Services

Overview: Coming to the United States

Foreign nationals coming to the United States can be generally classified into 2 classes: Immigrants (or Legal Permanent Residents) and Non-immigrants.

A Non-immigrant is a foreign national who is making a temporary visit to the United States for a specific purpose and for a specified period of time – for business, pleasure, studies, to participate in training or exchange programs, conduct trade or make an investment, work for a specific employer or organization for a specified period, or work for a foreign government or international organization which operates within the U.S. Non-immigrants are required to leave the U.S. when their visas expire, but some non-immigrants may be eligible to adjust to legal permanent resident status.

An Immigrant or Legal Permanent Resident is a foreign national who has been granted legal permanent resident (LPR) or green card status either by way of an approved petition from a qualified family member (family-based immigration), or by a sponsoring employer (employment based immigration), or by lottery under the “permanent diversity program”.

Non-Immigrants

Visit the U.S.

B Visa – Business or Pleasure

Study in the U.S.

F Visa – Academic Students

M Visa – Vocational Students

J Visa – Q Visa – Exchange Visitor’s Program

Invest in the U.S.

E Visa – Treaty Trader or Treaty Investor

Live in the U.S. (See Immigrants/Legal Permanent Residents)

K Visa – Fiancé/Fiancée of U.S. Citizen, and Minor Child/ren

Work in the U.S.

Non-immigrant Workers

Temporary Workers

E – International Traders and Investors

H – Temporary Workers and Trainees

L – Intracompany Transferees

O – Aliens of Extraordinary Ability

P – Entertainers and Athletes

Q – Participants in International Exchange Programs

R – Religious Workers

NAFTA: North American Free Trade Agreement

TN – Canadians and Mexicans are classified as Treaty Nationals Under NAFTA

Workers from Foreign Governments & International Organizations

A – Diplomatic and other government officials, and their families and employees

G – Representatives to international organizations and their families and employees

I – Representatives of foreign media and their families

N – Parents and children of the persons who have been granted special immigrant status because their parents were employed by an international organization in the United States

Immigrant Workers (See Permanent Residents – Employment Based)

Immigrants (Legal Permanent Residents)

Family-Based

Spouse, Children and Parents of US Citizens

Spouse and Children of Permanent Residents

LIFE Act – K-3 Spouse of a U.S. Citizen and K-4 Child/ren of K-3 V-1 Spouse and V-2 Child/ren of Legal Permanent Residents

VAWA (Violence Against Women Act)

Employment-Based

EB–1 Priority Workers

Alien of Extraordinary Ability in the Sciences, Arts, Education, Business or Athletics

Alien Outstanding Professors or Researchers

Alien Managers and Executives Subject to International Transfer to the United States

EB–2 Professionals with Advanced Degrees or Persons with Exceptional Ability

Aliens of Exceptional Ability in the Sciences, Arts or Business

Aliens Who are Advanced Degree Professionals Qualified Alien Physicians Who Will Practice Medicine in an Underserved Area of the United States

EB–3 Skilled or Professional Workers

Alien Professionals with Bachelor’s Degrees (not qualifying for a higher preference category)

Alien Skilled workers (minimum two years training and experience)

Alien unskilled workers

EB–4 Special Immigrants

Alien Religious Workers

Employees and Former Employees of the U.S. Government Abroad

Permanent Diversity Program

PERM Labor Certification

You can gain U.S. citizenship status through a process called Naturalization. General requirements for naturalization include a 5-year period of continuous residence and physical presence in the U.S., except for spouses of U.S. citizens (3 years) and active members of the U.S. military (1 year); ability to read, write and speak English; a knowledgeable understanding of U.S. history and government; good moral character; attachment to the principles of the U.S. Constitution; and a favorable disposition toward the U.S.

Family law deals with a number of issues related to: parents, spouses, children, domestic partners, unmarried couples, and same-sex partners. We at CHUA TINSAY & VEGA understand that not only are the legal matters involved in family law highly complex, they are also often emotionally charged as the outcome of the cases bear significant impact on the lives of the client, their families, and their children.

The lawyers at CHUA TINSAY & VEGA are able to competently handle the intricacies of family law and achieve the best resolution for the client. Because these cases can cause a great deal of emotional trauma and financial difficulties, we here at CHUA TINSAY & VEGA are dedicated to providing the guidance and representation our clients need from their family lawyer.

COMMON FAMILY LAW CASES

Our experienced family law attorneys assist clients throughout California in all types of family court cases, including:

DIVORCE

CHILD CUSTODY

PATERNITY ACTIONS

POST JUDGMENT MODIFICATIONS

MARITAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

RESTRAINING ORDERS

“A bankruptcy discharge releases the debtor from personal liability for certain specified types of debts. In other words, the debtor is no

longer legally required to pay any debts that are discharged. The discharge is a permanent order prohibiting the creditors of the debtor from taking any form of collection action on discharged debts, including legal action and communications with the debtor, such as telephone calls, letters, and personal contacts. Although a debtor is not personally liable for discharged debts, a valid lien (i.e., a charge upon specific property to secure payment of a debt) that has not been avoided (i.e., made unenforceable) in the bankruptcy case will remain after the bankruptcy case. Therefore, a secured creditor may enforce the lien to recover the property secured by the lien.”

– Bankruptcy Basics, U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

Bankruptcy can have serious long-term consequences for an individual or a business who may be considering filing for bankruptcy. An experienced bankruptcy attorney can explain to you what may happen as a result of filing for bankruptcy and what your options are under the laws. If you do file for bankruptcy, an experienced attorney can help protect you, your family, your home and your possessions.

Services offered in Bankruptcy:

Chapter 7

Chapter 11

Chapter 13

In addition to our Immigration, Family Law, and Bankruptcy practice CHUA TINSAY & VEGA also provides services in Philippine Law – Inheritance, Properties, Annulments, and other Philippine Law cases – through its Philippine-based affiliate law firm, PARLADE HILDAWA, PARLADE ECO & PANGA.

PARLADE HILDAWA, PARLADE ECO & PANGA is a premier arbitration/dispute resolution firm in the Philippines. The partners at PHPEP are among the country’s most respected, often invited to share their expertise in both domestic and international conferences organized by the World Trade Organization (WTO), the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), the International Bar Association (IBA), and the Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA).

PARLADE HILDAWA, PARLADE ECO & PANGA offers services in the following areas of Philippine Law:

AGRO INDUSTRY

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

BUSINESS LAW

CONSTRUCTION

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, E-COMMERCE & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND FRANCHISING

TAXATION

SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE

FAMILY LAW AND ANNULMENT CASES

REAL PROPERTY TRANSACTION