Immigration

Pittsburgh Immigration Lawyer Helping Foreign Nationals Come to the U.S.

At Hartzman Law Firm, LLC, we are wholly committed to helping individuals, families, and businesses with their immigration needs. Based in the Pittsburgh area, immigration attorney Daniel Hartzman provides efficient representation in a broad range of matters—everything from obtaining an investor visa to applying for asylum. He takes pride in making sure that each client’s needs are met and that they are satisfied with the service that our diligent staff provides. Hartzman Law Firm represents people nationwide and even outside the U.S. who need a visa lawyer, representation in a removal proceeding, guidance in seeking to become a U.S. citizen, or assistance in a diverse range of other immigration matters.

Nonimmigrant Visas

There are many types of nonimmigrant visas, including L-1, O-1, H-1B, E-1, TN, and R-1 visas. Each of these has different requirements. For example, to obtain an L-1 visa, a foreign national must be coming to the United States to work for a U.S. business which has a corporate relationship with a foreign entity (the office must be a subsidiary, affiliate, parent or branch of the foreign entity), and the foreign national must have been employed by the foreign entity as a manager, an executive, or a worker who has specialized knowledge.

Employment-Based Immigration Visas

American businesses often find that they need to hire foreign nationals who have specialized skill sets and expertise to stay ahead in a competitive global marketplace. As an employer trying to hire a foreign national, you have many options for employment-based immigration visas. We can help businesses in a broad range of industries navigate the application process. For example, doctors and other foreign nationals with advanced degrees may be eligible for a National Interest Waiver of the labor certification requirement, which facilitates the process of getting a green card.

Immigration Court and Asylum

Removal proceedings start when the U.S. Department of Homeland Security files a Notice to Appear with the Immigration Court. Once this is filed, it will also be served on the foreign national, and they will be told why they are considered removable from the U.S. and advised of information about the hearing. It is critical to retain an attorney to represent you at the hearing. You usually only get one chance to show why you should not be removed. Sometimes, for instance, it may be possible to make an argument that you are a refugee who should get asylum. Other forms of relief from removal may include cancellation of removal, withholding of removal, adjustment of status, voluntary departure, or prosecutorial discretion.

Family-Based Immigration Visas

Many relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (green card holders) may be eligible to obtain immigrant visas and also become lawful permanent residents in this country. The two categories of relatives who may apply are immediate relatives and preference relatives. We can help you complete the paperwork and gather the appropriate documents for a family visa.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

Deferred action is the use of prosecutorial discretion to put off removal actions against certain foreign nationals for a specific period of time, even though they will not have lawful status during the deferment period. In 2012, it was announced that specific undocumented individuals who came to the U.S. before their 16th birthday, were under age 31 as of June 15, 2012, and met other requirements could ask for consideration of deferred action for a two-year period, which could be renewed. This group would also be eligible to work. Currently, unfortunately, this status is in question. Although DACA enrollees are not currently being targeted, there are some indications that they may not be as safe from deportation as they previously were. You should consult an immigration lawyer at our Pittsburgh firm if you are concerned about this status.

Naturalization

As a foreign national or citizen, you may obtain U.S. citizenship through the process of naturalization by fulfilling certain requirements set forth in the Immigration and Nationality Act. There are multiple paths to naturalization, but one of the most common is to be at least 18 years old and a lawful permanent resident for the past five years, without any special circumstances. You must know English, have good moral character, and have an attachment to the U.S. Constitution, among other requirements. J Waivers

Certain J-1 visa holders and J-2 dependents are required to meet a home residency requirement for two years. People who are subject to the two-year home residency requirement need to go back to their home country for at least two years at the end of their J-1 exchange or get a J waiver before they may alter their immigration status to specified visa classifications like an L visa or apply to become a lawful permanent resident. The waiver may be based on one of five grounds. These grounds include a request by an interested U.S. government agency or a claim that the visa holder’s absence from the country would cause exceptional hardship to a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.

I-601 Waivers

If you are inadmissible to the U.S. but want an immigrant visa, a certain nonimmigrant status, an adjustment of status, or other benefits, you need to file an I-601 form to pursue a waiver of certain grounds of inadmissibility. Whether you can get the waiver depends on the reason why you are technically inadmissible and the immigration benefit that you are hoping to get.

Consult an Experienced Immigration Attorney in Pittsburgh

At Hartzman Law Firm, we keep abreast of the nuances and changes in the constantly fluctuating area of immigration law. Pittsburgh immigration lawyer Daniel Hartzman represents people around the country, including in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, and the District of Columbia, as well as outside the U.S. For a free consultation, call us at (412) 495-9849 or contact us online. Phone, videoconferencing, and weekend consultations are also available. You should not hesitate to seek legal counsel if you need a deportation lawyer or guidance in obtaining any form of immigration status in the U.S.