Guidance through the immigration process
Seifert Law Blog
O-Visa and P-Visa Services
Do you have extraordinary ability in the arts? We are starting to offer Visa services for creative professionals! These O-1 and P-1 visas are mainly for artists & musicians or anyone in any creative field. We offer these services to those who fit those specifications or for those who want to hire foreign guest services. Whether you're a painter, musician, and more—-arts is defined as "any field of creative activity or endeavor such as, but not limited to, fine arts, visual arts, culinary arts, and performing arts."
Our lawyers work to evaluate how an artist's personal backgrounds and skills fulfill the specific qualifications required for either of these visas.
We are now offering this service because of my own personal passions! I am a musician myself, and I have friends and contacts from other countries who have been through many challenges in this area, and I want to help them if we can.
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Katey & Alonso - A Client's Story
Each client at Seifert Law has their own unique immigration experience and case. Today we’re featuring the story of Alonso and Katie—a couple living here in Washington state.
Can you give me more information about your case?
We started the process in the US last year in February. The first part of the process was done here and the other in Chile.
What was your biggest challenge before working with Seifert Law?
Alonso: There wasn't a huge challenge, and from the beginning, Lisa told me I fulfilled all the requirements, and I am a law graduate and understand the process. The most challenging part was knowing how long it could take because COVID slowed everything down.
Katey: We didn't run into a lot of obstacles because Lisa and Rebecca made everything so easy for us. I remember when I did my Visa process in Chile without any legal help, and it was challenging. So with Alonso, I knew we needed extra assistance because it can be daunting, and it was great to have Seifert Law as a resource.
Interview with Warren
How did you first hear about Seifert Law Offices?
I needed an attorney and searched for who was the best person for me on the internet.
It was 2013, and I was immigrating from England. I had a fiancé visa—and things got more complicated after my divorce. I did the paperwork to get here on my own, and I figured I could do the paperwork to stay for a couple of years. That's when I got help.
I spoke to my family, and my dad was the one who told me to see someone, and he pointed me towards Lisa. And I did my research, and I agreed she was a great option.
What was your experience working with Lisa like?
It was a great experience. I got myself into a bit of a mess with the process and thought I could do it myself—it turns out I couldn't. I met with Lisa, and she knew what she was doing. I decided to work with her, and she dealt with it from that point forward.
How influential was Lisa in your immigration case?
Very—she basically sorted the whole thing out for me, and I didn't have to do too much after she took over.
I was about three years in, and I went to the immigration court for the 4th time. The first three times, I had a nice judge, and she was positive and helpful—then the judge changed, and she was mean—she was like Judge Judy on a bad day. That was the point where I realized I couldn't do this on my own because I needed to get help.
I went to my appointments, and Lisa copied me on all the forms that went back and forth between her and immigration. I couldn't have done it without her.
Seifert Law interview with Client's Yuanyuan & Jerry
How did you first hear about Seifert Law Offices?
Jerry: When we decided to have my wife, who is a Canadian citizen, come to the United States in 2018. I looked on Google and looked up the best immigration lawyer in Washington, and Lisa came up. Although I didn't initially call her, I had a family attorney who also recommended Lisa. That's how I came to Seifert Law.
What was your experience working with Lisa like?
Jerry: I met with her alone the first time. I found her to be knowledgeable, courteous, and polite. She was informative and made me feel comfortable right off the bat.
I've been a salesman for over 40 years, so I get a good idea of what people are like in a quick period of time—I felt very comfortable with her.
When my wife came down, she also felt the same. It was a good relationship right from the beginning. We trusted her right away. We found the immigration process to be complicated, and we didn't want to goof it up. We basically decided that Lisa was the best person to work with us—and she was.
It was a great experience, and I continue to feel she is the best immigration attorney in the state. We've gone beyond our client & attorney relationship and now consider her a personal friend. We certainly trust her with things regarding my wife's immigration status.
The process can be time and energy-consuming. It can go wrong, so it's important to find the right person who is professional, attentive, and detailed oriented.
