Change is inevitable. Whether for school, work, family or better prospects, studies show the average American will move nearly a dozen times in their life. Moving in-state – or even just across town – is hard enough, but imagine moving to a new country. With such a journey, all the normal hassles of packing and logistics are amplified by immigration requirements and regulations. This is where skilled advocates like Seifert Law Offices come in. Lisa Seifert has dedicated her life to helping thousands of people, from more than 150 countries, successfully immigrate to the United States. And some of them, like the family behind Lacey’s Nom Nom Stop, bring amazing, world-class chocolate.
Olympia’s Seifert Law: A Strategy for Every Immigration Journey
“Getting through the immigration process isn’t necessarily easy and we help people do it,” Seifert says. “Perhaps surprisingly, the people who get the most stuck along the way are educated and English-speaking.” The Immigration department, now called U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is trying to become more electronic, she explains, but it’s still not easy or intuitive to walk through everything that’s needed.
Since 1989, Seifert Law Offices has helped employers obtain work permits for their executives and has assisted thousands of people in coming to the United States to become permanent residents, advance their education, work or pursue other opportunities.
They prepare and file the necessary petitions and supporting documentation to government agencies as well as submitting administrative appeals and motions. Clients come from every country around the world, from every walk of life, and range from nonprofit arts agencies to families applying for children, spouses and fiancés. Seifert Law handles most kinds of immigration situations.
Working Through the Immigration Process Each Step of the Way
The Seifert team helps with immigration from start to finish, and also steps in to help combat roadblocks. For example, one recent client was a Canadian pharmacist married to an American surgeon. English-speaking and highly educated, they tried to fill out the paperwork themselves but were denied due to errors regarding financial support documentation. “This was a totally unnecessary denial,” says Seifert, “It would have been better for them to have sought advice beforehand but it’s not their fault, the immigration system is fairly opaque and can be confusing.”
Seifert started practicing immigration law in Thurston County in 1989 as a new resident of the area. “I noticed no one else seemed to be interested in this area,” Seifert recalls, “And it helped that there had just been a major immigration bill passed (IMMACT 90), which meant that I would be a beginner along with all of the experienced people” and thus on equal experiential footing.
Prior to Washington, Seifert lived and went to school in Minnesota, where many of her good friends were from other countries. “I remembered they had lots of issues with their visas, and this was in the back of my mind when I got here.” An active jazz musician, she also helps with O and P work visas for artists and entertainers.
Don’t Struggle Alone on Your Immigration Application
Seifert says that like filing annual taxes with the IRS, anyone can make an immigration application or petition. But she advises, “with immigration, there are so many levels of eligibility and rules about who can petition and who cannot; it can be intimidating. Sometimes an application has four separate petitions, over a dozen required documents, and several sets of instructions, not to mention fees and forms that change frequently. The average person might rightfully be fearful of making a mistake.”
From their offices near the downtown waterfront and The Olympia Farmers Market, the team tackles jobs that allow families to bring joy (and chocolate!) to their chosen community. Seifert, in this way, helped Lacey’s Nom Nom Stop with her unique talents.
The Nom Nom Stop Settles in America, with help from Seifert Law Offices
Almost 30 years ago, Seifert helped a man from Romania with a family member’s case, and this assistance snowballed over the years amongst his circle of relatives and friends. One of those people was Gabriela Gheorghiu, who opened The Nom Nom Stop during COVID-19 with husband Tiberio Serbanescu.
Seifert helped Gheorghiu’s mother stay in the United States with her daughter and build their family’s strong future together. Facing pandemic shutdowns, The Nom Nom Shop was born to bring chocolate-fueled happiness to Thurston County.
“None of this was easy,” says Seifert. “They had no business experience or background. Gabriela had to learn by trying and by YouTube, but her determination is based on the immigrant’s dream to make it, and not go back to the former life in her former country. She says she had no choice but to work really hard.”
“We started from nothing,” agrees Gheorghiu, “and Ms. Seifert worked very hard with us. She was available anytime we needed her and very efficient, detail oriented, highly professional and truly represents the best interest of her clients. We appreciate the fact that she took the time to be present on my mother’s interview day. Her presence encouraged my mom a lot. Ms. Seifert represents a decisive factor in having my mom here in the U.S.”
If you or someone you love needs immigration or visa related help, contact Seifert Law Offices today at 360.357.7087 or info@seifertlaw.com.
Seifert Law Offices
626 Columbia St NW STE 1A, Olympia
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