Author Archive: Robert Virasin
Mr. Robert R. Virasin is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles with a Bachelor Degree in Political Science, Mr. Virasin completed his Juris Doctorate at the University of Houston and a Masters of Laws (Business) from Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok. Mr. Virasin is a member of the State Bar of Texas and is a licensed U.S. attorney with over 15 years of legal experience. Robert is a regular contributor and author of a number of immigration related articles.
US Immigration: Lawfully Admitted
The term “lawfully admitted” into the United States is an important term in U.S. immigration law. A person who has been lawfully admitted are accorded more benefits than individuals who entered the United States without inspection. Those who are lawfully admitted are provided benefits such as additional rights in removal proceedings, the right to adjust […]
Employment Authorization for H-4 Dependent Spouses
On May 26, 2015, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service announced that dependent spouses of H-1b immigrants (H-4 Status) will be eligible to obtain employment authorization. In order to qualify they need to be the principal beneficiaries of their H-1b nonimmigrants who has an approved Employment Based Immigrant Petition (I-140). The second option are for […]
L-1: One Year Employment Requirement
The L-1 non-immigrant visa is an often overlooked method for foreign companies to bring experienced managers and skilled employees to the United States to open a subsidiary entity. It is also a wonderful opportunity for employees to come to work in the United States and bring their families. However, there are restrictions on who would […]
Passport Changes: Elimination of Additional Page Inserts
In October 2014, the Department of State announced that they would no longer issue additional page inserts for U.S. passports starting in January 1, 2016. From now until that date, it is still possible to contact the local U.S. Consulate or Embassy to obtain an additional 24 blank visa pages attached to the existing passport. […]
Can I bring my personal servant to the United States?
An employer can bring their personal/domestic employees into the United States as long as the employer entered the U.S. as a non-immigrant visa holder or the employer is a United States Citizen who lives abroad but will be in the United States for a temporary period. The domestic employee can be a cooks, nannies, personal […]
Returning U.S. Permanent Residents
There are many situations where Lawful permanent resident aliens are unable to return to the United States within the travel validity of their Permanent Resident Card or their Reentry Permit. This may be the result of a natural catastrophe, medical condition, or bureaucratic issues. Lawful permanent residents may apply at a U.S. Embassy or a […]
U.S. Immigrant Cases: Death of the Petitioner
In this age of long processing times, there have been multiple instances where the petitioner has passed away prior to the completion of the case. It is a common occurrence among the hundred of thousand cases that the United States processes every year. For many years, the US Immigration office has ruled that the law […]
IMBRA – K-1 Protections and Limitations for Fiancés
In 2006, the President signed the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) into law. Within VAWA contained the International Marriage Broker Regulation Act (IMBRA) which sought to protect foreign nationals from U.S. citizen petitioners who have a criminal history or who have filed petitions for multiple fiancés in the past. IMBRA forces a petitioner for any […]
United States Employment Based Preference Immigration Categories
The United States’ Employment-based immigration is based on a quota and preference system. Annually, there are 140,000 available employment immigrant visa available per year. These immigrant visas are divided into five preference categories. These preference categories are Priority Workers (28.6%), Advance Degree Professionals and Exceptionally Ability Aliens (28.6%), Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers (28.6%), […]
K-2 Visa in Thailand: Minor Child Aging Out
Under the K-1 Fiancé Visa, the fiancé of a United States Citizen can enter the United States to marry the U.S. citizen within 90 days. K-2 visas can be issued to minor children of the K-1 visa holder within one year of the issuance of the K-1 visa. The minor children of the K-1 visa […]
