Vienna, VA Immigration Attorney

More than 5,000 clients. That’s what over three decades worth of law experience in Vienna, VA looks like, and the reason why Vienna residents consistently turn to Johnson & Masumi for all of their immigration law needs. Whether you need assistance filing a visa or a waiver, or working through another complex immigration law procedure, our experienced attorneys are here to assist you in any way possible. Learn more about immigration law services and find out all the ways in which we may assist you.

Since our founding over 30 years ago, our attorneys have consistently ranked among the most distinguished of immigration lawyers in the Vienna, VA region. Notably, the firm’s founder, Mr. Randall Johnson, a graduate of the Mortiz School of Law at Ohio State University, served for 13 years Ohio State bar, and over three decades in Virginia and Washington, D.C. Our other founding partner, Ms. Mariam Masumi Daud earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Baltimore School of Law, with a concentration in International Law and specializes in immigration law.

Johnson & Masumi was founded on the basic principle that expertise and integrity go hand in hand. Proud to continue our tradition of excellence, we employ the best immigration attorneys available and always seek amicable resolutions and timely achievement of our clients’ objectives. We have extensive litigation experience in the state and federal courts of Vienna, VA and are proud to offer those services to you.

Vienna, VA Immigration Visas

Johnson & Masumi is well recognized for is efficient immigration visa processing services for our Vienna, VA clients. With 30+ years of professional experience, we understand how complicated and confusing visa filing can be. Fortunately, our expert attorneys have decades of experience securing visas for a variety of clients, and will work with you to make the process appear as simple as possible. We assist with the following types of visas:

Employment-Based Visas (A Visas, EB 1-5, H-1B)
Fiancé/Family Visas (K-1, K-2, K-3)
Student Visas (F-1, J-1, M-1)
Visitor Visas (B-1, B-2)

Vienna Corner, VA Employment Visas

Our Johnson & Masumi attorneys have extensive experience filing and securing a variety of employment visas for our Vienna clients. These employment visas include the following:

A-Visas

Otherwise known as “diplomatic visas,” A visas are among the most coveted and beneficial visa to obtain for traveling for non-immigration reasons to the U.S. As such, special requirements must be met. For example, all applicants must apply before they leave their origin country and must provide a valid purpose for travel which is related to government work. Being a non-immigrant visa, A-Visa holders are not allowed to accept employment in the United States, however there is no maximum length of stay.

EB-1 Visa

Do you have extraordinary ability in science, art, education, business, or athletics? Or, have risen to the very top of their field and have sustained world-renown claim? The EB-1 visa is awarded to a small percentage of foreign nationals who have risen to the top of their profession and who are looking for full-time work in the United States.

To qualify, the applicant must show extensive documentation to demonstrate their proficiency, such as authorship of scholarly articles; evidence supporting internationally recognized prizes or awards; or proof of the alien’s original contributions of major significance to the field.

EB-2 Visa

Employment-based, “second preference” EB-2 visas are given to foreign immigrants who have exceptional ability (or who hold an advanced level degree) in a particular field. You may be eligible for an EB-2 Visa if you currently have an advanced post-graduate degree or a bachelor’s degree with at least 5 years of employment experience. Requirements also mandate that you submit evidence that a US-based organization who is interested in employing someone with your unique qualifications and/or experience.

EB-3 Visa

The EB-3 visa is an immigrant visa designed to allow foreign national workers work permanently in the United States in situations where there are not sufficient U.S. workers who are able, willing, qualified, or available for roles in the job-category. This thus grants foreign nationals with expertise in a specific and employable skill to live and work in the United States, under the precondition that they find a employer to sponsor them.

EB-4 Visa

Created by Congress for “special cases,” and with only 10,000 available annually, the EB-4 visa is a somewhat confusing visa category. Simply put, EB-4 visas are given to “special immigrants” who are either members of clergy for non-profit religious organizations, Afghan nations who worked with the US in Afghanistan, retired officers from international organizations, juvenile foreign nationals who are dependent on the U.S., NATO civilian employees, and select broadcasts, translators and physicians. Each of these categories comes with a separate set of requirements as to how the applicant must prove eligibility and ultimately apply.

