GC sponsor employer.
Q3. I am employed at the XYZ University (XYZU). I applied for 485 myself (without attorney). My 485 was approved last month and I got my passport stamped in July. My contract with XYZU is coming to an end. My job is renewed every year based on the availability of funding. I have been with XYZU for the last 5 years. There is a possibility that they (XYZU) may not extend the contract because the research grant I got is coming to an end in september.
Will my termination from the job at XYZU affect my Green Card in the future, and is it better to be terminated from service (based on unavailability of funding) by the WVU or is it better to offer my resignation?
A1. There is no brief answer to this question. Let me explain. The basic premise (or theory) behind permanent residence through offer of employment is that an employee is accepting a job on a "permanent" bases. What does "permanent" mean? Does it mean for ever. Obviously not. That would be unreasonable. But "permanent" also does not mean that you pack your bags the moment you receive your green card. So what is the answer? No one really knows. Each case has to be determined upon its own merits.
We got an approval for a L1 to H1 with an I-94 effective Oct 1, 2008. But the candidate got an admission for a one year full time MBA program which he wants to pursue and join us in August 2009. His MBA program is starting in September 2008. So, he will be applying for his F1 status soon.
Qo1. What choices do we have to keep the H1 approval valid so that he can join us in August 2009 ?
I arrived at the Garden City DO at approximately 10:15 this morning. My interview was scheduled for 11:25, so I decided to try my luck and see if the security guards would allow me to get in early. They politely told me to come back at 11:00, so I dropped my fiancee off at Bloomingdale's at the Roosevelt Field Mall and drove back to the parking lot at 711 Stewart Avenue. I should mention that there is plenty of free parking available, so don't worry about where you can leave your vehicle.
Q. How soon can I leave my petitioning employer once I get my green card approval?
Thank you very very much Rajivji and Vijaybhai for all the help with my PERM process and finally it was certified on Nov 13th(PD 06/25/2014).
WASHINGTON — The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) deployed 14 additional field representatives to territories across the country this week. The field representatives serve as liaisons between the nearly 9,000 U.S. schools that enroll international students and SEVP. The program, housed within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), certifies schools to enroll international students and protects national security by overseeing those students for compliance with U.S. laws.
WASHINGTON— Due to the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson has announced his decision to designate Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. As a result, eligible nationals of Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone who are currently residing in the United States may apply for TPS with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
On November 20, 2014, the President announced a series of executive actions to crack down on illegal immigration at the border, prioritize deporting felons not families, and require certain undocumented immigrants to pass a criminal background check and pay taxes in order to temporarily stay in the U.S. without fear of deportation.
I am working on H-1B. This week, I got my I-140 petition approved that was filed in EB2. I am Indian citizen born in India. My marriage is scheduled to happen in Jan, 2015. The girl is citizen of India and was born in Nepal. I have heard that after marriage, I would be eligible to file I-485 for both myself and my (then) wife, based on cross-chargeability rules. <br>
1: Is my eligibility to file I-485 (based on the birth country of wife) and its approval thereafter dependent on discretion of USCIS? If yes, does USCIS generally approve or deny such I-485 petitions filed on the basis of cross chargeability rules? <br>
2: Is there any reason due to which my wife and I would be denied from filing I-485 and there-after getting an approval of I-485 (leaving aside fraud matters)? <br>
3: My fiancée is yet to get her passport made in India. I found that my fiancée does not have her birth certificate from Nepal. Is a birth certificate the only way to prove location of birth? If she gets her birth certificate made now, Does the USCIS create issues about a birth certificate made so many years after birth? <br>
4: In my scenario (EB2 petition, primary applicant India born, wife Nepal born Indian citizen), How long (approximately) after filing I-485 would it take to get the green card?
