Immigration Journal – Showing the Steps from Student Visa Holder to Green Card
From Brazil with Love

(F-1) Student Visa Status

My name is Juliana, I work as a paralegal at The Law Offices of Daniel M. Silvershein, and I am originally from Brazil. I moved to New York in the beginning of 2013 under a student visa (F-1) to study Paralegal Studies, and as part of my course program, I had to find an internship to have a practical experience as a legal professional. So, in June/2014 I had the great opportunity to join Mr. Silvershein’s team.

(OPT ) Optional Practical Training Status

For the first 2 months, I legally worked as an intern while holding the F-1 visa. With the approach of my graduation, in August/2014, I applied to the United Stated Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for an employment authorization through the benefit of Optional Practical Training (OPT). The International Students Office at my College explained to me that I met all the requirements to apply for an OPT, which were:

1. being a full-time student in good standing,
2. having a job directly related to my major area of study
3. having a F-1 visa

With my OPT employment authorization in hand, I was promoted from legal intern to paralegal. In other words, I have the permission to work for a year without suffering any legal implications regarding my immigration status.

Meanwhile, my fiancé and I decided to get engaged. We got married after a few months. A new stage of my life had just begun, and my immigration status had to change as well. Researching on how to apply for a Permanent Resident Status, I discovered a world of forms and legal documents that I would need to fill out and/or translate to file with the USCIS in order to obtain a Green Card. Some of the forms were:

1. Form I-485 – Application to register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
2. Form I-130 – Petition for Alien Relative
3. Form G-325 – Biographic Information
4. Form I-765 – Application for Employment Authorization
5. Form I-693 – Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record

After getting familiarized with Immigration procedures and with the supervision of Ms. Silvershein, my experience in the Immigration field can be valuable to those passing through similar events. If that is your case, do not hesitate to contact us and schedule a consultation to discuss your status.