CASE: I-130/I-485
NATIONALITY: Filipina
LOCATION: Pittsburg, CA
Our client is a citizen of the Philippines who came to the U.S. on a J-2 Visa in July 2018. She came with her mother who entered on a J-1 Visa for her employment in the United States. Both were subject to the two-year foreign residency requirement, meaning they had to go back to their home country for two-years before they can apply for permanent residency or some non-immigrant visa such as the H, L, and O visas.
She turned 21 in July 2019. She wanted to file her I-485 adjustment of status application with her U.S. citizen spouse’s I-130 petition. However, because of her two-year foreign residency requirement, our client cannot adjust her status in the United States without fulfilling the 2-year requirement or the waiver.
Although J-2 dependents cannot independently apply for a waiver, in cases where a J-2 child reaches 21, the Waiver Review Division may consider requests for waivers on behalf of the J-2 dependent. The Department of State’s policy allows for that process in instances where the J-2 dependent obtains a divorce form the J-1 principal, the J-1 principal dies, or in cases where the J-2 dependent turns 21, which is our client’s case. In fact, our client turned 21 in July 2019.
Our firm was retained to do her J-2 waiver and on January 14, 2020, the J-2 Waiver application (Form DS-3035 and supporting documents) was filed to the Department of State. We also sent a request to the DOS to be an interested government agency and recommend this waiver based on the fact that our client reached the age of 21 and was not a dependent of a J-1 visa holder anymore. Eventually, on June 1, 2020, the DOS recommended to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) that our client be granted a waiver. On July 15, 2020, the USCIS issued an I-612 approval notice for our client’s waiver request.
Once her J-2 waiver was approved, our client retained our office again for her adjustment of status application. Our firm prepared and filed the I-130 Petition and I-485 Adjustment of Status Application on July 24, 2020. Everything went smoothly and the receipt notices, fingerprint appointment, and work permits all came on time. Prior to the interview, we thoroughly prepared our clients through conference calls. On November 8, 2021, our client was interviewed at the San Francisco, CA USCIS office. The interview went well, and eventually, on the same day of the interview, her green card application was approved.