EB-5 Visa

The EB-5 visa is a “fifth preference” visa designed to encourage foreign investments and economic growth, while offering interested and wealthy foreign nationals and their families the opportunity to permanently reside in the United States. The investment (EB-5) immigration program provides two ways for wealthy people to get green cards for themselves, their spouses, and their children. These two ways are called the Individual Direct Investment and the Regional Center Investment.

The Individual Direct Investment requires investing at least $1,000,000 to finance a business in the United States that will employ at least 10 American workers. The Regional Center Investment requires an investment in a targeted employment area (TEA) with a minimum of $500,000. The attorney’s at Johnson & Masumi can help you decide if the business (direct investment) or project (region center investment) you want to invest in meets those standards.

H-1B Visa

The H-1B visa is a temporary (nonimmigrant) visa category that allows employers to petition for highly educated foreign professionals to work in “specialty occupations” that require at least a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent. Jobs in fields such as mathematics, engineering, and technology often qualify. Furthermore, the applicants future employer must file a petition with USCIS to ensure that hiring the foreign worker will not harm U.S. workers. Note: Over the past several years, the USCIS has placed an annual cap on how many H-1B visas are approved. The experienced immigration attorneys at Johnson & Masumi can ensure you are one of the applicants who get it.

Vienna, VA Fiancé Visas

Are you a U.S. citizen interested in marrying a foreign national? K visas are a legal way for American citizens to bring their loved one over to the United States, get married, and allow them time to obtain a green card. Whether for our military heroes or government employees stationed abroad, foreign exchange students, or other travelers, Johnson & Masumi offers assistance with all types of K visas. Learn more about these types of visas and how they can allow U.S. citizens, their foreign lovers and their children to stay in the U.S. together forever.

K-1 Visa

A K-1 visa is a visa issued to the fiancé or fiancée of a United States citizen to enter the United States. A K-1 visa requires a foreigner to marry his or her U.S. citizen petitioner within 90 days of entry, or depart the United States. Once the couple marries, the foreign citizen can adjust status to become a lawful permanent resident of the United States (Green Card holder).

Eligibility requirements include providing proof that the couple has known each other for a minimum of two years and that one of the members of the couple is a U.S. citizen. The couple must also prove that they are legally able to marry, and that they intend to marry within the 90-day period.

K-2 Visa

K-2 visas permit children of a K-1 fiancé visa holder to enter into the United States until an immigrant visa is available to them. In order to be eligible for a K-2 visa, the applicant must be under the age of 21 and be an unmarried child of the K-1 applicant. The child’s parents fiancé(e) may then petition for a K-2 visa using an I-129F form. Once their parent and stepparent are married, the children of the fiancé(e) is required to obtain a separate application to Register Permanent Residence (via Form I-485) or an Adjustment of Status.

K-3 and K-4 Visa

The K-3 visa is for the foreign-citizen spouse of a United States (U.S.) citizen. This visa category is designed to shorten the physical separation between the foreign-citizen and their U.S. citizen spouse by allowing them to obtain a nonimmigrant K-3 visa overseas and enter the United States to await approval of the immigrant visa petition. K-3 visa recipients can subsequently apply to adjust their status to a permanent resident through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) upon approval of the petition.

Vienna Corner, VA Student Visas

F-1 Visa

An F-1 visa is a nonimmigrant visa for those wishing to study in the U.S. You must file an F1 visa application if you plan on entering the US to attend a university or college, high school, private elementary school, seminary, conservatory, language training program, or other academic institution. F-1 visa recipients must take a full course load of credits to maintain a status of being enrolled as a full-time student among other requirements.

J-1 Visa

A J-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa authorized by the United States for research scholars, professors and exchange visitors participating in cultural exchange programs in the United States. The primary exchange program is known as the exchange visitor program, which allows select foreign nations the opportunity to get an education in the United States while pursuing medical, architectural, research, or business training. All applicants must meet eligibility criteria including English language requirements, and be sponsored either by a university, private sector or government program.

