Suzanne B. Seltzer, Esq. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP New York Philadelphia 317 Madison Avenue, Suite John F. Kennedy Blvd., Floor 17 New York, NY Philadelphia, PA Pathways to Permanent Residency

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Suzanne B. Seltzer, Esq. Suzanne B. Seltzer is a partner of Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer LLP. Ms. Seltzer is the Chair of the American Immigration Lawyer's Association (AILA) Service Center Operations Committee, having recently completed her tenure as the USCIS Benefits & Policy Liaison. Ms. Seltzer speaks and writes extensively on visa options for scientists and researchers. She is listed in Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA, New York SuperLawyers, and the International Who's Who of Corporate Immigration Lawyers. A magna cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Ms. Seltzer received her law degree from Georgetown University’s Law Center (cum laude).

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Pathways What is Permanent Residency Permanent Residency Quotas Employment Based Permanent Residency  Self Petitions  Employer Sponsored Adjustment of Status and Maintenance of status For more information, visit

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP What is Permanent Residency? Authorization to Live & Work Indefinitely in the United States “Immigrant Visa” The “Green Card” or “Form I-551” Not always ‘forever’ – may be abandoned or taken away For more information, visit

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Immigrant vs. Nonimmigrant Visas Immigrant Visa  Green Card/Permanent Residency Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV)  H, F, J, O, etc  Limited duration  Specific to employer/institution  Specific to purpose (work/study/tourism) For more information, visit

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP How Do I Apply? Family Investment Asylum Employment DV Lottery For more information, visit

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Residency Quotas Annual Limit on Immigrant Visas (Permanent Residency) Per Country Limit – 7% Allocated by Dept of State (DOS) based on:  Priority Date – place in line  Preference Category For more information, visit

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Residency Quotas Employment Based (EB-1) Preferences  First Preference (EB-1) Extraordinary Ability Outstanding Researcher or Professor Multinational Executive For more information, visit

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Residency Quotas  Second Preference (EB-2) Advanced Degree Professionals  Position must require advanced degree  Equivalent is Bachelors plus 5 years experience Aliens of Exceptional Ability  Much lower standard than EB-1 National Interest Waivers For more information, visit

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Residency Quotas, Where Are We Now? Visa Bulletin for November 2012 Employment Based All Charge- ability Areas Except Those Listed CHINA- mainland born INDIAMEXICOPHILIPPINES 1 st CCCCC 2 nd C01NOV07 CC 3 rd 22DEC0522AUG0422JUL0222DEC05 Other Workers* 15NOV0522APR0315JUN0215NOV05 4 th CCCCC Certain Religious Workers CCCCC 5 th Targeted Employment Areas/Regional Centers and Pilot Programs CCCCC

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Residency Quotas, Where Are We Now? “Oversubscribed” versus “Available”  Oversubscribed if: Cut-off date indicated in chart Priority date must be earlier than posted date  Available if: Visa Bulletin indicates “C” = current For more information, visit

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Residency Quotas Predictions from DOS for FY2013  EB-1 usage is extremely high, so numbers are not dropping down into EB-2  EB-2 India remain in 2006 for a period  EB-2 worldwide may ‘retrogress’ towards the end of FY2013  EB-3 will continue to move forward slowly For more information, visit

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Employment Based (EB) Permanent Residency Employer-sponsored or self-sponsored Multiple petitions Multi-Step Process  PERM – filed with Department of Labor  I-140 – Petition for Immigrant Worker (eligibility)  I-485 – Register for Permanent Residence (requires visa number) For more information, visit

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Employment Based (EB) Permanent Residency: EB-1 Extraordinary Ability/EB-1 (I-140, filing fee $580)  “One of a Few at the Top”  ‘Self-Petition’ – no need for employer sponsor  Factors Considered in Initial Evaluation 1 st authored articles/impact factors Citations to 1 st authored work Conference Presentations Peer Review/Manuscript Review Work For more information, visit

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Employment Based: EB-1  Factors Considered (cont’d) References from Independent Experts  Demonstrates your reputation  Translates your work to lay adjudicator Important to document claims, must meet at least 3 out of the 10 regulatory criteria  Preparation/Processing Times For more information, visit

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Employment Based: EB-1 Outstanding Researcher/EB-1 (I-140, filing fee $580)  Similar to Extraordinary Ability  Must Meet 2 out of 6 regulatory criteria  “Internationally Recognized” as Outstanding  At least 3 Years post-grad experience Time spent towards advance degree can count only if graduate work is recognized as outstanding (cont’d) For more information, visit

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Employment Based: EB-1  Requires employer sponsor  Requires permanent job offer  Must meet 2 out of 6 regulatory criteria  Qualified Employers: Academic Institutions Industry  At least 3 FT researchers  Recognition in field For more information, visit (cont’d)

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP EB-1 Guidance (Kazarian) Issued December 2010 Establishes Two-Part Analysis of EB-1  Does Petition Contain Evidence of Requisite Number of Criteria?  ‘Final Merits Analysis’ – does evidence demonstrate that beneficiary is one of a very few at the top of the field (EA)? Or internationally recognized as outstanding (OR)? For more information, visit

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP New EB-1 Guidance Implications of Two Part Analysis  ‘Final merits analysis’ is an opportunity to second guess the criteria – more subjective adjudication  USCIS provides no clear guidelines for applying final merits analysis  Confusion among adjudicators as to the correct standards to apply For more information, visit (cont’d)

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Employment Based: EB-2 National Interest Waiver/EB-2 (I-140, $580)  Self-Petition, no employer sponsor required  Three Prong Test Field is of Substantial Intrinsic Merit National Impact of Your Contributions You Are “Substantially Better” Than Your Peers For more information, visit

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Employment Based: EB-2 NIW cont’d:  Past Record of Achievement Must Justify Your Prospective Benefit to U.S.  Preparation/Processing Times  India/China backlog For more information, visit (cont’d)

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Employment Based: Employer Sponsored Labor Certification Application (PERM)  Employer MUST Pay Costs  Recruitment  Prevailing wage  First of 3 steps 2 nd Step – I rd Step – I-485 or IV Consular Process  No filing fee for this step (cont’d) For more information, visit

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Resident Status Adjustment of Status (I-485) Timing  Preference categories/quotas  Priority dates  Processing times Concurrent filing (I-140/I-485) I-485 filing fee $1,070, includes:  Employment authorization (I-765)  Advance parole (I-131) For more information, visit

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Resident Status Adjustment of Status (I-485) Adjustment portability H-1B Extensions  One Year  Three years Spouses (cont’d) For more information, visit

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Issues Relating to NIV Status During Permanent Residency Process Important to Maintain NIV status Travel Extensions of Status Dependents For more information, visit

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Materials Please visit to download this PowerPoint presentation and relevant articles. For more information, visit

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP For more information, visit Questions?

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP For Further Information Suzanne B. Seltzer, Esq. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Telephone: (New York) (Philadelphia) Websites: Blog:

Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP COPYRIGHT NOTICE The materials contained in this PowerPoint does not constitute direct legal advice and is for informational purposes only. An attorney-client relationship is not presumed or intended by receipt or review of this presentation. The information provided should never replace informed counsel when specific immigration- related guidance is needed. Copyright © 2012 Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP. All rights reserved.