Jeffrey Y.

Bennett Law provides personal service and professional consultation and

representation for immigration, probate, family law, business law, traffic/DUI/DWI,
and LGBT issues.
Para consultas en español
816-759-2777

Immigration Law

Traffic DUI/DWI
Family Law
LGBT Issues
One of Missouri’s Most Trusted
Immigration Attorneys 816-759-2776
Helping Kansas City clients with immigration visas, green cards,
political asylum, naturalization and other immigration services
Many people dream of coming to the United States in search of better lives, to be with family
members, and to take full advantage of the opportunities afforded by living in America. Immigrating
to the United States can be complex, with strict regulations and numerous deadlines. In addition,
immigration laws change on a frequent basis, making it challenging for many people who may be
overwhelmed by the amount of effort and knowledge required to complete the immigration process.
With so much at stake, it is essential that anyone seeking to immigrate to the United States should
retain the services of a trusted and experienced immigration attorney.
For many years, people in the greater Kansas City area have relied upon Jeffrey Y. Bennett to
provide them outstanding immigration legal counsel, helping them to gain and enjoy legal status in a
variety of ways.
Through his extensive travels and work in Southeast Asia, Mr. Bennett is familiar and sensitive to
cross-cultural issues regarding immigration affairs including language, customs, and business
practices that must be considered as part of any immigration action.
Mr. Bennett can assist clients with a variety of immigration situations:
Legal Immigration Statistics 2013
990,553 people are granted lawful permanent residence in the
United States. Approximately 40% of these “green card”
recipients, or LPRs, were born in Asia, while about 32% were
born in North America. The top countries of origin are:
14%
Mexico
 8%
China

