Client: A Bilingual Church in Detroit, Michigan
Client’s Country of Origin: China
Case Type: R-1 Nonimmigrant Religious Worker
Date of Application: January 23, 2014
Date of Approval: December 19, 2014
Background:
Our client, a small bilingual church, found an agreeable minister. It thus retained us to secure his status for short-term leadership development and service in the Detroit area.
Challenge:
These types of cases used to be easier, however, due to fraud in the first decade of this century, approval now takes longer to arrive. Reviewing officers read applications with greater scrutiny; therefore, applicants need to retain an experienced immigration lawyer.
Professional assistance can help gather and present evidence persuasively. Above all, a lawyers’ obligation to act professionally and ethically adds to the credibility of the case. Herman Legal Group has experienced Detroit and Dearborn immigration lawyers ready to be at your service.
Action:
We helped our client collect sufficient evidence and prove that the full-time religious worker:
- Had two years of membership in the denomination.
- Was hired by a registered church or bona fide religious organization.
- The church had the ability to adequately compensate the full-time worker.
- The full-time religious worker was invited to the U.S. solely for fulfilling religious occupation.
Result:
About 11 months later, our client’s minister could legally serve.
