Five Tips to Avoid Delays in Your Green Card Approval

Applying for a green card usually takes a very long time. There are many possible reasons why your green card approval may take longer than others.  Many of these reasons may also be your fault.  This article will tell you how you can avoid delays in your green card application so you can get approved as soon as possible.

Avoiding Green Card Application Delays

While you can’t do much to speed up your green card application process, you can avoid factors that can contribute to delays. Here are some tips to follow to prevent delaying your application:

  1. Hire a good immigration lawyer.

A good immigration lawyer is indispensable because the green card application process is laden with a lot of legal twists and turns that you as a regular person may not be very familiar with. Immigration lawyers on the other hand have been trained for years to handle all these types of issues and they already have experienced dealing with immigration officials.  Immigration lawyers can also help you with the confusing but necessary paper work .

  1. Be organized with your documents.

Green card application process requires a lot of documents. If you have a good immigration lawyer, he would surely tell you what they are.  However, knowing which papers to prepare is not enough. You have to organize them so that they can easily be found if immigration officers ask for them. Imagine how much delay it would be if the immigration asks you for one document and you have to spend days to look for it.

  1. Always have your communication line open.

Sometimes immigration officers will call you for some questions and if you can’t answer, they will not wait for a long time considering that there may be thousands more they have to call. You should be alert for calls from immigration officers or you may miss your chance.  Make sure your phone is always working or if you give them your mobile number, you must be contactable any time of day.

You should also check your e-mails constantly in case they have emailed some documents to you.  The point is that when the immigration officers contact you, you should be there to respond to their call or email.

  1. Always have money reserved for any trips.

There are times you will be called to the immigration office, which may not be very near where you live.  If that happens and you still have to panic and try to find someone to lend you money because you are broke, that may delay your green card approval.  Always have some money in the bank that you can withdraw easily in case you need to travel for your immigration application.

  1. Don’t do anything against the law.

Being caught doing a crime would surely land you on two situations, either you get denied right away or your application will be delayed. Always be careful not to get into trouble and always be in contact with your immigration attorney.

No Shortcuts to Approval

You can’t shorten the waiting time for your immigration or green card application, but you can avoid delays that prolong this process.  The tips above are practical ways to ensure that you can get approved as soon as possible. Call the experienced lawyers of U.S. Immigration Law Center for consultation and assistance.

Can I Immigrate Using a Marriage Visa? A Few Tips from an Immigration Lawyer

Are you one half of a dual nationality couple, wondering about the best means to obtain a visa and join your partner in the United States?
Your two main options are the K1 or Fiancé Visa and the CR-1/ IR-1 Marriage Visa.

The K1 Fiancé Visa           

The K1 or Fiancé Visa is the travel document most frequently used to bring a foreign fiancé to the United States. Under this visa, the person has the legal right to remain in the United States for 90 days. Within this period the two must legally marry and the spouse must subsequently apply for an adjustment of status, which will allow him/her to remain legally in the USA.
The main advantage this type of visa offers over the Marriage Visa is a shorter processing time. The average waiting time from the day you file the application to the awarding of a visa is 6 to 7 months for a K1 visa and 8 to 9 months for a CR-1/ IR-1 visa.
The second advantage the K1 Fiancé Visa offers consists in lower fees for the initial application (even if additional fees will have to be paid when applying for an adjustment of status).

The CR-1/ IR-1 Marriage Visa 

Although taking slightly longer to process, the Marriage Visa awards the foreign spouse Permanent Residency (Green Card) upon arrival to the United States. It also has the advantage of a lower overall cost.
A distinction should be made between the CR-1 Visa, the type of visa awarded when the couple has been married for less than two years, and the IR-1 Visa, applicable for couples married longer than two years. The CR-1 Visa awards the holder Conditional Permanent Residency for two years, while the IR-1 Visa entitles the visa holder to Permanent Residency for a period of ten years.
To sum up, the US fiancé visa process is comparatively quicker than the immigrant marriage visa process. However, a foreign national entering the US on an immigrant marriage visa will have a safer status than one on the K-1 visa.
If you’re interested in getting more information about the K-1 and CR-1/ IR-1 visas, it is a good idea to consult a competent immigration lawyer. A specialized immigration lawyer can help you get a clear understanding of the process so you can make an informed decision. If you decide to enlist his help, an immigration lawyer will guide you through the process, help you with the paperwork and enhance your chances of obtaining the visa.
Whether you decide to apply for a K-1 or CR-1/ IR-1 visa, it is important to gather the proper documentation and have them translated, if need be, up front, as this will save you a lot of precious time. One thing is of the essence: Do NOT lie to the US Government. Do not apply for a tourist visa when bringing a fiancée to the US for marriage, as this is tantamount to immigration fraud.

Your Work Permit Lawyer Can Help You Understand the Green Card through Self Petition Process

Self- petitioning to acquire a green card is still considered by many people the easiest way to obtain a permanent residency status in the US. However, many immigrants applying for work permits tend to get mislead about what this process entails or what the requirements are. Sadly, if you are not working with the right work permit lawyer and you are getting your information from a less reliable source, inappropriate application might result in an NOID (notice of intents to deny) issued by the USCIS and subsequently you could be placed in the immigration removal proceedings program.

