Client: A Church in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Client’s Country of Origin: Taiwan
Case Type: I-129 Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker (R Category – Religious Worker)
Date of Application: September 23, 2003
Date of Approval: September 24, 2003
Background:
Our client, a church in Ann Arbor, Michigan, wished to retain a young religious worker from Taiwan for its campus ministry. Herman Legal Group was retained to secure a nonimmigrant status for this religious worker on behalf of our client. To achieve this end, we filed an I-129 Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker.
Challenge:
Fast approval time may inspire some envious sentiment, but worry not, this is no longer so for applicants. After a string of fraudulent activities in the early 2000s, applications for this category receive careful reviews. That is, reviewing officers read statements and examine the evidence with greater scrutiny than before. Should you consider retaining a capable religious worker, the Detroit immigration lawyers at Herman Legal Group are ready to be at your service.
Action:
We helped our client collect sufficient evidence and prove that the full-time 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.
- She demonstrated that she would suffer extreme hardship involving unusual and severe harm if she were removed from the United States.
- The full-time worker was invited to the U.S. solely for fulfilling religious occupation.
Therefore, our client’s beneficiary, the religious worker, should be granted a nonimmigrant religious worker status.
Result:
In one day, our client’s choice religious worker received approval.