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New Administration,
New Immigration Laws
By Lisa Seifert
I’m here to talk about new immigration law and policy. We have a new administration and I’m excited about that. Everything feels relaxed, positive -- people are hopeful.
But how are you going to know if a law will affect you?
In the past, the previous president would announce things by tweet -- that’s no longer happening, fortunately. We are now back to normal government operations where an agency might report a new memo. Or, Congress might work on a new law or regulation.
An example of that now would be them working on the Dream and Promise Act, which has to do with Dreamers, those who came to this country at a young age and finished their education here. Related to that is the Farmworkers Bill.
These are very exciting potential developments, but they’re not a law. You will know they are a law if the president signs the bill and the news specifically is talking about him signing a bill.
In the meantime, watch on our social media for more announcements and developments. To schedule a personal consultation, email us at info@seifertlaw.com!
May 3 2021
Citizenship: Test Up!
By Lisa Seifert
In December of 2020, the previous Trump administration decided to make the civics test more challenging. If you filed your application after that 2020 date, you probably studied for that new 2020 test. Luckily the Biden administration canceled that. While you could take the new test as an option, you aren't required to.
The actual test, which has been developed since 2008, is on the USCIS website. It is 100 questions and answers -- they're all there, including practice tests.
We are sure you will do great and good luck with your tests!
Stay tuned on our social media for more updates. If you are looking for more information about your specific situation, set up a consultation with us! Email info@seifertlaw.com to get started.
March 2, 2021
We are so looking forward to improvements for our clients in immigration.
Another thing on my wish list is:
That Congress can remove the 3 and 10 year bars to admission for immigrants who want to apply for status, are qualified to receive status, but are in a terrible catch-22, that if they leave the country to formally apply for status, they are barred from returning for 3 or 10 years. Related to this is the “permanent bar” of INA Section 212(a)(9)C. These bars have served to lock so many immigrants inside the United States, with no hope of fixing their status. This was not the intention of Congress in 1996. To help solve the undocumented immigration situation, GET RID OF THE BARS, which would allow hundreds of thousands of people to get legal. Over the years we have had dozens and dozens of clients be defeated by this policy. They are still here, by the way. Waiting for a way forward. To fix illegal immigration, make it possible to get legal!
March 1, 2021
We are so looking forward to improvements for our clients in immigration. One thing on my wish list is:
That the online experience at www.uscis.gov would WORK for clients to communicate with immigration. Wouldn’t it be great if a person could track their status all the way from receipt to approval to receipt of the document? Immigration has come a long way in the past years, but lately there are too many dead ends. Related to this, we would love it if the electronic system permitted legal assistants and paralegals to communicate file information and receive information from immigration officers. The current system places a completely unnecessary roadblock in the inquiry process. Everyone understands it’s a giant waste of time to call, to wait on hold for over 100 minutes, or to wait several days for a call back from an officer who has the power to … take a message. DO BETTER, CIS!! You have the tools and hopefully can have the smart, motivated people.
A Vision for America as a Welcoming Nation
DACA UPDATE -- A Federal Court has ordered that Immigration Accept DACA applications again. (December 2020)
What is DACA? Lets review!
The DACA program was established under the Obama administration in 2012 to provide work permits and temporary legal status to qualified young people who came to the country as kids but never had legal permission to be in the U.S. Under the program, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would not deport certain undocumented youths. DACA applicants are granted a type of temporary permission to stay in the U.S. called “deferred action.” The Obama administration called this program Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA.
The Trump administration attempted to terminate DACA in September 2017, which effectively cut off any new applicants to the program and kicked off a years long legal battle between DACA supporters and opponents.
In June 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that blocked the administration’s attempts to end the program. Days later, the Department of Homeland Security issued an illegal memorandum outlining new rollbacks of the program, including a continued prohibition on new applications and the reduction of renewal permitting from two years to one. Finally on December 4th, a federal court in New York insisted that the government fully restore the program as it was when announced in 2012.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/daca-restored-dreamers/2020/12/04/37254908-367a-11eb-8d38-6aea1adb3839_story.html
DACA applications are now being accepted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
This is Great news!!! Contact us for more information about eligibility and how to apply.