Practice Areas

Deportation Lawyer Services

Peri B. Edelman’s deportation lawyer services have successfully defended clients against deportation and removal from the United States in New York City for nearly 3 decades. She will meticulously review your case to ascertain the best possible strategy and fight to keep you with your family in the U.S.

Peri B. Edelman’s deportation lawyer services have prevented hundreds of families from being separated and ensured her clients’ rights were always protected. Fighting deportation and removal is a complex process and Ms. Edelman is experienced in the many areas of deportation proceedings, including defense against removal, immigration appeals, immigration detention, and immigration for criminal aliens.

Status Adjustment Services

Peri Edelman’s green card lawyer services have helped individuals seeking legal permanent residency, whether for themselves or for family members. She gives personal and customized attention to each client, and sees even the most difficult cases through to the end. Contact her if you need a lawyer to help you navigate the American court system to legal permanent residency.

Individuals may only obtain their green card under a particular basis if they meet the eligibility requirements for that basis at the time of filing the Application to Register Permanent, depending on the specific basis for adjustment of status. A lawyer that specializes in green cards and helping immigrants gain permanent residency can help navigate the legal hoops and expedite the green card process.

Adjustment of Status (Green Card) Process

Individuals eligible for adjustment of status (green card) are generally based on one of the following immigrant categories or basis for adjustment:

• Immediate relative of a U.S. citizen
• Other relative of a U.S. citizen or relative of a lawful permanent resident under a family-based preference category
• Person admitted on a fiancé(e) non-immigrant visa
• U non-immigrant visa (victim of a crime)
• T non-immigrant visa (human trafficking)
• Widow(er) of a U.S. citizen
• Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self-petitioner
• Alien worker under an employment-based preference visa category
• Alien investor
• Individual granted asylum status
• Individual granted refugee status
• Diversity Visa program
• Adjustment of status under INA 245(i), or
• Derivative applicant (filing based on a principal applicant)

Naturalization Services

The road to citizenship and naturalization can be long and complicated, but Ms. Edelman will walk you through each step and make sure you never miss a deadline or obligation. There is no case too difficult for her – she has even obtained naturalization for individuals who have been convicted of minor crimes and who had previously been denied naturalization. 

The Citizenship and Naturalization Process

If you are not a legally recognized U.S. citizen, you have two ways of becoming one: demonstrating your birthright citizenship or completing the naturalization process.

Accordingly, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services reviews benefit requests for citizenship and naturalization to determine whether:

• Foreign-born children of U.S. citizens by birth or naturalization meet the eligibility requirements before recognizing their acquisition or derivation of U.S. citizenship.
• Persons applying for naturalization based on their time as lawful permanent residents meet the eligibility requirements to become U.S. citizens such as good moral character and length of stay in the United States.
• Persons applying for naturalization based on their marriage to a U.S. citizen meet the eligibility requirements for naturalization through the specific regulations for spouses of U.S. citizens.
• Persons working abroad for certain entities, to include the U.S. Government, meet the eligibility requirements for certain exceptions to the general naturalization requirements.

Family Immigration Lawyer Services

Peri B. Edelman’s family immigration lawyer services have helped many desperate families obtain legal permanent residency for their loved ones. She has successfully obtained green cards for thousands of individuals since 1996. She has represented:

• Foreign nationals came to the United States on a non-immigrant visa
• People who crossed the border without inspection (which would require an I-601A Provisional Waiver for Unlawful Presence)
• Families with relatives who have never been to the United States
• Families with relatives who have been convicted of criminal activity (which would require of waiver of inadmissibility), and who have committed fraud or misrepresentation (which would require a waiver of inadmissibility).

She is very dedicated to her clients and understands each client has their own special needs.

See Adjustment of Status (Green Card) for information on the process

Employment Immigration Lawyer

TN Visas, H-1Bs, O-1s & more

Peri B. Edelman is a lawyer that can assist you with applying for TN visas, H1-Bs, O-1s, E-1 and E-2 visas and other types of nonimmigrant visas. She can advise which visa is the most appropriate for a particular situation. She understands the process of applying for employment visas can be confusing and time-consuming, and she works to expedite the process and make it as painless as possible.

Types of Business/Employment Visas (most common)

H-1B Visas

H-1B non-immigrant visas require the attainment of a bachelor’s or higher degree in the specific specialty (or its equivalent) as a minimum for entry into the occupation in the United States. The position also needs to qualify as a specialty occupation. Most people think that H-1B visas are in the technological area, but many are not.

O-1 Visas

O-1A non-immigrants visas are obtained by foreign nationals with an extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business, or athletics.

