Iranian Immigration Attorney in New York City — وکیل مهاجرت ایرانی در نیویورک

Family-Based Green Cards (I-130 / I-485)

The family-based immigration process for Iranian families carries a specific challenge that most practitioners encounter only occasionally but that we handle regularly: because there is no U.S. embassy in Iran, petitioners who are U.S. citizens or green card holders filing for relatives in Iran must plan for consular processing at a third-country post. The immigrant visa interview will typically take place at the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi, Ankara, or Yerevan, which adds logistical complexity, travel requirements, and additional preparation.

Yazdi Law prepares clients for consular interviews at these specific posts and understands the documentation requirements — including authenticated Iranian civil documents — that each embassy applies to Iranian applicants. We handle the complete I-130 petition through final visa issuance, keeping families informed at every stage.

Marriage-Based Immigration

For Iranian couples pursuing a marriage-based green card, USCIS may scrutinize the marriage more closely when it was performed in Iran under Iranian law — particularly regarding the voluntary nature of the union, given that arranged marriages remain culturally common in certain communities. This is not a judgment on the marriage itself, but it is a reality of how adjudicators at the New York field office at 26 Federal Plaza approach these petitions.

Yazdi Law helps couples prepare compelling evidence of a bona fide marital relationship — joint financial records, photographs, communications, affidavits from family and friends — structured to address the specific concerns that arise in marriage-based cases involving Iranian nationals. We prepare clients for what to expect at the interview and ensure that no question catches them off guard.

Asylum and Humanitarian Protection

Given the ongoing human rights situation in Iran, this is one of the most critical areas of our practice. Iranian nationals may qualify for asylum based on political opinion, religion — particularly for religious minorities including Baha'is, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, and Sunni Muslims — membership in a particular social group, including LGBTQ+ individuals, women's rights activists, and participants in protest movements, or ethnicity, including Kurdish, Baluch, Arab, and Azerbaijani Iranians.

Under INA § 208(a)(2)(B), asylum applications must generally be filed within one year of arrival in the United States unless extraordinary circumstances apply. Yazdi Law prepares detailed asylum declarations and assembles supporting country condition evidence specifically tailored to the applicant's claimed basis of persecution. We understand the sensitivity of these cases and the privacy concerns that accompany them.

Naturalization and Citizenship

Iranian green card holders pursuing U.S. citizenship face the same enhanced vetting that applies throughout the immigration process, which can extend processing times beyond standard estimates. Yazdi Law guides clients through the complete N-400 application, prepares them for the civics and English requirements, and accompanies clients to the naturalization interview at the USCIS New York field office. For clients with complex travel histories, prior immigration violations, or criminal history concerns, we identify and address potential issues before they become obstacles to approval.

Employment-Based Visas (H-1B, O-1, EB Categories)

The NYC metro area is home to a large number of Iranian professionals — academics, engineers, physicians, entrepreneurs, and artists — many of whom require employment-based visa sponsorship. Yazdi Law handles H-1B petitions for specialty occupation workers, O-1 visa applications for individuals with extraordinary ability, and EB-category immigrant visa petitions. Iranian nationals on certain visa types should be aware that additional administrative processing delays — commonly referred to as "221(g) delays" — are more frequent for Iranian passport holders at consular posts and can add weeks or months to processing timelines. We build these realities into our case strategy from the outset.

Deportation Defense and Removal Proceedings

Yazdi Law represents Iranian nationals in removal proceedings before the immigration court (EOIR) at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan. We prepare applications for relief from removal, including asylum, withholding of removal, protection under the Convention Against Torture, cancellation of removal, and adjustment of status in court. For clients facing removal to Iran — where return may pose genuine danger — we build the strongest possible case for protection under U.S. and international law.