Practice Areas & Legal Definitions

Each day, immigrants from all over the world pursue the dream of American citizenship. Unfortunately, many immigrants lose their opportunity for U.S. citizenship because they lack proper legal representation. American immigration Attorney Grant Kaplan specializes in all aspects of U.S. Immigration and Nationality law, including:

Consular Processing:

If an individual is in another country, he or she may apply for a visa or green card in the U.S. embassy of his or her home country. U.S. green card Attorney Grant Kaplan is able to facilitate all of the paperwork and applications, and contact the consular officers to facilitate approval of the application. Because Attorney Kaplan is well versed in the procedures governing applications at consulates and embassies, he can often cure a denial by seeking a waiver, or offering proof that the visa should be granted. When necessary, he can travel to foreign embassies and consulates to directly handle problematic situations for clients.

Criminal Deportation/Removal Defense:

Deportation defense lawyer Grant Kaplan is qualified to help immigrants in the United States who have been charged or convicted of a crime and are subsequently placed in deportation or removal proceedings. Since September 30, 1996, and the passage of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, the rights of aliens in the United States have been severely curtailed when past criminal conduct is a factor. Crimes that previously did not cause immigration consequences can now trigger deportation proceedings against an alien.  Crimes as serious as murder, and as minor as shoplifting, can result in deportation.

Attorney Grant Kaplan constantly seeks to find creative solutions to his clients’ deportation problems by staying abreast of new laws and regulations in addition to federal court decisions affecting immigrants. Kaplan also vigorously pursues post-conviction remedies in criminal cases to create affirmative defenses from deportation and /or removal.

Employment-Based Visas:

The types of immigration law work Grant Kaplan does for employees and employers can include, but is not limited to:

• PERM Applications
• E-1/E-2: Treaty Country Investor Visas
• EB1: National Interest Waiver, Alien of Extraordinary Ability, Outstanding Professor or Researcher, Multinational Executive
• EB2: Member of Profession Holding Advanced Degree, Alien of Exceptional Ability
• EB3: Skilled Worker Or Professional
• EB4: Any Other Worker
• EB5: Immigrant Investor
• H-2A: Seasonal Worker Visas
• H-2B: Other Seasonal Work Visas
• L-1: Inter-Company Transferees Visas

Family-Based Visas/Fiancée Visas:

Grant Kaplan has helped numerous fathers, daughters, mothers, son, fiancés and other relatives enter the United States with either an immigrant or non-immigrant visa. As an experienced family immigration lawyer, he can guide you through the many options that are available and make certain that the paperwork is all in order so the petition is granted.

I-130 Petition:

I-130 is a Petition for Alien Relatives and it applies to mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and children. Parents, spouses and unmarried children under 21 years of age of U.S. citizens are considered immediate relatives and are not placed under a quota system with others placed into preference order to determine who is given priority entry into the U.S.:

• First Preference: Unmarried, adult (21 years or older) sons, daughters of citizens
• Second Preference: Spouses of lawful permanent residents and unmarried sons and daughters of lawful permanent residents
• Third Preference: Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens
• Fourth Preference: Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens

This process can take a very long time (several years) depending upon the preference ranking. The most current online visa bulletin will give those who are waiting an idea of how long they must wait for their immigration application or green card to be granted.

Fiancée Visas:

For those seeking to bring a fiancé or fiancée to the United States, a K-1 visa application will allow them to enter the U.S. Both parties must be unmarried, legally divorced or annulled, or widowed. The marriage must take place within 90 days of entry into the United States.

H, L, E, Visas:

Non-immigrant work visas (H, L, O, P, Q) require a CIS-approved petition from a U.S. sponsor. Treaty-trader or treaty-investor visas (E1/E2) can be applied for directly by the individual as long as he or she is from a country with which the United States has a treaty.

The most common work-related visas are H-1B Visas and L1 Visas.  The H-1B is a way to bring foreign-born professionals to the United States for a period of up to six years.  A sponsor is required, and the employment may only start up when the new employee is in the United States.  The L1-Visa is for people working for an employer abroad for one year in a related business entity in a manager/executive or specialized knowledge staff capacity, and who will come to the United States to continue providing services for his or her employer.

The paperwork is important, but so is the communication. Florida Immigration Attorney Grant Kaplan maintains excellent communication and regularly represents employees and employers within the following types of visa filings:

• B1: Temporary visitor for business
• B2: Temporary visitor for pleasure
• B1/B2: Temporary visitor for business or pleasure
• E1: Treaty trader, spouse and children
• E2: Treaty investor, spouse and children
• H1B (petition-based): Temporary worker in a specialty occupation
• H1C (petition-based): Registered nurses
• H2A (petition-based): Temporary worker performing agricultural services unavailable in the United States
• H2B (petition-based): Temporary worker performing non-agricultural services unavailable in the United States
• H3 (petition-based): Industrial trainee
• H4 (petition-based): Dependent of H1, H2 or H3
• L1 (petition-based): Intra-company transferee (executive, managerial, and specialized personnel continuing employment with an international firm or corporation)
• L2 (petition-based): Dependent of L1
• O1 (petition-based): Aliens with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business or athletics
• O2 (petition-based): Aliens accompanying/assisting the above in a professional capacity
• O3 (petition-based): Dependent of O1 or O2
• P1 (petition-based): Athletes and entertainers for a specific competition or performance
• P2 (petition-based): Athletes, entertainers participating in reciprocal exchange program
• P3 (petition-based): Artists and entertainers performing under culturally unique program
• P4 (petition-based): Dependent of P1, P2 or P3
• Q (petition-based): International cultural exchange visitor

Political Asylum:

Grant Kaplan also assists those from other countries who apply for political asylum within the United States. As of 1996, persons in the United States have one calendar year to apply for political asylum, unless the conditions of the country of persecution change or there are exceptional circumstances. Kaplan carefully examines every political asylum case to decide whether the case has merit or is frivolous and he will guide the client as to the proper course of action to enhance their claim.

Take Action to Protect Your Rights:

If you need a visa, wish to immigrate, are facing deportation or removal for any reason, or want to help bring a family member or employee to the United States, please call immigration Attorney Grant Kaplan at 866-435-6065, or use the contact form provided on this site to schedule a free initial consultation on immigration matters. A lawyer from his office is on call 24 hours for emergencies.

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