Table Of ContentILRC.Fam&ImCov5thEd.final.qxp_. 11/22/17 6:30 PM Page 1
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Families & Immigration: A Practical Guide • Adjustment of status a
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is an essential tool for practitioners who assist • Consular processing
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in all aspects of family-sponsored immigration. • Child Status Protection Act l
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This single volume resource is designed for • Conditional residence and the Petition
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everyday practice by new and seasoned to Remove the Conditions of Residence,
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immigration attorneys, immigration paralegals, including the corresponding waivers
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community-based organizations or family • Grounds and waivers of inadmissibility, m
immigration advocates. including the Provisional Unlawful m
Presence Waiver i
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This guide provides a comprehensive overview • Petition for Alien Relative r
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of family immigration law with clearly worded • 245(i) eligibility and grandfathering t
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explanations, samples, and charts. It reaches all o
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aspects of family-sponsored immigration, Families & Immigration: A Practical Guide Families &
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including a thorough examination of issues also walks readers through the Violence A
related to immigration through marriage. Both Against Women Act and explains the
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the legal requirements and procedural instructions self-petitioning process for immigrant victims r
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are covered in detail. This tool is intended to of domestic violence. The guide presents c
guide you step-by-step through the process of alternate immigration remedies that are t
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filing a family-based visa petition, an adjustment available for victims of domestic violence.
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of status, immigrant visa application or any l
A Practical Guide
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other related form or application. You will find
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a comprehensive discussion of each of the
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following topics:
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TEACHING, INTERPRETING AND CHANGING LAW SINCE I979
a publication of the
IMMIGRANT LEGAL
RESOURCE CENTER
5th Edition
1663 MISSION STREET SUITE 602 By ILRC Staff Attorneys
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103
T 415.255.9499 / F 415.255.9792 5th Edition
WWW.ILRC.ORG
Families & Immigration
A Practical Guide
5th Edition
By ILRC Staff Attorneys
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center
A
Copyright 2017
Immigrant Legal Resource Center
1663 Mission Street, Suite 602
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 255-9499
www.ilrc.org
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) is a
national, nonprofit resource center that provides legal
trainings, educational materials, and advocacy to advance
immigrant rights.
Since 1979, the mission of the ILRC is to work with and
educate immigrants, community organizations, and the
legal sector to continue to build a democratic society that
values diversity and the rights of all people.
WHAT WE DO
Legal Professionals & Advocates
Trainings: Throughout the year, the ILRC staff
attorneys provide classroom seminars and
webinars on a wide range of topics that affect the
immigrant community.
Publications: ILRC publishes some of the top
reference manuals on immigration law.
Technical Assistance: Our unique, nation-wide consultation service called the Attorney of the Day
(AOD) provides legal assistance to attorneys, staff of nonprofit organizations, public defenders, and
others assisting immigrants.
Immigrants
Community Advocacy: ILRC assists immigrant groups in understanding immigration law and the
democratic process in the United States, so as to enable them to advocate for better policies in
immigration law, as well as in health care, community safety, and other issues that affect the
immigrant community.
Leadership Training: ILRC trains immigrant leaders how to be more effective advocates for their
communities.
Know Your Rights Presentations: ILRC attorneys regularly conduct “know your rights” trainings
with immigrant-based organizations to inform immigrants about their rights under the immigration
laws and the United States Constitution, how to protect themselves from becoming victims of
immigration fraud, changes in immigration law and policy, and a host of other issues that affect the
lives of immigrants.
Laws, Policies & Practice
Monitoring Changes in Immigration Law: ILRC attorneys are experts in the field of immigration
law, and keep abreast of the frequent changes in immigration case law and policy so that we can
inform our constituents of those changes as soon as they occur.
Policies: ILRC conducts ongoing dialogues between Immigration Service officials and the
community agency representatives to help ensure that government policies and procedures are
more reasonable and fair, and to make sure that information about these policies is provided to the
immigrant advocacy community in a timely manner.
Advocacy: ILRC advocates for reasonable changes in immigration law to get closer to our ideal of
a system that will recognize the contributions immigrants make to our society, respect their dignity,
and insure a workable, secure, and humane immigration system.
How to Contact Us
General inquiries: [email protected]
Publications: [email protected]
Seminars: [email protected]
Attorney of the Day (AOD): [email protected]
Website: www.ilrc.org
How to Support Our Work
Please visit our website www.ilrc.org to make a tax-deductible contribution.
