Kanya Sanders, began her career in 1996. She represents individuals, families, and businesses in complex family-based, employment-based, and other special immigrant and nonimmigrant visa matters before the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Services, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Labor, and other government agencies. Kanya specifically assists clients with waivers of inadmissibility, reversing immigrant and nonimmigrant visa denials at U.S. consular posts, appeals and motions to reopen and reconsider adverse agency decisions, responses to complex additional evidence requests, reinstatement of nonimmigrant status, J-1 physicians foreign residency requirement waivers, national interest waivers, intra-company transferee visas, outstanding professor / researcher visas, extraordinary ability visas, U visas, battered spouse and other complex nonimmigrant and immigrant visa matters.
Representative Experience
- Assisted a broad range of businesses from small start-up enterprises to large multinational corporations, educational institutions, hospitals and nonprofit entities including religious institutions in the temporary employment of foreign personnel with H-1B, L-1, E-2, R-1, and TN as well as in permanent residence sponsorship
- Provided advice and guidance to employers on developing and implementing procedures and policies to ensure adherence to governmental regulations and avoid agency sanctions
- Guided employers in transitioning foreign personnel during corporate restructuring, mergers and acquisitions
- Obtained nunc pro tunc reinstatement of nonimmigrant status based on extraordinary circumstances
- Assisted individuals and families in obtaining permanent residency based on family relationships in the U.S. and via consular processing
- Assisted individuals with 5-year, 3-year and section 319(b) citizenship
- Successfully overturned the denial of citizenship
- Obtained waivers of inadmissibility based on hardship to U.S.C. or LPR spouses
- Obtained asylum for individuals fleeing persecution by government and nongovernmental entities
- Obtained Conrad waivers of foreign residency requirement and Physician National Interest Waiver permanent residency for J-1 physicians
- Obtained permanent resident visas for individuals whose work benefited the national interest of the U.S., and for those who were considered outstanding researchers / professors
- Obtained reversals of immigrant and nonimmigrant visa denials at U.S. consular posts overseas
- Obtained U visas and permanent residency visas for battered spouses
- Obtained permanent residency for individuals and families pursuant to the Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA)
- Obtained Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
Education & Admissions
- J.D., The Washington College of Law of the American University, Washington D.C.
- M.A, Public International Law & International Affairs, American University, Washington D.C.
- B.A., English, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina
- Certificate D’Assiduite, International Human Rights Law and Practice, International Institute of Human Rights, Strasbourg, France
- Admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Memberships & Professional Accomplishments
- Member American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
- Member, AILA DC Chapter National Annual Conference Hosting Committee (Oct 2014 – Jun 2015)
- Member, American Immigration Council Essay Contest Committee (Sep 2014 – Aug 2015)
- Member, AILA DC Chapter Fall Conference Committee (Jul 2014 – Oct 2014)
- Member, Probono Committee (Sep 2012 – Aug 2013)
- Chair, Outreach Committee, Outstanding Chair of the Year Award (Sep 2010 – Aug 2011)
Publications & Presentations
- Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, with Jerry L. Byrd in A Global Agenda, Issues Before the 51st United Nations General Assembly, (United Nations Association of the United States, 1996)
- Minority Rights, in Sri Lanka: State of Human Rights, 1995 (Law and Society Trust, Sri Lanka, 1996)
- Minority Rights and the Ethnic Conflict, in Sri Lanka: State of Human Rights, 1994 (Law and Society Trust, Sri Lanka, 1995)
- Legal Developments, in Sri Lanka: State of Human Rights, 1993 (Law and Society Trust, Sri Lanka, 1994)
- Minority Rights, in Sri Lanka: State of Human Rights, 1993 (Law and Society Trust, Sri Lanka, 1994)
- The North East War, in Sri Lanka: State of Human Rights, 1993 (Law and Society Trust, Sri Lanka, 1994)
- Book Review, Human Rights in Developing Countries: Yearbook 1994 in Fortnightly Review, Vol. V, #84 (Law and Society Trust, Oct 1994), and The Sunday Observer, Mar 26, 1995
Languages
English, Tamil, Sinhalese