7%
India

6%
Philippines
Naturalization
Naturalization is the legal process that allows a foreign citizen to become a United States citizen.
The path to citizenship is administered by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship,
and Immigration Services. There are a series of steps and requirements that a person must follow to
become a naturalized citizen, and the process can take several years. Those requirements include:
 Be at least 18 years old at the time they file Form N-400, Application for Naturalization.
 Be a permanent resident of the United States for at least three or five years. (Three years if you are
still married to the US citizen spouse who petitioned for you originally or five years in all other
circumstances) This means they have had a “Green Card” for that amount of time, and they must be
able to show continuous residence in the U.S. for at least more than one half of the time required for
one to wait before being able to apply) immediately proceeding the date of filing Form N-400.
 Show that they have lived at least three months in the state or USCIS district where they are
applying.
 Be able to speak and write basic English
 Have a basic understanding of U.S. government and history
 Be a person of good moral character, especially within the last five years preceding one’s application
for naturalization, and demonstrate a belief in the principles of the U.S. Constitution.
 Not have any deportable criminal convictions
Jeffrey Y. Bennett Law has helped many people determine if they are eligible to apply; assisted them
with their Form N-400 application; and has coached them through the English and civics tests, and a
final interview that are all part of the naturalization process.
Green Cards (Lawful Permanent Resident
Status)
One of the key steps to citizenship is obtaining a “green card” or lawful permanent resident status. A
green card provides proof that the non-citizen cardholder is a permanent resident of the United
States and has been granted certain benefits, including permission to live and work in the country. A
green card also allows holders to apply for a social security card, apply for a driver’s license, attend
public schools and colleges, and in some cases join some branches of the U.S. military. However, a
green card holder may NOT vote in any US elections. Unless a person obtained a green card
through a US citizen spouse and they are still married to that citizen, a person must be a green card
holder for a minimum of five years before they can apply for U.S. citizenship.
Mr. Bennett assists clients in obtaining green cards in a variety of situations. Most people who obtain
green cards are sponsored by a family member or an employer in the United States. US citizens
may sponsor spouses, children under age 21, adult sons or daughters, parents, and siblings, but
lawful permanent resident sponsors can only petition spouses, children, and adult sons and
daughters. Employment-based green cards are issued based on a tiered ranking system. Preference
is given to priority workers, including multinational executives and professors; followed by members
of professions holding advanced degrees; skilled workers; those in special categories; and then
investors and entrepreneurs.
Because there is only a limited number of green cards issued each year in some categories, making
sure that your application is completed correctly and that your information is compelling and correct
is essential for the best possible chance at being issued a green card. Mr. Bennett’s many years of
experience means that he understands what it will take to ensure your personal narrative and your
information are given the best possible consideration.
Travel Visas
Foreign nationals who want to enter the United States must generally obtain a visa. There are two
kinds of visas.
Immigrant Visas
Immigrant visas are for those people seeking to start on the path to legal permanent status and
eventually become citizens. Aliens living outside of the United States can apply for an immigrant visa
at a consular office in the country where they currently live. Once issued, they can come to the U.S.
and become legal immigrants. Aliens who already live in the U.S. including undocumented
immigrants, foreign students, refugees, and others may either file an application for adjustment of
status with USCIS or through a complicated process of consular processing which may require
waivers of inadmissibility or deportability based on past criminal history, unlawful presence in the
United States, or past deportation history. Immigration attorney Jeffrey Y. Bennett has not only
helped family members and employers obtain permanent residency for their beneficiaries but also
for persons who are willing to make considerable investment of money under the EB-5 investor visa
program.
Non-Immigrant Visas
Non-immigrant visas are generally related to securing documentation that will allow aliens to come
to the United States for work or education purposes, or for those who want to visit the country as
tourists or business travelers. There are several main categories of non-immigrant visas, each with
its own requirements.
In many cases, documentation can be extensive to demonstrate eligibility. However, immigration
attorney Jeffrey Y. Bennett has a deep understanding of the non-immigrant visa process and has
assisted numerous clients with all types of employer-related visas, including B1/B2, H1-B Visas,
H2B, H-3, O, P-1A, Q, R-1, S, T, U, and V visas.
Family sponsored and employer sponsored visa applications both involve many steps and several
submissions. This complicated process can take several months, if not years, depending on each
unique situation. Part of the reason for the length of time is that the United States caps the number
of visas issued each year as well as overseeing a complicated system of issuing visas by country
within that framework.
Asylum and Withholding of Removal
Due to the nature and immediacy of most political asylum immigration cases, they are often given
priority by the federal government. However, there are several other enumerated categories for
basing an asylum or withholding of removal claim. When seeking asylum, a person must be able to
show that they are or will be persecuted in their country of origin based on their race, religion,
nationality, membership in a social group, or due to their political beliefs. If you fall into any of these
categories, you must apply for asylum within one year of entering the United States with a few minor
exceptions to this rule. If you are granted asylum, you will be allowed to stay in the United States
and one year after it is granted you will be able to apply for a green card. Withholding of Removal is
similar type of claim as asylum however there are no filing deadlines, but one has to be in removal
(deportation proceedings) before one can apply for this benefit. In addition, the amount of proof is
much higher to win on a withholding of removal claim as compared to an asylum claim. An asylum
claim can be submitted regardless if one is in removal proceedings or not.
Jeffrey Y. Bennett is a member of the Missouri & Kansas Bar, and is licensed to practice in the State
of Missouri and the U.S. District Court, the State of Kansas and the U.S. District Court of Kansas,
and the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District.
Contact Mr. Bennett at 816-759-2776 for more information or to schedule a personal consultation
regarding your immigration issues.
Immigration Blog & News

USCIS Will Temporarily Suspend Premium Processing for Fiscal

Year 2019 H-1B Cap Petitions
Immigration Lawyer, Immigration News
Starting April 2, 2018, USCIS will begin accepting H-1B petitions subject to the Fiscal Year (FY)
2019 cap. We will temporarily suspend premium processing for all FY 2019 cap-subject petitions,
including petitions seeking an exemption for individuals with a U.S....
read more
DEFERRED ACTION FOR CHILDHOOD ARRIVALS (DACA) F.A.Q.
Immigration Lawyer, Immigration News
Recent government announcements and court cases on DACA have created confusion around who
can apply, when they can apply, and how they can apply for DACA. To mitigate this confusion,
below is an informational FAQ for your reference. Please note that DACA cases are...
read more
Re-Registration Period Opens for Syrians with Temporary
Protected Status
Immigration Lawyer, Immigration News
Work permits expiring March 31 are automatically extended through Sept. 27 WASHINGTON—
Current beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) under Syria’s designation who want to
maintain their status through Sept. 30, 2019, must re-register between March 5, and...
read more

Areas Of Practice

Areas Of Practice
Para Consultas en español – 816-759-2777
如有需要，我们可提供中文翻译陪同当面咨询
상담을 위한 한국어 통역사 서비스 요청에 의해 가능합니다
We offer professional legal services and representation for the following legal matters:
Immigration Law
Probate Law
Family Law
Business Law
Traffic DUI/DWI
LGBT Issues
Other areas of representation are available upon request. If we cannot help you with
your case, we will be happy to refer you to any number of attorneys we know that
practice in areas covered by your case.