M-1 Visa

Are you a foreign national considering vocational school or technical school in the United States? The M-1 visa allows students who wish to pursue vocational programs in the U.S. with the ability to stay in United States while they complete their education. In order to obtain an M-1 visa for traveling to the United States, a student must present a signed Form I-20 at a United States embassy or consulate in the student’s home country, as well as provide evidence that they have sufficient funds to support themselves while in the United States.

Vienna, VA Visitor Visas

A B visa is a category of non-immigrant visas issued by the United States government for foreign citizens seeking entry into the U.S. for a temporary period. The two types of B visas are the B-1 visa, issued to those seeking entry for business purposes, and the B-2 visa, issued to those seeking entry for tourism or other non-business purposes. Our Vienna, VA attorneys can help you secure a B visa for your tourism needs.

B-1 Visa

You may be eligible for a B-1 visa if you will be participating in business activities of a commercial or professional nature in the United States. These activities include consulting work, traveling for conferences, settling an estate, negotiating a contract, participating in a training, or deadheading (for air crewmen). B-1 visas are often issued alongside B-2 visas for legitimate business travelers who want to extend their stay for leisure or vacation.

B-2 Visa

If you are traveling to the United States for pure pleasure, such as vacationing, visiting family, participating in amateur sports or musical events, receiving medical treatment, or taking non-academic courses of less than 18 hours a week, then a B-2 visa is the right choice. Keep in mind: the expectation is that you are temporary visiting the United States for pure pleasure or to attend an event. Thus, B-2 Tourist Visas require you to return home after your approved stay period. Moreover, because you can not take a job in the U.S., you must provide evidence that you have the adequate funds to cover all potential expenses before you leave for the United States.

Vienna, VA Waivers

Staying in the U.S. unlawfully is a serious offense than unfortunately cause some immigrants to obtain the status of “inadmissibility,” whereby they are not allowed to enter the United States after being deported. An Immigration waiver, is a “pardon” for a specific immigration violation, allowing select immigrants to avoid these “in-admissibility bars” that are often the result of immigration violations. Our Vienna, VA attorneys have can help you file and apply for the two primary types of waivers of inadmissibility: the I-601 and the I-601a Waiver.

I-601 Hardship Waiver

Despite being otherwise eligible for a U.S. visa or lawful permanent residence (a green card), the U.S. government can refuse entry to anyone who falls within the list of grounds of inadmissibility found in Section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (I.N.A.). This is to protect United States citizens from individuals who pose a potential risk. Unfortunately, this can often cause US citizens and permanent residents to be separated from their loved one.

Using an I-601 hardship waiver, certain foreign citizens who are currently ineligible to immigrate to the United States because they are “inadmissible” can request a waiver (forgiveness) of inadmissibility before leaving the United States. I-601 waivers are notoriously difficult and based on the immigrant providing significant evidence proving that their U.S. family would experience “extreme hardship” if they were deported. Because cases are approved base on a “case-by-case analysis” it is recommended you consult with a immigration attorney regarding I-601 waivers.

I-601A Provisional Waiver

The I-601A provisional waiver is an immigration form that allows certain relatives of permanent residents of the United States, who are currently classified as “inadmissible” to the country, to request an exemption of the multi-year bars for unlawful presence in the United States, before they leave the US. Otherwise known as the “stateside waiver application” the I-601A waiver allows deportees to remain in the United States until their waivers are finalized. Once their waivers are approved by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), they will be eligible to attend their appointments for immigrant visas in their countries of origin, and then return to their families in the U.S. within a few days or weeks.

Contact Our Vienna, VA Immigration Attorneys

Applying for any one of the aforementioned visas or waivers can be a highly complex process. This requires a thorough understanding of elaborate eligibility requirements, documents required, filing guidelines, and other necessary steps. Carelessly omitting important documents or not acknowledging certain requirements could result in you failing to provide all the necessary materials or following important procedures. This could cause delays, or worse, the termination of your application. Fortunately, Johnson & Masumi have decades of experience in immigration law, having prepared hundreds of successful visas and waivers for our Vienna, VA clients.

Categories: Immigration

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