INTRODUCTION
We are pleased to present Families & Immigration: A Practical Guide. Within these pages, we
provide immigration attorneys and advocates with the hands-on information and tools necessary
to assist their U.S. citizen and Lawful Permanent Resident clients through the complex task of
helping their family members gain lawful status in the United States. Included in this manual you
will find seven chapters containing the following:
Chapter One covers the immigration definitions for qualifying family relationships, eligibility
requirements for family-based visas, a discussion of how the preference system works and how to
use the State Department visa bulletin, and information about the Child Status Protection Act and
the V nonimmigrant visa.
Chapter Two is a detailed description of the petitioning process, including how to complete Form I-
130 and provide all of the necessary corresponding documentation. Also included in this chapter is a
more detailed discussion of issues that arise in the spousal petitioning process.
Chapter Three covers both the adjustment of status process and the additional requirements for
conditional permanent residents. Included is a discussion of the procedure for filing Form I-485,
tips on preparing for the USCIS interview, and information about how to assist conditional
residents to remove the conditions on their status.
Chapter Four covers consular processing, including how to file the immigrant visa application
and the affidavit of support with the National Visa Center, as well as how to prepare for the
interview at a U.S. consulate.
Chapter Five includes an explanation of the most common grounds of inadmissibility that family
members may face as bars to their admission, with a special emphasis on the unlawful presence
and criminal grounds.
Chapter Six is a separate discussion of the potential waivers to the grounds of inadmissibility
described in Chapter Five and a discussion of the procedure for applying for a waiver, including
the Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver.
Chapter Seven is a special discussion of the self-petitioning process under the Violence Against
Women Act (VAWA) when battery or extreme cruelty in the family relationship interferes with
the regular family-based petitioning process.
A team of current and past ILRC staff also helped make this manual possible, including ILRC
attorneys Ariel Brown, Allison Davenport, Alison Kamhi, Sally Kinoshita and Erin Quinn as well
as our former colleagues Lourdes Martinez, Su Yon Yi, and Dan Torres. A special thank you to
Ann Block and Nora Privitera for their important contributions to the update of this manual. Our
Publication & Program Coordinator Timothy Sheehan is responsible for the production,
formatting and copyediting of this manual.
We are fortunate to have a community of such talented individuals to support the ILRC in
continuing to produce such quality materials. The production of this manual was made possible
by generous financial support from the Legal Services Trust Fund Program – Equal Access Fund
of the State Bar of California.
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center
October 2017
=
Families & Immigration
September 2017
FAMILIES & IMMIGRATION: A PRACTICAL GUIDE
5TH EDITION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1 Qualifying Family Relationships and Eligibility for Visas
§ 1.1 Overview of the Family Immigration Process: A Two-Step Process ................. 1-2
§ 1.2 The Immediate Relative Category & Definition of “Child”
and “Spouse” ...................................................................................................... 1-6
§ 1.3 “K” Visas for Fiancé(e)s, Spouses, and Children of U.S. Citizens .................. 1-13
§ 1.4 Petitions under the Preference System: Definition of Siblings and
Sons and Daughters .......................................................................................... 1-17
§ 1.5 The Preference Categories ................................................................................ 1-18
§ 1.6 Derivative Beneficiaries ................................................................................... 1-24
§ 1.7 How the Preference System Works .................................................................. 1-27
§ 1.8 Using the State Department Visa Bulletin to Make an Estimate of
When Your Client Can Immigrate ................................................................... 1-28
§ 1.9 Advising Your Client about When a Visa May Become Available ................. 1-34
§ 1.10 The Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) ......................................................... 1-34
§ 1.11 “V” Visas for the Spouses and Children of Lawful
Permanent Residents ........................................................................................ 1-42
§ 1.12 Protection for the Beneficiaries of a Family Petition When a
Qualifying Relative Dies .................................................................................. 1-46
§ 1.13 When Is a Visa Petition Terminated or No Longer Valid? .............................. 1-48
§ 1.14 Diversity Immigrants, Employment Visas, and Children in Juvenile
Court Proceedings ............................................................................................ 1-53