See clip from Attorney Rajiv S. Khanna's conference call video that addresses this question.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujMQ79pgzX8
FAQ Transcript
I have a question on the unpaid leaves when outside USA while on H-1. I am on H-1 and recently went to India for stamping which was completed without any problem. I had paid vacation of 2 weeks, which I had already used and stayed in India for a month which is not going to be paid. My employer is saying these will be unpaid leaves and won't be running paychecks for these leaves and is mentioning that this won't be a problem in future as this is legal. I want to take legal opinion from you regarding what the law says in the above situation. <p>
1. If I am out of US on unpaid leaves and won't get paid, will there be any issues on my H-1 status in future for transfer or GC? <br>
2. If due to unpaid leave, W2 is less than the LCA, will it be a problem? If yes, what documentation we can show to USCIS to clarify to them why it’s less?
See clip from Attorney Rajiv S. Khanna's conference call video that addresses this question.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujMQ79pgzX8#t=1516
FAQ Transcript
If you are on H-1, sometimes people ask me, I want to maintain status even though I am getting laid off. Can I be on unpaid leave and does maintain status?
Does this impact EB-3 India wait times and also does this lift counting on family members/dependents for visa numbers /quota ?
Obama's Immigration Action plan could impact all waiting time for EB categories. We are not clear how far or how quickly. There is no indication that the method counting green cards will be changed to One per family, instead of one for each family member in an employment-based case. President has asked for recommendations for improvement within 120 days. We shall see.
I am on H-1B Visa, got my I-140 approved in EB-2 Category and waiting for the dates to get current. Based on Executive Action, shall I be given any EAD ? Or at least any other forms so that I can travel and need not go for Visa Stamping and all the additional paper work.
I have heard that there is a proposal to allow filing of I-485
Is this true ? - "If the ‘Schedule A’ application falls into the “EB-2” or Employment Based Second Preference category (the employer requires a Master’s degree in Physical Therapy or a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy + 5 years of experience), then the Adjustment of Status application can be submitted simultaneously with the Form I-140".
Concurrent filing is possible ONLY if your priority date for EB-2 is current, and not backlogged.
For updates, see my blog page on Obama's Immigration Action.
Takeaway points for legal immigration from President Obama’s executive action:
1. USCIS is “about to” publish the final rule on H-4 work authorization. That will make it possible for certain spouses of H-1 holders to get work authorization.
2. Improving employment-based green card backlogs by:
a. Making visa issuance more efficient so no immigrant visas are wasted;
b. Providing for better AC21 rules and other ways to keep immigrant visas intact after a change of jobs. USCIS will clarify what constitutes “same or similar” job so that AC21 will not stop workers from getting promotions or even changing to related jobs within their field. USCIS must clear the path to career progression for green card applicants.
3. Expandingfurther the OPT time for STEM students, but creating tighter control on which universities/schools/degrees are eligible and ensure local workers are protected (Implement some sort of a “mini PERM?”).
4. Creating opportunities for foreign “inventors, researchers and founders of start-up” companies to come to the USA through an existing program called “National Interest Waiver.” Unfortunately for India, this is an EB-2 category program requiring several years of wait. But the following parole program will help:
a. Creating a parole (which is usually a temporary, but very quick measure and could eventually lead to a green card) program so that on a case-by-case bases, “inventors, researchers and founders of start-up” companies can be brought quickly into the USA where:
i.They have raised financing in the USA; OR
ii.Otherwise hold the promise of innovation and job creation through development of new technologies OR cutting edge research
5. Creating guidelines for exceptionally qualified or advanced degreed individuals to come to the USA through an existing program called “National Interest Waiver.” As noted, unfortunately for India, this is an EB-2 category program requiring several years of wait. But the parole option above could be helpful.
6. Providing clear guidance on L-1B program as to who can qualify.
I and my wife received our green card in August 2008. We started the process in November 2005 with Rajiv Khanna as our attorney. He and his team have helped us at every point in the whole process and they were always there for us to help out. I must mention here that the paperwork done was been perfect and I had no RFE and this has substantially reduced the total time of the lengthy process. I found the team in his office in general very co-operative and prompt. Our special thanks and best regards to Heather Crump, Yvonne, Mark, Art and Leslie for making this happen.
Once again thanks to Rajiv and his team.