O-1B non-immigrants visas are obtained by foreign nationals in the arts or extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry. Peri B Edelman, Attorney at Law has successfully obtained O-1 visas for a large variety of clients in the arts, as well as some obscure positions in business.

E-1 Visas

E-1 non-immigrant visa allows a foreign national of a treaty country (a country with which the United States maintains a qualifying international agreement, or which has been deemed a qualifying country by legislation) to be admitted to the United States solely to engage in international trade on his or her own behalf.  Certain employees of such a person or of a qualifying organization may also be eligible for this classification. The items of trade may include:

• Goods
• Services
• International banking
• Insurance
• Transportation
• Tourism
• Technology

E-2 Visas

E-2 non-immigrant visa is for a treaty investor who is a national of a country with which the United States maintains a treaty of commerce and navigation; who has invested, or be actively in the process of investing, a substantial amount seeking to enter the United States solely to develop and direct the investment enterprise. This is established by showing at least 50% ownership of the enterprise or possession of operational control through a managerial position or other corporate device.

TN Visas

The TN nonimmigrant status allows professionals from Canada and Mexico to work in the U.S. Mexican professionals must obtain a TN visa at a U.S. Consulate or Embassy to enter the U.S. Canadian professionals can request TN status at a U.S. port of entry. Among the types of professionals who are eligible to seek admission as TN nonimmigrants are accountants, engineers, lawyers, pharmacists, scientists, and teachers.

L-1 Visas

L-1A non-immigrant visa is for intracompany transferees who work in managerial or executive positions in a company that is located outside the United States. The L-1B visa is for intracompany transferees who work in positions requiring specialized knowledge.

P Visas

P-2 non-immigrant visa is for an artist or entertainer, individually or as part of a group, who will perform under a reciprocal exchange program between an organization in the United States and an organization in another country.

P-3 non-immigrant visa is for a foreign national who will perform, teach or coach as artists or entertainers, individually or as part of a group, under a program that is culturally unique.

R-1 Visas

R-1 non-immigrant visa classification allows a foreign national to be employed at least part time by a bona fide nonprofit religious organization in the United States to work solely as a minister, in a religious vocation, or in a religious occupation.

All of these non-immigrant visas are issued for a specific time periods, which in most cases, can be extended. After the last extension, many foreign national must return to their country of origin if he or she did not obtain permanent residence also known as a green card.

Many non-immigrant foreign nationals who would like to obtain permanent residence in the United States, the PERM labor certification process may be necessary to avoid the need to return to your country of origin after the last visa extension. This is a complex and lengthy process at first through the U.S. Department of Labor, and then through U.S. Department of Homeland Security (USCIS).

U-Visa & VAWA Lawyer Service

Peri B. Edelman has had many visa petitions approved under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) for both men and women.

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) allows individuals (including children) who have been victims of abuse to become U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents without sponsorship from a  family member. Abused individuals can self-petition for a green card without alerting the person hurting them. U visas are another type of humanitarian visa designed for victims of certain crimes.

As a VAWA lawyer, Ms. Edelman knows the intricacies of the humanitarian green card process and will deliver a strategy for a successful VAWA visa or U visa petition. Though the process is complex, she will walk you through each step and exhaust every avenue to make sure you’re granted asylum.

Ms. Edelman is also a victim of a horrible violent crime. Her experience motivates her to help people who are being abused and harmed, and she fights passionately for those who come to her seeking legal status in the United States through a U-Visa or VAWA.

VAWA Visas

• As a battered spouse, child or parent of a United States citizen or permanent resident, you may file an immigrant visa petition under VAWA
• VAWA applies equally to men and women
• The VAWA petition is a self-petition and is filed without the abuser’s knowledge. The abuser will not find out about the filing.
• There is a large amount of evidence that needs to be provided in order to file for this type of petition. The petitioner also must be of good moral character.

Peri B. Edelman has successfully been granted numerous battered spouse petitions on behalf of her clients.

Victims of Criminal Activity U Non-immigrant Visas

The U non-immigrant status (U visa) is set aside for victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and are helpful to law enforcement or government officials in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity.

You may be eligible for a U non-immigrant visa if:

• You are the victim of criminal activity such as abusive sexual conduct, domestic violence, extortion, false imprisonment, felonious assault, kidnapping, rape, torture, perjury, and other serious crimes.
• You have suffered substantial physical or mental abuse as a result of having been a victim of the criminal activity.
• You were helpful, are helpful, or are likely to be helpful to law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of the crime
• The crime occurred in the United States.
• You are admissible to the United States. If you are not admissible, you may apply for a waiver on a Form I-192, Application for Advance Permission to Enter as a Non-immigrant.

Peri B. Edelman has successfully obtained many U non-immigrant visas on behalf of her clients. She has even obtained a U visa for a client with criminal convictions.