Appendix 1-A USCIS Policy Memorandum, “Approval of Petitions and Applications
after the Death of the Qualifying Relative under New Section 204(l) of
the Immigration and Nationality Act.” December 16, 2010
Appendix 1-B “Revised Guidance for the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA)” by
Donald Neufeld, Acting Associate Director, Domestic Operations, April
30, 2008
Appendix 1-C USCIS Interoffice Memorandum on “Section 6 of the Child Status
Protection Act” by Joe Cuddihy, Director of International Affairs. March
23, 2004
Chapter 2 Submitting the Petition
§ 2.1 Completing Government Forms ......................................................................... 2-1
§ 2.2 Completing the Visa Petition, Form I-130 ......................................................... 2-3
§ 2.3 The I-130A and Photograph: Required in a Petition for a Husband
or Wife .............................................................................................................. 2-10
§ 2.4 Documenting the Visa Petition ......................................................................... 2-10
§ 2.5 What Documents Are Needed to Prove Family Relationship? ........................ 2-11
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Immigrant Legal Resource Center
September 2017
§ 2.6 Obtaining Documents in the United States to Show
Family Relationship ......................................................................................... 2-12
§ 2.7 Obtaining Documents from Other Countries ................................................... 2-13
§ 2.8 Making Proper Copies of Documents .............................................................. 2-14
§ 2.9 Making Certified Translations of Documents .................................................. 2-15
§ 2.10 Documenting the Immigration Status of the Petitioner .................................... 2-15
§ 2.11 Filing the I-130 Packet ..................................................................................... 2-16
§ 2.12 USCIS Challenges to a Marriage ..................................................................... 2-18
§ 2.13 The Legal Standard for a Marriage .................................................................. 2-18
§ 2.14 Documentation to Show that a Marriage Is Bona Fide .................................... 2-20
§ 2.15 What Will Happen at the Marriage Fraud Interview? ...................................... 2-21
§ 2.16 Preparing Your Client: Self-Defense Techniques for
USCIS Interviews ............................................................................................. 2-22
§ 2.17 Special Rules That Affect Spousal Visa Petitions ............................................ 2-23
§ 2.18 Appealing a Denial by USCIS of an I-130 Petition ......................................... 2-26
Appendix 2-A Sample Completed I-130
Appendix 2-B Form I-94
Appendix 2-C Filing Freedom of Information (FOIA) Requests
Appendix 2-D Sample Completed I-130A
Chapter 3 Adjustment of Status and Conditional Residence
§ 3.1 What Is Adjustment of Status? ........................................................................... 3-2
§ 3.2 Who Is Eligible for Adjustment of Status Based on a
Family Petition? ................................................................................................. 3-2
§ 3.3 Red Flags: Identifying Potential Risks to Adjustment ....................................... 3-3
§ 3.4 245(a): Adjustment for Those Who Were Inspected & Admitted or
Paroled and Meet Other Requirements............................................................... 3-4
§ 3.5 Section 245(i): Adjustment for Those Who Entered without
Inspection or Do Not Qualify for § 245(a) Adjustment ..................................... 3-8
§ 3.6 The Three- and Ten-Year Bars and Adjustment of Status ............................... 3-15
§ 3.7 Preparing and Submitting the Adjustment Packet ............................................ 3-16
§ 3.8 The Effect of Leaving the Country ................................................................... 3-21
§ 3.9 What Will Happen at the Adjustment Interview? ............................................ 3-21
§ 3.10 The Decision: Approvals and Denials .............................................................. 3-24
§ 3.11 Marriage-Based Cases and Conditional Residence .......................................... 3-26
§ 3.12 What Is Conditional Permanent Residency? .................................................... 3-26
§ 3.13 Who Is a Conditional Permanent Resident? ..................................................... 3-27
§ 3.14 Removal of Conditional Residency if the Marriage Still Exists after
Two Years: The I-751 “Joint Petition” ............................................................. 3-28
§ 3.15 When to File the I-751 Joint Petition ............................................................... 3-29
§ 3.16 Completing the I-751 Joint Petition ................................................................. 3-31
§ 3.17 Application Procedure: Filing, Extension of Status, and Interview ................. 3-33
§ 3.18 Denials and Appeals ......................................................................................... 3-34
§ 3.19 Termination of Conditional Residency by USCIS during the “Testing