When can a foreign national take advantage of self- petitioning?

The self-petitioning process implies that an US sponsor is not required for you to receive permanent residency. It only applies to several categories of individuals: the extraordinary workers, the national interest waivers and religious workers. There are other categories (such as victim or crime or special juvenile visa) that are related more to special circumstances an individual may find himself into. But the three categories above are the ones based on an individual’s occupation and his possible contribution to the national interest.

How to know if you are eligible?

The first and most important thing to do is consult with your work permit lawyer and find out if your particular experience enables you to apply. The greatest advantage here is that you can completely avoid the entire process of certification or testing for the local labor market, which can be quite time-consuming. But you would have to present strictly outstanding qualifications in order to prove your work will benefit national interest.

  1. First preference: If your entire work history and qualifications can be considered top of the field, you will be included in the first preference workers ranks.  Keep in mind this is a rather rare description and reserved for individuals who have earned some kind of international recognition through their work or have earned at least a significant award. You can also be accepted if you are able to provide a portfolio showing special and groundbreaking achievements in your field and to guarantee that you will continue working in the same area of expertise, once you have become permanent resident.
  2. Second preference: Even if you don’t meet this restrictive 1st preference standard, you may still self petition, provided you meet the requirements for the second preference employment category. As a national interest waiver, you may need a relevant degree, PhD in most cases, or a BA with experience. The applicant has to work in an area considered of substantial intrinsic merit. This means that you will be required to present extensive documentation that will demonstrate your work is going to fully profit the USA national interest.
  3. Religious worker: To qualify as a religious worker, you need to be able to prove you have been a member of a denomination which is represented by a non- profit organization in the US and that you are going to work as a priest or minister for that particular organization.

You should ask your work permit lawyer for more info and for the most suitable application tips for you, even before you start considering this form of green card self- petition.

Working with a Green Card Attorney

Immigration and legal residence are complicated issues that require careful attention and compliance with specific laws and regulations in order to stay out of trouble. It can be daunting to deal with immigration services, and even the most confident and capable of individuals may find themselves overwhelmed and intimidated at the prospect of coping with the authorities. The sheer volume of forms, hearings and other requirements can seem a feat that simply cannot be overcome.

Fortunately, a green card attorney can be your ally during these difficult times to help you handle all of the procedural and legal complications that can come with your efforts to gain legal residence in this country. Very tight time constraints are usually the most urgent aspect of immigration services, but the services of a green card attorney will ensure that you stay on track and get all of the steps of the legal process completed thoroughly and on schedule.

What Exactly is a Green Card?

Many people have heard of green cards, but may not necessarily know what they are and how to go about receiving one.

Continue reading

Welcome to the San Diego Immigration Law Center Blog

Understanding the world of immigration law requires a lot of research and time. That is why the professionals at the San Diego Immigration Law Center have developed this blog: to inform the public what immigration attorneys already know. Hosted by our principal attorney, Ali Golchin, the San Diego Immigration Law Center blog is devoted to providing our readers with a thorough understanding of immigration law, green card applications, tips and tricks for gaining citizenship within the United States.

 

Who is Ali Golchin?

Ali Golchin is not only a reputable immigration attorney in the San Diego area, but he is also an individual who has had to endure the immigration and citizenship process himself. Through his practice at the San Diego Immigration Law Center, Golchin provides clients with green card lawyers and immigration detention attorney specialists who understand the laws surrounding immigration and who can help individuals looking to gain citizenship get into the United States quickly and legally.

 

Golchin is a member in good standing with the California Supreme Court, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Federal District Court. He prides himself on providing exceptional service and immigration attorney assistance to families who cannot find it anywhere else. Golchin is a certified member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and has been since 1994.

 

Mr. Golchin is no stranger to immigration law. As an immigration attorney himself, he had to face his own immigration court case in 1981. Golchin represented himself as a green card attorney to gain citizenship in the United States. Golchin has first-hand knowledge of how difficult immigration courts are, the emotional strain they cause on families and the overall financial hardship a family will endure when trying to gain citizenship.

 

Since representing himself, this immigration attorney has represented over 10,000 cases for individuals and families going through the same personal situation he did: immigration. Golchin and his team of green card lawyers, work permit attorneys and immigration lawyer specialists offer professional assistance and advocacy for individuals regardless of their religion, culture or ethnicity to provide them with the fair immigration attorney advice they deserve.

 

The San Diego Immigration Law Center Blog

Though Ali Golchin and his team of immigration lawyer associates are more than happy to assist clients or potential clients with questions, the San Diego Immigration Law Center blog was created to help educate individuals and families on the rules and regulations surrounding immigration attorney law, green card attorney issues and more.

 

Learn about the immigration laws, deportation issues and questions that green card attorneys frequently answer throughout the immigration process so that you are not only prepared, but educated for your own green card or work visa case.

 

Welcome to the San Diego Immigration Law Center blog. Feel free to browse our posts, leave comments or contact an immigration attorney at the San Diego Immigration Law Center today by calling 619-827-8777 for assistance with your own green card attorney case.

https://www.sandiegoimmigrationlawcenter.com/