Meet Jeffrey Y. Bennet

Kansas City Immigration Attorney

Jeffrey Y. Bennett is the founder of JEFFREY Y. BENNETT LAW. He is a member of the Missouri &
Kansas Bar and is licensed to practice in the State of Missouri and the United States District Court,
District of Kansas, Western District of Missouri. Jeffrey received his Bachelor of Arts in Political
Science from the University of Missouri-Columbia and his Doctorate in Jurisprudence from the
University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law.
While at law school Jeffrey served as a staff member on the legal journal, Urban Lawyer: The
National Quarterly on State & Local Government, a Law School Emissary, an International Law
Society member, and as the Secretary/Treasurer of the Asian Pacific Islander Law Students
Association (APILSA). He was also a Diversity Merit Scholarship recipient and a KCMBA Diversity
Clerkship recipient.
As a law student, Jeffrey studied a number of specialized courses including Immigration Law and
Policy, I-9 Corporate Compliance, VAWA, Estates and Trusts, Estate Planning and Drafting,
Business Planning, Construction Law, Entertainment Law, Entrepreneurial Lawyering, International
Human Rights, International Business Transactions, Real Estate Transactions, Employment
Discrimination, and Business Torts.

Jeffrey Y. Bennett is currently an active member of the American Bar Association (ABA), the
American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
(KCMBA), the Asian American Bar Association of Kansas City (AABAKC), the Asian American
Chamber of Commerce of Kansas City, and KC Legal. Jeffrey also serves as a Missouri Notary
Public.
Before opening his law practice, Jeffrey worked as a law clerk for John Sommer, a probate attorney
in Independence, Missouri; at Stinson, Morrison, Hecker LLP in Kansas City, Missouri; and at the
DeBund Law Firm in Shanghai, China.

Jeffrey Y. Bennett has worked in many different industries such as investor and media relations for
publicly traded small cap technology, biotech, healthcare, and travel and leisure industries. He has
also has created marketing and publicity campaigns and materials for both small business
entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations. Jeffrey was also an English professor at Hanyang
Womens’ College in Seoul, South Korea.
Jeffrey has lived or traveled in many parts of Asia and beyond including South Korea, Japan, China,
Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Australia, and South
Africa. Because of his extensive travels, Jeffrey is familiar with cross-cultural issues regarding
language, customs, and business practices of his international clientele.
Jeffrey Y. Bennett is committed to serving the legal needs of individuals, small businesses, and
companies in the greater Kansas City area by providing personal service, professional consultation,
and ardent representation for immigration, probate, family, business, traffic/DUI/DWI, and LGBT
matters.
Publications:
Seoul City Essay Contest 3rd prize winner: 1997 & 1998
Case note [Michael C. v. Gresbach, 526 F.3d 1008 (7th Cir. 2008)] published in Urban Lawyer (law
journal)
Additional Professionals Associations:

North Kansas City Office

Contact Our North Kansas City Office:

Tel. 816-759-2776 English

Tel. 816-759-2777 Espanol
Fax. 816-759-2769
1828 Swift St Suite 104
Town Square 2 Building
(near corner of Armour Road & Swift St.)
North Kansas City, Missouri 64116

Our Office is located just across the river at 1828 Swift St on the
4th floor (Suite 104) of the brick office building seen in the
picture above. This building sits on the west side of Swift St, just
south of the corner of Armour Road and Swift St.
Parking is available on Swift St and in the parking lot on south side of the building.
Please contact us to schedule an appointment or stop by at your convenience, Monday-Friday, 9am-
5pm.

Contact Us
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Tel. 816-759-2776 English

Tel. 816-759-2777 Espanol
Fax. 816-759-2769
1828 Swift Avenue Suite 104
Town Square 2 Building
(near corner of Armour Road & Swift Avenue)
North Kansas City, Missouri 64116