Period” .............................................................................................................. 3-35
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September 2017
§ 3.20 Introduction to Waivers of the I-751 Joint Filing Requirement ....................... 3-37
§ 3.21 When to File ..................................................................................................... 3-37
§ 3.22 How to File a Waiver ....................................................................................... 3-38
§ 3.23 The “Good Faith” Waiver ................................................................................ 3-39
§ 3.24 How to Show Extreme Hardship ...................................................................... 3-39
§ 3.25 The Battery or Extreme Cruelty Waiver .......................................................... 3-41
§ 3.26 Proof of Battery or Extreme Cruelty ................................................................ 3-41
§ 3.27 Additional Help for Battered Spouses and Children ........................................ 3-42
§ 3.28 Filing a Waiver if the U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident Spouse
Has Died ........................................................................................................... 3-42
§ 3.29 Dependent Sons and Daughters ........................................................................ 3-43
§ 3.30 Failing Marriages and Waivers ........................................................................ 3-44
Appendix 3-A Comparison of 245(a) and 245(i) Adjustment Provisions Section 245(i)
Memoranda
Appendix 3-B Section 245(i) Memorandum dated March 9, 2005
Appendix 3-C Section 245(i) Memorandum dated April 14, 1999
Appendix 3-D Memorandum dated April 3, 2009, “I-751 Filed Prior to Termination of
Marriage”
Appendix 3-E Memorandum dated December 23, 2012, “Revised Guidance Concerning
Adjudication of Certain I-751 Petitions”
Appendix 3-F Sample Letters to Clients Regarding Conditional Residence
Chapter 4 Applying for Permanent Residence through Consular Processing
§ 4.1 Introduction to Consular Processing .................................................................. 4-1
§ 4.2 How Consular Processing Responsibilities Are Divided
among Agencies ................................................................................................. 4-2
§ 4.3 Finding the Rules: The Statute, Regulations, Foreign Affairs .......................... 4-4
§ 4.4 Overview of Consular Processing Steps and Utilizing the
Visa Bulletin ....................................................................................................... 4-6
§ 4.5 Step I: Establishing Email Correspondence and a Point of Contact................. 4-10
§ 4.6 Step II: Paying the Fees .................................................................................... 4-11
§ 4.7 Step III: Submitting the Online Application for an Immigrant Visa ................ 4-12
§ 4.8 Step IV: Submitting the Affidavit of Support with Financial
Documentation and the Supporting Civil Documents ...................................... 4-14
§ 4.9 Step V: Preparing for the Consular Interview .................................................. 4-21
§ 4.10 Step VI: The Consular Interview ...................................................................... 4-25
§ 4.11 The Alien Registration Card or Permanent Resident Card
(“Green Card”) ................................................................................................. 4-31
Appendix 4-A Screenshot of the DOS NVC Homepage
Appendix 4-B Sample NVC Notification Letter Warning of Impending Termination
Proceedings with Instructions
Appendix 4-C Sample NVC Cover Letter and Instructions Initiating Consular and
Establishing Communication
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September 2017
Appendix 4-D Sample NVC Fee Invoices for Immigrant Visa Application and Affidavit
of Support
Appendix 4-E Two Different NVC Sample Document Cover Sheets
Appendix 4-F Sample Electronic Form DS-260 Immigration Visa Application
Appendix 4-G Immigration Visa Application (DS-260) Prep Questions for the Client in
English and Spanish
Appendix 4-H Immigration Visa Application (DS-260) Prep Questions for the Client in
Spanish
Appendix 4-I Sample NVC Notice of Missing Item Letter
Appendix 4-J Two Sample NVC Letters Scheduling Immigrant Visa Interview at
Different US Consulates with Instructions Regarding Interview and
Documents
Appendix 4-K U.S. Consulate, Ciudad Juarez Visa Registration, ASC Appointment and
Courier Selection Site with Medical Examination and Interview
Guidelines in English and Spanish
Appendix 4-L Sample Immigrant Visa Stamped in Passport
Chapter 5 Grounds of Inadmissibility
§ 5.1 Overview of Admissibility, Deportability, Admission, and Removal ............... 5-2
§ 5.2 Health-Related Grounds: Communicable Diseases, Required
Vaccinations, Dangerous Disorders, and Addiction and Abuse ......................... 5-8
§ 5.3 Alien Smuggling: Grounds of Inadmissibility and Deportability .................... 5-13
§ 5.4 Fraud and Misrepresentation ............................................................................ 5-17
§ 5.5 Document Fraud: Ground of Inadmissibility and Deportability ...................... 5-20
