General Post on NIW and NVC
I get this question a lot: Attorney Akin, if I live outside the United States, can I apply for EB-2 (NIW), a green card route for talented individuals? My answer is always the same: YES, but I will have to first assess your eligibility!
As an attorney, and on U.S. immigration matters, I represent clients before the National Visa Center (NVC), which is part of the U.S. Department of State, and other agencies that deal with U.S. immigration matters, including the Board of Immigration Appeals and the Administrative Appeals Office.
For instance, after successfully representing you before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and if you are NOT domiciled in the U.S., the case goes to the NVC, which deals with the immigrant visa applications.
In this case, I successfully represented a client, who is currently domiciled in a country in Africa (until this client hired me, I never heard of the country before, well, the country's new name); and, because of the successful representation, the client's spouse and children (derivative beneficiaries) will benefit from the principal petitioner's approval. After this phase, each person gets a Green Card; after 5 years, they can become U.S. citizens.
Yes, there is a priority date/visa retrogression, which recently kicked in, but people don't mind waiting. For young families, these kids will forever thank their parents. Dad's, or mum's, achievements brought us to America as Green Card holders.
When I work on each brief, I think about all the benefits that my clients will derive from my diligent work, and that motivates me to work hard on the case. Immigration law is very complex, particularly for those of us in corporate immigration, so hiring a lawyer who understands the nuances matters. I even cite footnotes (courts/judges usually bury their thoughts in footnotes, so reading the footnotes matters, too).
True story: Two weeks ago, immediately there was a visa retrogression announcement, I worked more than 14 hours/day, for three days, to meet the deadlines for two clients. Let us call that my own version of Tom Cruise's Mission Impossible.
When I share just a quick summary of a case on Facebook and other platforms, you only get to read page 1 of 30 or even more.
Whether you are Einstein, or a janitor, as a foreigner in the U.S., immigration is your FIRST PRIORITY.
Finally, you have to understand the difference between an IMMIGRANT VISA and a NON-IMMIGRANT VISA. The latter is nothing but a mere permission to visit the United States; in some cases, it allows you to work for a certain employer (think of H-1B). The former (IMMIGRANT VISA) is the GOLDEN VISA (Green Card), for you are coming here to live and work permanently, and you can become a U.S. citizen after some years.
I wish you all the best.
To read more about EB-2 (NIW), visit: https://www.akinalaw.com/blog/11/a-permanent-residency-option-for-foreigners
To read more about EB-1A, visit: https://www.akinalaw.com/blog/18/eb-1a-frequently-asked-questions
For a free (100%) case evaluation for EB-1A/EB-2 (NIW), contact the attorney-in-charge of The Law Office of Akintunde F Adeyemo, PLLC:
Akintunde F. Adeyemo, Esq.
Attorney, Counselor & Solicitor
734-318-7053 (Call, Text, Including WhatsApp)
Website: www.akinalaw.com
Email address: info@akinalaw.com
***For informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future legal representation***
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