Measuring Success One Client at a Time
The success of our firm begins—and ends—with the success of our clients. Below are just a few of our favorite stories about the positive change our firm has made in people’s lives.
Marriage to United States Citizens via a Green Card
As a foreign national studying in the United States on an F-1 visa to complete her Optional Practice Training (OPT), this client approached Madison Immigration Law with what would seem to be a simple problem: She wanted the right to live in the same country as her new husband. During her time here, this client met and married her husband, a U.S. citizen who was in the information technology field. Though deeply in love and married for reasons of the heart, this couple was not able to live together due to logistics with their jobs and studies. Our firm knew this could be an uphill battle when applying for a marriage-based green card.
With honesty as the best policy, we began our brief for the upcoming interview with the United States Custom and Immigration Services (USCIS). Our firm disclosed that husband and wife were not living together and then provided substantial documentation validating the authenticity of the marriage by showing examples of their communications, the amount of time spent together and plans to eventually live together. We attended the interview with our clients and are happy to announce that the USCIS approved the I-130 relative petition and issued the wife a marriage-based green card.
K-1 Visa
Born in Columbia, but now a United States citizen living in Wisconsin, this client was engaged to a man residing in Peru. The couple wanted to marry, and eventually live, in the United States.
Madison Immigration Law filed an I-129F Petition for this man to obtain a K-1 visa. The visa would grant him entry into the U.S for a period of 90 days so that the couple could get married and then file for a green card. To establish the credibility of a bona fide relationship, Madison Immigration Law provided fact-based evidence showing the couple had personally met over the past two years, by including travel itineraries, passport stamps and photographic and testimonial evidence. The United States Custom and Immigration Services (USCIS) approved our client’s I-129F Petition, and the marriage took place.
Permanent Residency for Family Members
Naturalized in the United States but born and raised in Pakistan, this client left most of his family in his home country. When his parents came to visit, the client called Madison Immigration Law for a free consultation regarding the process of obtaining green cards for immediate family members. After he retained our firm, Madison Immigration Law prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application for his parents. The process was smooth, as the receipt notices, fingerprint appointment, and work permits all came on time. The adjustment of status applications was approved, and his parents are now green card holders. Madison Immigration Law is currently working on applications for other family members.
NAFTA/TN Visa
When you own a dairy farm, the right veterinarian is key to the success of your business. A rural Wisconsin dairy farm contacted Madison Immigration Law when they found the right veterinarian to hire, one who did not have the proper visa. Our firm quickly helped the veterinarian, a Mexican citizen, obtain a NAFTA (or TN) visa to allow him to work in the United States. The farm now has a capable veterinarian overseeing the care of the dairy cows’ reproduction, milk production, and dairy health maintenance.
J-1 Visa Waiver of the 212(e) Home Country Residency Requirement Based on Hardship
An Indian citizen came to Illinois on a J-1 visa as a legal scholar. She traveled here with her husband, who is a permanent resident of the United States. While here, her husband suffered a severe medical condition. As the J-1 visa is subject to the 212(e) two-year home residency requirement, our client faced the real possibility of not being able to stay in the U.S. to care for her ailing husband. Madison Immigration Law represented the wife. She now has a waiver to stay in the U.S. and can focus her attention on her husband’s health.
J-1 Visa Waiver of the 212(e) Two-Year Home Country Residency Requirement Based on Persecution
A physician from Syria came to the United States on a J-1 visa for graduate medical school training and residency. Even though she has two children who were born in the U.S. as citizens, her visa had a 212(e) two-year home country residency requirement. As she prepared to return to Syria, internal conflict broke out in the country. The act of providing medical assistance or supplies to the injured was deemed a crime. Many physicians were arrested, persecuted, tortured or killed.
Madison Immigration Law argued that this client would have extreme hardship by returning to Syria as a physician and leaving her children in the U.S. without a mother. Our firm helped this physician obtain a waiver to the 212(e) two-year home country residency requirement. She continues to practice in the U.S. and no longer has to return to Syria.
O-1 Nonimmigrant Work Visa Under Alien of Extraordinary Ability
A major healthcare system had the right person for a key role in their organization—except that he was Nigerian on an F-1 visa facing the end of his Optional Practice Training (OPT) period. This meant he would have to go back to his home country, and the organization would be without their Medical Laboratory Manager. Upon hiring Madison Immigration Law, the organization was concerned about the timeframe.
Madison Immigration Law quickly determined that the Nigerian national met the criteria for a person of extraordinary ability in the arts, sciences, education or athletics under a nonimmigrant O-1 visa status. Based on his special situation, our firm promptly put together a petition package, which was approved. The manager even had enough time to make arrangements for relocation and prepare for his new job and life in the United States.
National Interest Waiver Visa
A research scholar, who was also a foreign national, was performing highly specialized work in the field of veterinary medicine. His research and its findings have tremendous impact on the treatment of various key diseases for human beings. So much so that the United States Custom and Immigration Services (USCIS) acknowledged that a need for veterinarians in biomedical research is critical for the nation as a whole.
Madison Immigration Law filed a National Interest Waiver (NIW) petition on behalf of the scholar. While he has been involved with academic research for only a few years, the scholar already had established an impressive track record of success. The USCIS approved his case.
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
Born in Mexico and brought undocumented to the United States at the age of 13, our client was an above-average student. She graduated high school as an honor student but still faced deportation to Mexico. Madison Immigration Law obtained a deferred action for childhood arrival (DACA), and she was able to stay stateside with her parents.
Asylum Based on Fear of Female Genital Mutilation<
Madison Immigration Law helped a Nigerian-born woman stay in the United States. Returning to her home country brought the possibility of female genital mutilation (FGM) for her and her children. Our immigration lawyers counseled her throughout the application process for asylum and obtained a successful result.
Asylum Based on Fear of Torture for Being Homosexual
The current government in Gambia has a policy of torture and imprisonment for any individuals who they suspect may be homosexual. Madison Immigration Law represented a Gambian-born woman who feared imprisonment for being gay. Our immigration lawyers gained asylum for this client and counseled and represented her throughout the application process.
Citizenship and Naturalization
Madison Immigration Law specializes in thoroughly preparing clients for interviews with the United States Custom and Immigration Services (USCIS). A client from the Philippines received his green card in only three months, as our immigration lawyers prepared his application and appropriate documentation and worked with him on honest, concise responses.
Another client from India also received his green card from employment even though he had failed to register with Selective Service. Madison Immigration Law prepared his application and supporting documentation including briefs regarding this failure. We then quickly yet meticulously prepared him for the interview. He was approved for citizenship without any further hearing.