§ 5.6 Insufficient Documentation .............................................................................. 5-21
§ 5.7 False Claim to U.S. Citizenship ....................................................................... 5-22
§ 5.8 Likely to Become a Public Charge ................................................................... 5-27
§ 5.9 Terrorists, Draft Dodgers, Unlawful Voters, Stowaways, Polygamists ........... 5-45
§ 5.10 Entry, Admission, and Effective Dates ............................................................ 5-50
§ 5.11 Unlawfully Present in the United States without Being Admitted
or Paroled ......................................................................................................... 5-51
§ 5.12 Three- and Ten-Year Bars for Those Unlawfully Present Who Depart
and Then Apply for Admission and the Family Hardship Waiver ................... 5-53
§ 5.13 “Permanent Bar” to Persons Who Were Unlawfully Present for More
than One Year or Were Ordered Removed and Who Enter or
Attempt to Enter without Being Admitted ....................................................... 5-60
§ 5.14 Failure to Attend Removal Proceedings ........................................................... 5-65
§ 5.15 Past Removal or Deportation/Exclusion .......................................................... 5-67
§ 5.16 Reinstatement ................................................................................................... 5-68
§ 5.17 Clients with Criminal Records ......................................................................... 5-70
§ 5.18 What Is a Criminal Conviction? ....................................................................... 5-71
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September 2017
§ 5.19 What Evidence Can the DHS Submit to Show a Conviction? ......................... 5-72
§ 5.20 What Is a Sentence for Immigration Purposes? ............................................... 5-73
§ 5.21 How to Analyze a Past Conviction: The Categorical Approach ...................... 5-73
§ 5.22 Overview of Immigration Consequences of Crimes ........................................ 5-76
§ 5.23 Inadmissibility Based on Drug Offenses .......................................................... 5-77
§ 5.24 Crimes Involving Moral Turpitude .................................................................. 5-80
§ 5.25 The Crime Involving Moral Turpitude Petty Offense and
Youth Exceptions ............................................................................................. 5-83
§ 5.26 Other Grounds: Prostitution, Two Convictions with Five-Year
Sentence Imposed, Alien Trafficking, Money Laundering, High-
Speed Flight from Immigration ........................................................................ 5-84
§ 5.27 Aggravated Felonies ......................................................................................... 5-86
§ 5.28 Clearing Up a Criminal Record ........................................................................ 5-89
Appendix 5-A USCIS, Vaccination Requirements
Appendix 5-B USCIS, Section 212(a)(6) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, Illegal
Entrants and Immigration Violators (Mar. 3, 2009)
Appendix 5-C USCIS, Form I-864: 2017 HHS Poverty Guidelines for Affidavit of
Support
Appendix 5-D USCIS, Fact Sheet: Public Charge (Apr. 29, 2011)
Appendix 5-E USCIS, Public Charge Questions and Answers (May 25, 1999)
Appendix 5-F Instructions for Obtaining Criminal Record Checks and Requests for
Criminal Records
Appendix 5-G ILRC, Warning for Immigrants on Medicalized and Legalized Marijuana
Chapter 6 Waivers of Inadmissibility
§ 6.1 Waivers of Grounds of Inadmissibility .............................................................. 6-1
§ 6.2 What Is a Waiver? .............................................................................................. 6-2
§ 6.3 What Is Discretion? ............................................................................................ 6-2
§ 6.4 Guiding Principles .............................................................................................. 6-3
§ 6.5 Waiver of Inadmissibility for Visa Fraud ........................................................... 6-4
§ 6.6 Invalid Documents and Document Fraud Waiver of Inadmissibility ................. 6-5
§ 6.7 Waiver of Inadmissibility/Exemption for Alien Smuggling .............................. 6-7
§ 6.8 Waiver for Communicable Disease, Lack of Vaccinations, or
Dangerous Mental Disorders under INA § 212(g) ........................................... 6-10
§ 6.9 Waivers for Unlawful Presence, Past Removal, and Other Related
Immigration Offenses ....................................................................................... 6-13
§ 6.10 Waiver for Certain Crimes under INA § 212(h) .............................................. 6-21
§ 6.11 Procedure for Applying for a Waiver ............................................................... 6-24
§ 6.12 How Do You Establish Extreme Hardship? ..................................................... 6-25
Appendix 6-A Sample Waiver Application including Cover Letter, Declaration and List
of Supporting Documents in Support of Waiver of Unlawful Presence
Bar
Appendix 6-B Sample Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver
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